Weekly MM: Yes! 20 Miles!

First things first: I ran 20 miles this past Saturday! And I'm still standing and smiley!

The Thursday prior to this momentous occasion was my weekly hour run. Fartleks meant that only one of my 6.2 miles was over a 9 minute pace, which helped balance out the nearly-numbing 40 degree weather! Off and on during training, I've had some chafing from my Camelbak, but on this run I actually had chafing on my lower throat from my long-sleeve shirt. Weird...and a prime example as to why you need to test our your gear before race day!

I was slowing getting nervous as the Friday workday came to a close, knowing that my longest run EVER was so close to taking place. I decided to go to the Seal Team workout to loosen up a bit. It was admittedly risky, but it helped that the instructor was also running the 20-miler the next morning. It was a bit more running than I was hoping, but it did the job of keeping me distracted. Dinner included a bowl of steamed spinach and a piece of leftover roasted tomato, corn & cheddar flatbread. I figured the mixture of fat and carbs was a good one; and the meal was vegetarian like I have been doing.

Saturday, off went my alarm 4:15AM (as if I needed it!). I downed half a cup of black coffee, water, and a homemade granola bar...and I tried to dress somewhat optimistically: spandex tights, a tank and pullover. A headband for my ears and gloves for my fingers were necessities (hello, 34 degrees!). Oh, and I remembered my Garmin Forerunner this go-around! Other accessories included my Camelbak with water and a new SPIbelt for my jelly beans.

We huddled in a group and reviewed the route before officially taking off into the dark, frigid morning. I pledged to take the first half of the run slow. The first two miles I remained with the group, then I officially became a lone ranger. It wasn't lonely per-se because I knew there were people in front of and behind me; and the instructor was running back-to-last the ENTIRE time. It was honestly easier to go at "my" pace once it was only me. There wasn't any pressure to keep up and continue a conversation, nor was there the unnecessary challenge to pass someone. It was just like any other solo run...except it was going to last over 3 hours.

Things that were good:

• Water stops - We had two volunteers trade off being "sag" wagons every 2-3 miles during out 20 mile loop. They did a great job keeping the energy up and making sure we had everything we needed. Because they were positioned so frequently in the course, I felt comfortable taking off my Camelbak only 4 miles into the run. It was good practice for me to be drinking out of a cup (instead of straw). Also, I actually "stopped" to drink for a few seconds at every one, which I had previously been terrified to do!
• Knowing the area - A lot of the loop was through neighborhoods that I'd either run in before or had driven and recognized. It didn't make it daunting knowing how far I had left to go, like maybe you'd expect. Instead, I took comfort in the familiarity of my surroundings. Also, did I mention the loop we ran was a majority of the actual marathon course?!
• Right gear - Aside from the Camelbak, I didn't have to shed any gear at all. I took off my gloves occasionally, but they stayed stuffed in my shirt until I needed them again. All of my clothing was comfortable and stayed where it should. Most importantly, I didn't have an chafing or blisters develop thanks to Body Gliding my each-and-every toe and heel.
• Negative split - I really believe that my slow first half made me stronger the second half! My last mile was just over a 9 minute mile pace, which I was astounded by, especially given my pace as the end of my 18-miler.

To tell you the truth, there weren't too many "bad" things about the run: It, without a doubt, was LONG. The second half of the loop, south of the James River, was hillier than I expected it to be. Towards the end, my feet and ankles started getting tired and there was a slight "squeaky hinge" feeling in my knees. And then the last half mile, anticipating the end, my body started to weaken. That was definitely more of a mental than physical issue though! 

Afterwards, everyone was so ecstatic! We had just checked a HUGE task off our training list and lived to celebrate this milestone. There water stop volunteers set up their leftover fruit and mini PB&J bites for us to start refueling, while the remainder of our group finished up. I stretched some before realizing how soaked with sweat and freezing I was. What followed was a drive home for the hottest shower I've ever taken and then meeting up with Boyfriend for brunch.

He was astounded by my decision not to go with my "usual" at The Dairy Bar (review here): biscuit breakfast sandwich with a chocolate peanut butter milkshake. Instead I had a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich on wheat toast and hash browns. After finishing that run, I had a renewed sense of confidence and need to be healthier leading up to race day. Well...that lasted about an hour...LUCKILY I chose toast over a biscuit because the rest of my weekend looked like this:



First lunch: more leftover roasted tomato, corn & cheddar flatbread



Second lunch: Smokey Burger, Carytown Burger & Fries

Late dinner: 3 beers and a slice of Belmont Pizza. Just because there isn't a picture, doesn't mean it didn't happen...



Sunday breakfast: Pancake Sausage Corn Dogs (with fruit for balance!), The Continental Westhampton



AND BOOM. Sunday dinner: Fried Green Tomato BLT, The Viceroy

Suffice to say, I overdid it in a number of ways this weekend. And it was worth it!

Similar to the Tuesday after my 18 mile run, yesterday morning's run was shockingly wonderful. Two 10-minute intervals helped me knock out two miles in under 8 minutes each and the other 8 miles were by no means slow. I felt powerful. It was followed by immediate soreness. Yep, I think my body is done for the week. The cherry on top was a sports massage I had scheduled for last night; it was p-e-r-f-e-c-t-l-y painful.

I have to say, completing my 20-miler felt like the climax...so it's disappointing to realize I still have the actual race to run! As we slowly begin to taper this week, I think it's going to be a fine balance between letting off and completely letting go. There's fear and exhaustion pulling me in opposite directions, and I need to stay comfortable somewhere in the middle!