The road to 22 miles
Hello Beautiful People,
So it's been a little while since my last post. I got an angry text from someone that it's been a week and she didn't have anything to read during her lunch hour today, but I would like to point out that it's only been 4 days. :-)
I have a lot of things to talk about, but it will take all week. Basically I completed 22 miles on Friday and it has taken a while to recover. I was exhausted when I finished. Then Saturday and Sunday were busy. Yesterday my body started screaming for rest. It wasn't just my body, but my mind too.
Friday was amazing. I planned to walk the whole 22. I just wanted to make sure that I could do it. I wasn't sure where I was going to do it. I wanted to go to the park, but it was going to be warm. I wanted to go to the gym, but that was a little bit of a drive if something went wrong. But, let's face it, the big factor was where would I go for a burger when I finished? I got a text from my new running buddy asking if I was at the park. I told her my dilemma. She offered that there is a burger place just up the street from the park. SOLD! So I packed up and headed over.
Packing up involved packing a cooler with lots of water. I packed my gel packs. I packed my protein bars. It was a warm one out so I had on shorts and a t-shirt.
The park has a 1.1 mile loop. So 10 laps is 11 miles. I was in for 20 laps. The OCD in me wanted to see the laps. So I dipped into my Girls on the Run bands that I bought the girls. I pulled out 20 little rubber bands that I put on the fingers on my left hand. After every lap I would transfer one to my right hand. That way I could visually see my progress.
As I said, my plan was walking only. But, I got antsy so I ran a little. Not a lot, but a half mile here and there. For those laps I put the rubber band on my index finger.
I was doing really well. My legs were tighter than I would have liked. Actually when I woke up that morning I didn't know what to do. My calves were TIGHT. I knew this would be a tough day, but I had carb loaded like a maniac on Thursday so I had no choice. haha. I knew I was going to be hurting, but I had to do it. That's what Marathon training is about. Now in full disclosure, I also got my lady gift a day early on Friday....$(*%*($!!!!!!! I want all women out there to agree that it is like I did 44 miles. Day one of lady gift is draining and icky.
I was getting texts all day from my new Running Buddy, Cari. She was on her treadmill at home, but lives right by the park. She offered to bring me anything I needed and gave me encouraging words all day. It was such a blessing.
I decided to stop after every 5 laps and get fresh water and fuel at the car. I walked right past it so it wasn't out of the way. I was feeling pretty good after 10 laps (11 miles). I was hot, but okay. I felt good knowing that I was halfway. My butt was feeling it though.
Now when I would finish previous halves I would think "If I could just double this time I would be fine." That's good in theory, but that's not reality. I have done a lot of training. A LOT. But, this has been about me training to last that long. My body can do it, but it gets tired. During my halves I would have a great first 8 miles, and then lose time on the last 5. Well imagine how this is going with 22 miles. My legs tightened up BIG TIME on mile 15. The last 7 miles I lost on an hour on. My pace didn't feel like it lost anything, but my legs were not as flexible. They weren't giving me the range they did earlier. It's frustrating. Very frustrating, but this is why I train.
I am very aware that I may take the full 7 hours to finish. I am 100% okay with that. Of course I would like to do better than that, but the key word there is FINISH. Friday was the first day that I felt like I can really do this.
When I was on mile 16 Running Buddy Cari told me to text her after every lap. She was cheering me on as she drove past the park.
I finished. I was slower, but I felt like I could have finished 26. It was an amazing feeling.
And then it was time for my burger! So this was my first time trying to leave the park at rush hour. I couldn't make a left turn. Cars kept coming. I was freaking out. I WAS SO HUNGRY. Oh I went all out. I got a double cheeseburger with crinkle fries. I got it to go, but I should have stayed. I sat in more traffic trying to get home. I am only 5 minutes away, but it took 15. At that time it felt like an hour.
I showered before I ate. Even though I was starving, I knew that if I sat down to eat I might never get up...and we were losing time on how much energy I had left to take my clothes off.
My feet went up and I was done for the night. I was stiff and sore, but mostly my feet were hurting. That's to be expected though. When I am done a long distance my feet get elevated for the rest of the day. Between my feet and knee it is essential for me to do this if I want to move the next day.
I was surprisingly mobile the next day. I wasn't as flexible as normal, but that was about it. This is why I train. :-)
So now I am 6.5 weeks away. I feel good. I am also feeling the love. I will share more about that tomorrow.
Have a Blessed Evening.
