Seven Hours and 49 Miles

The end of week 11 was challenging. Before going into Sunday’s training, I was worried.

Saturday’s run took three hours and fifteen minutes (21 miles).This was fifteen minutes longer than goal. The run was quite uneventful. I’ll take uneventful once in awhile.

The sky was clear and the temperature was a comfortable 58 degrees, unlike the previous sultry weekend. Yuck! It’s amazing running early in the early morning darkness. Experiencing the blazing red sky at sunrise, which transitions to...
the light of day cannot really be expressed in words. The neighborhoods switch from a peaceful, quiet calm to a bustling community.

After the run, my feet were aching the rest of the day. Then the worry kicked in. I had never run consecutive long runs. Could I do it? Will my feet hurt too much to be able to run? Will what I eat in between runs sustain me for a four hour run on Sunday? I was completely out of my comfort zone. The most important job: Rest.

As part of my recovery, after long runs, I just like to rest. Unfortunately this cannot always be done on the weekends when moving into to a new home, like we have. I do not believe in ice baths or taking anti-inflammatories, like Motrin. My body is going to be sore after pushing my body. Sore muscles and joints are part of the experience. Typically the soreness subsides as the day progresses and I eat, refueling my body. Letting my body work through the pain makes it stronger. My body needs to expel the free radicals or byproducts causing the pain. This is not about instant gratification. Be patient. Recovery is more important than the training.

When I got up Sunday morning at 3:00 am, my feet felt good. It’s amazing what a good night’s sleep will do. Since this was supposed to be a four hour run, I took the 64 ounce pack. It was ten degrees warmer than Saturday morning, but it was raining. I’ll take the rain over the heat any time.

I ended up completing 28 miles in four hours and five minutes. I believe that's a 8:45 per mile pace. The last several miles were faster than 8:45. Overall, this was much faster than Saturday and my feet felt better than they did Saturday. That’s strange. I ended up drinking 40 ounces during the run. I could have used my smaller pack, after all, but I’m glad that I did not take any chances. Water is so important.

Needless to say, I'm pleased with the results.

I should mention that for no particular reason I switched to GU Chomps from GU gel. It’s like eating Dots and I like Dots. During the run, I’ll eat a serving 45 minutes into the run, then every 45 minutes or hour. I will also eat a high carbohydrate energy bar in between. During the run, carbohydrates are more important than proteins. Protein intake should be increased after the run.

After more than seven hours and 49 miles of running the last couple of days, this will be a well-deserved recovery and vacation week. I’ll complete a Tuesday track run for speed, then shorter long runs next Saturday and Sunday. Taking a vacation will force me to kick back and relax more.

Have a great week!