Last week I entered a new relm of awesomeness! The 20 mile club. I have no idea if there is such a club but I'm creating one if there isn't. Running 20 miles is other-worldly. I was very very worried about my 20 mile long run because the longest I had run up to that point was 16. I did 16 twice and both times were less than stellar. Yeah I got it done but when I did those 16's I had to stop and walk, I felt tired, slow, and just never really felt like I was in my runner zone. Well that changed because I found my zone for the 20. I have a few theories as to what made 20 so much more enjoyable than 16. Number one is that the weather is so much more forgiving these days! When I ran 20 last friday it was in the 60's when I started and about 73* when I finished at 11:45ish. So the fact that I wasn't running in a Vietnamese Jungle was incredibly helpful!!! The second theory that I have is that I had three days of rest before my LR this time. Since I got back from Jamaica I have been running hard and a lot. I was in panic mode b/c going on vacation wrecked my endurance. So, frankly, I think my legs were tired. I've read a lot of running experts comments about proper rest and there is something to that!!! I don't' know that every week I should go out and only run 5 miles on a monday and then 20 miles on a friday but for that week, it worked! You can burn out your muscles by running TOO MUCH, and I think that was part of what I was dealing w/ during long runs. I was so concerned about getting my miles in each week that I didn't think about how hard that is on your body.
So what I did for my 20 was I did out and back 5 miles, twice. The trail I used (Mopac East) has a really nice restroom at the trail head and lets just say I wanted to know I had a bathroom should I need one! haha. All I ever really allowed myself to think was "just go 5 miles". I ran out 5 miles. That went well! So I thought "just go 5 miles". I went back the 5 miles! Success! 10 miles, done! I took a pit stop and hopped back on old mopac and though "just go 5 miles". I was getting tired by 14 and I decided that when I made it to the end of that 5 mile stretch (so at 15 miles total) I would turn around and walk a quarter mile. I'd take that time to fuel (w/ my power bar gel, that I now LOVE and hydrate w/ the water on my fuel belt). So that's how I played it. I got to 15 and turned around and allowed myself to walk for a whole quarter mile. When I trained for half marathons I never allowed myself to walk. If I ever walked I felt so pissed at myself. Well not now. Not with this training. A full marathon is freaking HARD. If you know anyone who has ever run a FULL marathon you should hug them! You should tell them they are the most amazing human being you know! Because they are. They are the most amazing human being you know. Especially if they trained properly! (digressing). Anyway, after my fuel, water, and nice little .25 mile walk I was back at it and ready to tackle the very last 4 and three quarter miles! That was it! I was like... I can totally run 4 and three quarter miles! Especially after my little walk. I was recharged and feeling AWESOOOOOME! (sing that like Oprah).
Towards the end I was totally getting tired. I really did EXCEPTIONAL (in my book) until 18 miles. At that point I think I did stop to walk but I only allowed myself a 10th of a mile to walk. Between 18 and 20, my last two miles, I probably stopped 3 times to walk a 10th of a mile at a time but that was all. I did manage to run in the last .75 mile. I should say 'run' in quotes because it was more of a foot shuffle! haha. But I did it! I FREAKIN' DID IT!!! The feeling of getting a 20 mile run in and under my belt was phenominal! I felt like a damn Goddess! I felt like NOW I HAVE STREET CRED! NOW I CAN RUN THIS MARATHON.
And that's the best part. I had so many doubts before that 20 mile run. When two 16's went 'so-so' I thought, 'am i fooling myself? should i really try running a whole marathon? that's 10 more miles than those shitty 16's!' But now that I did 20 I know I can do the full. I don't care if I stop to walk a bit here or there. I don't care if I have to run a few 13/min miles. I don't care if I get passed by everyone on my running team. I don't care if a zillion other people cross the finish line before me! I don't care if anyone else does anything involving a marathon... I care about ME, what I have achieved, how hard I have worked, how much I have put into this and what a GREAT feeling it will be when I CROSS THAT FINISH LINE... because you know what... I WILL. And that's a fact, Jack. :)
Running Song of the Week: Wretches and Kings by Lincoln Park. I listend to it about 5 times during my 20 miler. (and I didn't listen to music the whole run.) but it makes me think of Katniss Everdeen (hunger games) and it makes me feel like I can do anything!
Running Quote of the Week: "Man is so made, that whenever anything fires his soul, impossibilities vanish." La Fontaine
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