*************************************************************************
Check out my Facebook Page for Confessions (there are before and work-in-progress
So it's been a little while since my last post. I got an angry text from someone that it's been a week and she didn't have anything to read during her lunch hour today, but I would like to point out that it's only been 4 days. :-)
I have a lot of things to talk about, but it will take all week. Basically I completed 22 miles on Friday and it has taken a while to recover. I was exhausted when I finished. Then Saturday and Sunday were busy. Yesterday my body started screaming for rest. It wasn't just my body, but my mind too.
Friday was amazing. I planned to walk the whole 22. I just wanted to make sure that I could do it. I wasn't sure where I was going to do it. I wanted to go to the park, but it was going to be warm. I wanted to go to the gym, but that was a little bit of a drive if something went wrong. But, let's face it, the big factor was where would I go for a burger when I finished? I got a text from my new running buddy asking if I was at the park. I told her my dilemma. She offered that there is a burger place just up the street from the park. SOLD! So I packed up and headed over.
Packing up involved packing a cooler with lots of water. I packed my gel packs. I packed my protein bars. It was a warm one out so I had on shorts and a t-shirt.
The park has a 1.1 mile loop. So 10 laps is 11 miles. I was in for 20 laps. The OCD in me wanted to see the laps. So I dipped into my Girls on the Run bands that I bought the girls. I pulled out 20 little rubber bands that I put on the fingers on my left hand. After every lap I would transfer one to my right hand. That way I could visually see my progress.
As I said, my plan was walking only. But, I got antsy so I ran a little. Not a lot, but a half mile here and there. For those laps I put the rubber band on my index finger.
I was doing really well. My legs were tighter than I would have liked. Actually when I woke up that morning I didn't know what to do. My calves were TIGHT. I knew this would be a tough day, but I had carb loaded like a maniac on Thursday so I had no choice. haha. I knew I was going to be hurting, but I had to do it. That's what Marathon training is about. Now in full disclosure, I also got my lady gift a day early on Friday....$(*%*($!!!!!!! I want all women out there to agree that it is like I did 44 miles. Day one of lady gift is draining and icky.
I was getting texts all day from my new Running Buddy, Cari. She was on her treadmill at home, but lives right by the park. She offered to bring me anything I needed and gave me encouraging words all day. It was such a blessing.
I decided to stop after every 5 laps and get fresh water and fuel at the car. I walked right past it so it wasn't out of the way. I was feeling pretty good after 10 laps (11 miles). I was hot, but okay. I felt good knowing that I was halfway. My butt was feeling it though.
Now when I would finish previous halves I would think "If I could just double this time I would be fine." That's good in theory, but that's not reality. I have done a lot of training. A LOT. But, this has been about me training to last that long. My body can do it, but it gets tired. During my halves I would have a great first 8 miles, and then lose time on the last 5. Well imagine how this is going with 22 miles. My legs tightened up BIG TIME on mile 15. The last 7 miles I lost on an hour on. My pace didn't feel like it lost anything, but my legs were not as flexible. They weren't giving me the range they did earlier. It's frustrating. Very frustrating, but this is why I train.
I am very aware that I may take the full 7 hours to finish. I am 100% okay with that. Of course I would like to do better than that, but the key word there is FINISH. Friday was the first day that I felt like I can really do this.
When I was on mile 16 Running Buddy Cari told me to text her after every lap. She was cheering me on as she drove past the park.
I finished. I was slower, but I felt like I could have finished 26. It was an amazing feeling.
And then it was time for my burger! So this was my first time trying to leave the park at rush hour. I couldn't make a left turn. Cars kept coming. I was freaking out. I WAS SO HUNGRY. Oh I went all out. I got a double cheeseburger with crinkle fries. I got it to go, but I should have stayed. I sat in more traffic trying to get home. I am only 5 minutes away, but it took 15. At that time it felt like an hour.
I showered before I ate. Even though I was starving, I knew that if I sat down to eat I might never get up...and we were losing time on how much energy I had left to take my clothes off.
My feet went up and I was done for the night. I was stiff and sore, but mostly my feet were hurting. That's to be expected though. When I am done a long distance my feet get elevated for the rest of the day. Between my feet and knee it is essential for me to do this if I want to move the next day.
I was surprisingly mobile the next day. I wasn't as flexible as normal, but that was about it. This is why I train. :-)
So now I am 6.5 weeks away. I feel good. I am also feeling the love. I will share more about that tomorrow.
Have a Blessed Evening.
*************************************************************************
Check out my Facebook Page for Confessions (there are before and work-in-progress
Comments
Post a Comment