17 miles

So I didn't have a clever title, but you get the message: I ran 17 miles today.

Most fall Marathoners racing between 10/10 and 11/7 had 18 miles on the schedule today, but I rock and built my own plan so I did 17M. This was again, my longest run ever, as most remaining long runs will be, and it was what should be called a middle of the road run.

When I woke up today, I was not super into my long run, it had been 2 weeks siince my last "long run" and with nothing to prove, I felt a little under-whelmed. I wanted to hit minimum 7 miles @ or under goal pace (9:40) and make the entire run look respectable. I almost always wake up at 4a and start my runs at 5a and usually have been around the 2:30 range for my long runs. Well today I was sluggish and started closer to 5:15 and was looking at a 2:45ish run so that meant I was doing AT LEAST 1 hour in some serious sun. John has told me I need to get used to running long in the sun since my marathon will be in the sun, and doubtfully any cooler, but at this point, the dark is SO much more appealing!

For all new longer distance long runs, I will be starting between 4 and 4:30a to minimize sun effects. Despite how non-enthused and sluggish I started off my 17 miler this morning, I will spoil and say that it ended up being a solid effort.

In the first 4 miles my calves were SO tight, that I truly doubted my ability to make it past 8 miles. I was convinced that I would die from calf pain and end at 8 and half to finish on the dreaded TM later. But something amazing happened at mile 4.5.....I ate a bug! I seriously did, but that isn't what really happened, my calves finally loosened up, and I decided that I would make it work.  I know many many runners who have accidentily inhaled a bug, today was my day. It was gross and I almost vomitted 19720345792 times because of it, but I did survive.

I did the first 12 miles with only a minor stop for gu at mile 6, and at mile 8 when John left me (he was on the bike) I was able to pick it up for the final 3 miles of my favorite route, and finally hit some gmp miles.


Since the Weather Channel and local news were calling for rain at 7am, I planned to only do a 12 out and back...just in case it did start to rain, and then finish the last 5 however depending on circumstances. Well after the first 12 when I made it back to the apartment to refuel, I knew the rain would hold off, so I swapped the CamelBak for my hand-held and put on a dry shirt for the last 5. The first mile back out was slow- per usual, but was able to hit gmp for the remaining for to give me my 7gmp total I was looking for- but barely.

This run was tough, I did over an hour in some sun, but it was a respectable run, not bad, and all miles under 9:59, so I can't complain.

17 miles - 2:45:09, 9:42 average pace
Mile 1-  9:58
Mile 2-  9:59
Mile 3-  9:58
Mile 4-  9:49
Mile 5-  9:56 (where the bug was inhaled- GROSS!!!!!!!)
Mile 6-  9:56
Mile 7-  9:59
Mile 8-  9:52
Mile 9-  9:29
Mile 10-  9:09
Mile 11-  9:28
Mile 12-  9:26
Mile 13-  9:59
Mile 14-  9:39
Mile 15-  9:37
Mile 16-  9:30
Mile 17-  9:25


I would consider this a successful run. It wasn't fabulous, but it didn't suck, and I think it is a strong building week towards my next step up. I have my first 20M in 3 weeks, and I am really not so nervous anymore. I would like to get in 24M before the race, but we will see how it goes.

How was everyone else's long run this weekend????? Good, bad, how far did you go?????