My training schedule called for an 8.5 mile walk on Saturday and a 20 mile run Sunday. Unfortunately/fortunately I didn't read my schedule first. So I planned my run for Saturday and planned a route going from our house to Patrick's parents house.
I started out strong.. Too strong. My pace was fast and every time I tried to slow down the next mile would just get faster. I was running well and feeling good, but I knew I probably wouldn't finish if I continued going as fast as I was.
It would have been perfect, except right at the halfway point came the uphill. It threw me off and I ended up walking pretty much from mile 10.5 to 12 or so. Then the heat got to me. I tried playing games with my intervals, only drinking water on every other running interval or taking an extra walk break every third running interval.
At about mile 17 I just couldn't take it anymore. I'm pretty sure the whole run was more mentally than physically demanding for me and at this point I just wanted to be done. I couldn't quench my thirst and I was hot and tired. If someone had offered to pick me up at this point I probably would have taken them up on the offer.
Instead, I continued to put one foot in front of the other. I just needed to finish the distance. So I walked. And walked. And walked..
Just after mile 19 my mom asked if I needed to be picked up as I had been texting her and she knew I had been struggling for awhile. At that point though I just needed to finish, had to finish.
And I did finish. And it felt great. And I was very happy to be done.
I was a little sore Sunday, especially after taking two walks to get in the 8.5 miles scheduled. But I managed to get through both training days. And I know that I will manage to make it through Tracy's Dose of Dopey, even more so now that I changed the marathon route to make it a lot less hilly.. I don't know what I was thinking with the original course!
I think the thing that helped me realize that I can do this, all of this, is that I was able to maintain an average pace exactly where I wanted it to be. I am still very comfortable around a 12:30 mile, so during a long run I try to shoot for an average pace between 13:30 and 14:30.
I did just that. Despite walking more than I planned to, I finished with an average pace of 14:02.
Mile 1- 13:11
Mile 2- 13:27
Mile 3- 13:20
Mile 4- 13:28
Mile 5- 13:01
Mile 6- 13:02
Mile 7- 13:12
Mile 8- 12:57
Mile 9- 13:20
Mile 10- 13:18
Mile 11- 14:04
Mile 12- 14:53
Mile 13- 12:58
Mile 14- 13:49
Mile 15- 14:46
Mile 16- 13:27
Mile 17- 14:15
Mile 18- 15:57
Mile 19- 16.04
Mile 20- 16:42
Total distance- 20.44
Total time- 4:46:46
Avg pace- 14:02
It gives me the hope that my next long run, my 23 mile run in a few weeks, will go well. I really can't complain, given the fact that I was running the entire distance alone (except when Patrick met me to fill my water) and that I haven't gone 20 or more miles in over a year. I'm completely starting over and I need to be proud of each new milestone I reach.
And of course, there are many running related things to look forward to. Like this weekend and my 12th half marathon for the year.. In Vegas baby!!
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