Last Sunday I planned to run my first 20 miler on terra firma of this training cycle. Ideally I’d have already had three or more under my belt by now but it’s been that kind of summer.
Travel + heat + bailing to the bike + hip woes = poor training, especially endurance in my case.
On my last post I issued an ultimatum: I’d try for the 20-miler and if the hip didn’t cooperate, I’d switch my marathon in Twin Cities on 10/2 to the half.
I got out early. I was determined to get this run in but not be stupid and push through if the hip wasn’t having it.
My goals:
ANY PACE Just cover the distance. Ideally I’d run at least half at MP but, given my shoddy training, I’m not even sure what MP is.
NO WALKING Not that walking is a bad thing, but recently I slipped into a nasty habit of taking walk breaks to fuel or wogging and it’s not part of my training plan. I chalk it up to lack of focus and poor mental fitness.
NO WASTING TIME at home mid-run reloading my fluids. Much like the space station, I alerted the Caveman and the kids to when I’d be passing by so they could be out on the side of the road with their telescopes my fluids and I’d have no temptation to go inside and slack.
POSITIVE SELF TALK 20-milers are nothing new to me. Looking back at running logs, I’ve done more than two dozen 20+ milers. So where has my confidence gone? And why does this one feel like the first time? I pontificate a lot on this blog about self-talk. It’s time to walk (or run) the talk.
I broke it into four groups of five miles each. Nice and easy.
1st five: was about settling in. I was ultra-attuned to how my hip felt. Left shin felt tight. I concentrated on good form and not over striding.
2nd five: felt great. Shin relaxed. It was then that I realized how much I wanted to run the full in Twin Cities. How much I wanted to honor the commitment I made.
3rd five: I felt the first vestiges of fatigue at mile 11 but easily overcame it. Felt VERY grateful my hip continued to cooperate. On some level I knew today’s 20 would happen. The unicorns and rainbows were interrupted when I felt like the top of my big toe was being transformed to ground beef in my new shoes. I called the Caveman, requesting my old shoes. At mile 14 I stopped to reload fluids and change shoes, yep, right there on the side of the road. Cannot. Be trusted. To go. Inside.
Final five: I was way too far into this run to consider anything less than finishing. I brought it to a triumphant end at 20.25 miles.
