Last 20 miler done

This week was the last week of lots of miles, after this it is all tapering, my new favorite word.

I am going to start this blog with the end of week run, my last 20 miler was Saturday, because this was a stupendous moment for me. When I was contemplating a marathon it was the 20 mile runs on the training schedule that scared me to death. How would I ever do one 20 mile run, much less 3 of them and I knew that my usual running buddy, Cherri, didn't want to do a marathon at this time so I would be training by myself and would be doing the runs by myself. It was only after I found someone else who was doing the same marathon and we could do the runs together that I decided to do the marathon. Unfortunately after I signed up the other runner was injured and had to back out so there I was - committed to a marathon and no one to do the long runs with me. Since I had already put my money on the line and there are no refunds I had to go ahead. That first 12 miler, by myself, wasn't to bad. After all, in March I had done the half marathon, 13.1 miles by myself. The first 20 miler was hard. Cherri came and did the first nine with me but I did the final 11 by myself and by the time I was done I was hurting but I did do it. The second 20 miler was a little better. Again, the best running buddy in the world, Cherri, came and did the first 9 with me and I finished the rest by myself, while she rescued a bunny rabbit. I was a little stronger and my time was better. This week was the last one and everything I have read advised that if you were going to do the marathon by yourself you should do a long run solo so I told Cherri she was off the hook and Saturday morning at 6am I started off by myself.

I chose to stay in Georgetown and using gmaps mapped me out a route. At the last minute I changed it. Friday night as we were on our way home I realized that part of the bypass is a slow gradual hill that seemed very similiar to the one on the marathon route so I changed my route to include it. I wanted to say Georgetown for two main reasons. One it is best to run where you are comfortable and since I was going to be myself I knew I would be more comfortable here in town and the main reason is that I would be starting in the dark and I knew that if I started in my neighborhood there would be street lamps to light the way. It was a big moral victory that I started off in the dark by myself. I really am afraid of the dark and I have to admit to some major nerves until it got light. Since it had begun to get light when I left our neighborhood I ran over into the cemetery. So calm and peaceful but no ghosts to run with me. Then I headed uptown and out to the bypass and my hill. I was doing pretty good, staying around an 11:30 minute mile and not to cold. (It was mid to high 50's when I started off. Most people think this is perfect running weather and it really is but my hands get so cold.) I handled the hill, no problem, and was feeling strong. As I started down the hill I passed a field of cows who mooed at me and didn't run away. On my first 12 miler in Georgetown the cows ran from me as I ran by. I like to think they have gotten used to me and was mooing hello but my loving hubby thinks they were mooing at me that I am nuts. Anyway I continued on and began to feel my hands be really cold. I was planning to go by the house and refill my water bottles before I set off for the finish and by the time I got to the house my hands were like ice cubes, almost to the point of being painful. I got to the house and I changed my shirt and added gloves. I am sure people must have thought I was nuts, a running singlet and gloves but oh my gosh my hands felt so good the rest of the run. As I started back out I was at 11 1/4 miles and still feeling strong. With about 9 miles to go I headed out to Cherri and my regular run, out to the interstate and back. I felt good till about mile 13 and I had awhile there that I was really hurting and thinking I was out of steam. I was supposed to try and do 5 miles at my race pace and I was trying to speed up and I did, not sure I hit race pace, but I was definitely faster, less than 11 minutes a mile at that point. I got past that hurting point and at the interstate I turned for home and the last 4 1/2 miles. Whoohoo I was thinking, I am almost done, feeling ok and knowing that tapering is 4 1/2 miles away. I began to feel a little fatigued again and there is a pretty good hill on the way home and I was afraid it would slow down my time but I got home still at a sub 11 mile. Feeling strong, a little sore and tired but DARN PROUD of myself. I wish I could articulate all the thoughts I had while running 20 miles by myself. From the fear of the dark, to looking for ghosts in the cemetery, to the beauty of downtown Georgetown, conquering the hill, the cold hands and the final 9 miles, it was a great run that I am so glad I did. I missed my running buddy, I almost called and begged her to come do part of it with me and I know she would have been there for me but now I know I can do 20 miles by myself at a pretty good pace and I feel as ready as I can probaby feel for the marathon, which is after all why I was doing it.

Now to how the rest of the week went -

Monday night my running buddy Cherri asked me if I wanted company. I told her sure but Mondays are hill work. She doesn't really like hills so I wanted to warn her but she said she was up for it so she came over to Georgetown. We started off with David and Chandler. Chandler wants to start running to get in shape for basketball. David and Chandler did about 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile with us and then they turned for home while we went on. It wasn't as cool as it has been so we didn't try and set a terrific pace. It was a good run and we handled the hills really well. I really don't mind running alone and sometimes I prefer to but I must admit sometimes it is good to have a partner and Monday nights run seemed to fly by with Cherri there with me. Unfortunately she got eat up with mosquitos. She must be sweeter than me because I only had a bite or two but they really got her.

Tuesday night is 4 miles and usually speed work. I started off feeling good and strong till about mile 3 and then it was like I hit a wall. I had hit a walk period and when it was time to run again I didn't think I could do it. I really had to push to keep running but after a few minutes it went away and I finished pretty strong.

Wednesday was supposed to be another running clinic but I got an email late in the day that Gary was having sore legs and was canceling. I had 10 miles on the schedule(my longest midweek run) and Cherri and I decided to run at the horse park. We haven't ran there in awhile, they are really busy getting ready for the World Equestrian Games. We agreed I would go do 5 miles and then meet her for the 2nd 5. It was a little warm, the heat had come back this week, which I love, but I started off and did pretty good. I was right at race pace and it is just so great to run over there even with all the activity. One kind of funny incident, there are ducks on the ponds at one of the bridges. As I approached I saw 3 ducks in the middle of the road. I was wondering if they would even notice me. As I got close a truck came up behind me and the ducks started to run towards my side of the road but then they noticed me and they started back the other way and here came another car. The poor ducks just went back forth for a few seconds till the cars and I got by.

Thursday afternoon I got sick and since I knew the 20 was coming on Saturday, on the advice of my coach, Cherri, I took Thursday off to rest.

Friday was a scheduled rest day and I even gave myself the day off from cross training and rested up for the last big 20. We went out to Fazoli's to carb up and then shopped for the family reunion on Sunday.

So that is the end of the intensive marathon training. I am now in what is called taper mode. I know to non-runners it probably doesn't make sense that 3 weeks from the marathon you actually start decreasing your mileage but that is how it works. It gives your body time to recover from the strenuous training and be fresh the day of the race. I cannot believe that I am at this point.

I know this is a longer post but it was an amazing week.

till next week

Cyndi