Sunday marked the first of my THREE longest training runs. 20 miles! Ooph! I had all kinds of things working against me on Sunday. I spent all day Saturday preparing for Jack's birthday party and then all morning Sunday at the party. That meant that I didn't get to run early in the morning and had to start at 2:00 pm. I swear, my body doesn't know how to run in the middle of the afternoon.
I started off my run with Charlene. She had 7 miles on her half marathon training program and she was kind enough to put off her run until the afternoon so we could meet up. We got right to it and chatted the whole way. I just love running with gal pals, it makes EVERYTHING about running so much easier.
Yes I have on makeup but I had just come from the birthday party |
Mile 1: 10:30
Mile 2: 10:03
Mile 3: 10:21
Mile 4: 10:10
Mile 5: 10:38
Mile 6: 10:56
I headed back out all on my own with 14 more miles to tackle. I REALLY tried to have a good attitude for this run because I knew, with everything working against me, I at least needed to have a good attitude. Without Charlene I was slowing down considerably, but I needed to just take it slow and steady (at least that's what I told myself).
Mile 7: 11:28 (was I asleep???)
Mile 8: 10:57
Mile 9: 11:00
Mile 10: 10:56
Mile 11: 10:56
Right around the 12 mile mark my friend Val from Texas called me. She had 8 miles on tap for Sunday and we decided there was no reason we couldn't run them together.
We both put in our earbuds and talked our way through the miles we had planned. Yes I felt a little bit like a dork running around and appearing to be talking to myself, but I'd rather look like a dork than run all alone. I know, I know I've become such a running by myself wimp. I admit it!
Running "with" Val definitely made things easier, but around the 16 or so mile mark my body decided it wanted to be finished running. Everything in my lower extremities was unhappy and I was starting to get really hungry. I told Val I really wanted to quit when I passed my car. It was the only one left in the parking lot and it looked like it needed me!
Val told me I HAD to keep going and that I could do it. So I begrudgingly passed my car and continued on out the lonely road leaving the park.
Mile 12: 11:04
Mile 13: 11:05
Mile 14: 11:32
Mile 15: 11:39
Mile 16: 11:59 (a few walk breaks)
You can tell by my pace that I was really starting to slow. Everything in me just wanted to quit, but I promised myself I'd at least run to the end of the park road and turn around at the stop light leaving the park. I didn't know exactly how far it would be, but I knew it would get me close.
As it turned out, I arrived back at my car at the 19 mile mark exactly and at the same time (despite having 20% battery left) my phone died. I took it as a sign that I should stop running. Ha! Actually, I'm just glad I got in 19. No it wasn't the 20 I had planned, but it truly felt good enough.
Mile 17: 12:29
Mile 18: 12:44
Mile 19: 12:28
Wow, what can I say about those last miles. I don't think I even took any significant walk breaks. I was just SLOW!!
Total: 3:33:06
Average: 11:12
I really hoped to have a much faster average, but I'm trying to cut myself some slack and realize I ran 19 miles. No I'm not the fastest runner, but my legs still carried me 19 miles. 19 miles!!!! I should NOT minimize that!
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