A Tale of Two Runs

Today I got my first big lesson in endurance. I bumped up to 14 miles which is getting into serious training territory. It poured, but I didn't mind that. I like the rain. The only downside to running in the rain is blisters. My feet are already a mess so what's another disgusting boil? I don't even feel pain anymore. So the rain really had no bearing on getting my run in today.

I decided to do 8 miles as an out-and-back, stop at my car and get some more Gatorade, and then do the other 6 as an out-and-back in the opposite direction, essentially breaking it up into 2 runs. The first run was incredible. The rain coming through the trees was calming and refreshing. I felt phenomenal. I tried not to think about the miles as they ticked off. I just told myself I was going to be out there for a long time and it was what it was. My splits for the first 8 are really good. Definite progress. Miles 3 and 4 were a nice, steady pace despite a 100-foot climb. I'm starting to see more 9s than before and that's a wonderful thing. My average pace at the end of the 8.18 miles was 10:29/mile. Loving that.

Then...the 2nd part of the run. I stopped at my car and I was dying of thirst. I could have stood there and chugged Gatorade all day. I decided to do a sock change which was a smart thing, regardless of blisters. Once socks get wet they're just so heavy and hot and lose their compression. The fresh socks (a different brand/type) were dry and cool and the nice squeeze from the compression was like getting a mini foot massage. Okay, maybe not that good but it was definitely a refreshing feeling. I also did a GU for the first time on a long run and it tasted as good as I remember. Pure, delicious, sugar energy.

I felt pretty good heading out on the 2nd half of the run. My pitstop was no more than 5 minutes so it wasn't like I cooled down very much but as soon as I got going I felt totally drained. Perhaps it was mental -- I had just been at my car which usually means "go home" and I was headed off to do another hour of running. Whatever it was, I knew I was going to be tested to get through the remaining 6 miles. For awhile, I coasted off the surge of energy that came with the GU. But that didn't last long, unfortunately. At the 12-mile mark I felt pretty bad. I felt like I had been out there forever. There was yet another mile-long climb (69 feet) and I was not moving fast at all. Then, happily, I got another burst of energy and finished up the last 2 miles at a decent clip. My overall pace for the last 6.11 miles tells the story though: 11:27/mile. Almost a minute slower than the previous 8.

Overall, my pace for the 14.29 miles was 10:52/mile. That's still great for me and under the 11 min/mile pace I'm shooting for at the marathon. What concerns me is that if I'm slowing down by a minute that early out I'm going to be barely moving by mile 26.

I'm not counting myself out though. I think this is part of the natural progression of endurance training. Today I added on 2 extra miles from my previous longest run of 12 miles. Fourteen miles is getting up there and is giving me a much better estimate of how I'm going to perform than when I was doing 8- and 10-milers. Yes, I slowed down. But now I have the confidence that I know what 14 miles feels like. Next week's long run is 15 miles and really that's only 2/3rds of a mile more than I did today. Hopefully I'll be a little stronger and hold up my pace for a little longer. The following week is a cut-back week down to 12 and that's where I can push again on pace. Training programs have a logic and a purpose. I feel pretty good that I'm going to be okay in the end.

I'm learning the thing about endurance is when your body and mind are telling you that there is no logical reason to keep punishing yourself you find a way to keep moving and work through it.

So that's the blah-blah-blah of my training this week (27.98 miles). In much more EXCITING news, the tag sale was a huge success! Where today was a lesson in endurance yesterday was more a lesson in not telling people off but, in the end, we made over $600!!! I was thrilled with my total which was close to $400 but then my dear friends Tom and Ricardo gave me what they had made that day. I was so blown away. Not only did they give up their whole day but they contributed a huge amount to my fundraising goal. I can never thank them enough. They said they were just happy to get rid of their junk but they didn't have to do that, especially since they weathered as many insults as I did from the special breed of people who are hardcore tag salers. I'm so appreciative. I'm now 66% of the way to my fundraising goal. Incredible!

And...as if that wasn't enough...my friend (and B's colleague) adopted one of the Collies from my NSAL visit pictures!!! She got a Collie puppy at the beginning of the summer and she saw the pictures on FB. Originally it was her mother who was interested in possibly getting one of them but Honey (the mother dog) ended up coming home with my friend! I'm so thrilled for them. Honey has a wonderful new home and a great mamma.

Also, my Aunt and Uncle are looking to adopt one of the older dogs that I mentioned in my NSAL pictures. There is a bus going up to the Danbury area and they are looking at the pictures online and deciding which one to add to their family. Another baby is going to get a great home! I'm ecstatic! I'd run as many marathons as it took if it meant getting all these dogs a home.

For now, I'm going to do up a rainy Sunday the way it should be done: lying around and doing nothing. Ahh....