13.1 Training: 12 Miles

I ran 12 miles today!  My little legs ran for TWO hours!  That's like running to my big girl's school and back.  That is craziness.  And crazy satisfying!  Today was the highest mileage I'll run before the big day in 2 weeks!  I think I've discovered I prefer long runs to short runs, as it gives me more time to settle in and get in a groove.  Next weekend will be a shorter run (6-7?) as I taper and rest my legs for race day!  I have discovered, thanks to my little bump in the road with my knee/hip issues, that I perform so much better on long runs, when I do them every OTHER weekend, with a medium length run on alternating weekends.

Without further adieu, some useless, random thoughts from my run.  Note:  I did a lot of thinking and evaluating during the first 9 miles.  The last 3 miles, not so much.  Those miles were spent willing my legs to keep moving.  (smile)


1)  I like long runs better than short runs.  With no immediate end in sight, it helps me "settle in" better mentally and just resign my body to the process.  Does that make me weird?

2)  I cope better mentally with an "out & back" run (Ex.  run 6 miles one way, turn around and run 6 back).  Or even better, start in one place, finish in another, and never retrace my steps.  New scenery makes a huge difference in my mental, and subsequently my physical stamina.  Today I ran north 3 miles on the Tobacco Trail, 3 back to my starting location, then 3 south, and 3 back to start again.  Breaking it up into 3's helped.  But passing my starting point at 6 miles was tough.  It made me feel like I should be finished, when I was only halfway to 12.

3)   It BITES to stop moving and start again!  Around the 1 hour mark I stopped at a trash can on the trail, to throw my Honey Stinger wrapper away.  And no, I couldn't chuck it in while running, because trash cans on the trail have lids you have to lift.  And no, I didn't want to put it in my pocket because I didn't want excess honey to leak out.  I stopped for all of 5 seconds at the trash can.  Whew, getting those legs moving again after running for 6 miles was...OUCH.  It's better to just keep moving!  I might get really nerdy and put a ziploc bag in my jacket pocket for my trash.

4)  Much prefer running without my fuel belt.  I can deal with it for training, though.

5)  I now know exactly how to dress for every temperature range.  What a nerd.  I know exactly what clothes and level of warmth I'll need and whether I'll need my running gloves/tights/ear headband (40's and under!).  Favorite running temp:  high 40's, low 50's.  60's I have to wear shorts.  70's I'm roasting.  80's I don't run outside!  What am I going to do when summer gets here??  I am truly in love with running.

6)  I realized I'm not having an unhappy tummy after long runs anymore!

7)  I love that I see people of every size, shape, and age running on the Tobacco Trail!  I love the unspoken feeling of community.  

8)  Good music is key!  Good music LOUD is even more crucial!  I might be deaf by race weekend...

9)  Band-Aid blister wraps ROCK!

10)  BodyGlide is pretty awesome, too!  Thanks to my running peeps who recommended it!

11)  Did I mention it bites to stop running after you've been running for say, two crazy hours?  Cause it does.  Ouch.  It's almost better to just keep running!  When I stop running and move into a walk to cool down before stretching, that is when I really feel the magnitude of what I've just done!  Lots and lots of stretching going on here!  I am so thankful I've been educated on how to take good care of my body to recover from these runs.

Mad love to LeAnne who text cheered me through my last mile!  Yes, I run with my iPhone.  Yes, I was texting while running mile 10.  That's not illegal, right?  

I am so excited about race day, I can hardly stand it!  Heck, I'm excited about race weekend, with fun running friends and our families.  Here's hoping for gorgeous race day weather in Wrightsville Beach! 

2 weeks & counting!

dawn