20 miles…

This past week was the peak week in my training with a total of 40 miles, 20 of which were my long run on Saturday.  So, I ran 20 miles!  My feet and legs actually moved non-stop for 20 miles with an average pace of 10:30…not bad for a training run!

We started our run before the sun came up.  It was dark and chilly as those of us running 20 miles gathered at Roosevelt Island to head out on C&O.  I had my substitute running guide to run with me, and she did amazing! 

Standing there in the cold and dark, for a minute I thought “what is wrong with me?  Why am I out to run this early?”  Once we got started running over the bridge I started to change my mind.  It was chilly, but not cold.  It was quiet and peaceful starting our run so early.  As the sun came up it started to warm up just a bit.  It was a really confortable temperature throughout the run.  The group consisted mostly of people I hadn’t run with before so there was lots of talking to keep us all entertained throughout the hours of running. 

Running that far was such an incredible experience, especially knowing that it is my last really long run before MCM.  I felt so strong as I continued to feel good while the miles added up. We got to 16 then 17 and I still was feeling ok…tired but ok.  By 18 miles I could tell I was reaching the hard point, the point where it was new, never run territory, but I could still keep going strong.  At this point it was 3 of us women together, encouraging each other through the last few miles.  There was such a feeling of solidarity, encouraging each other to run strong and keep going.  We even had the energy to run the last mile faster!

As a side note, even when I say I felt ok or still strong, that doesn’t mean that my legs weren’t seriously tired and sore and my brain didn’t want to just give up at times.  Feeling good and strong means knowing you still have more energy left in you.  It’s knowing that you still can go for more miles in spite of sore joints and tired muscles.  It’s such an incredible feeling to master your body and mind and keep going. 

Trying to walk as a cool down after 20 miles was kind of funny.  My legs felt so awkward, like they had forgotten how to walk.  My joints and muscles didn’t want to coordinate right.  I was happy for a soak in an ice bath when I got home and a massage later that afternoon.  The combination helped my legs only feel somewhat stiff on Sunday.

So now I enter the taper period of my training.  The next 3 weeks are all about gradually decreasing my running volume to arrive at race day well rested.  And yes, race day was 3 weeks from yesterday…scary!  It’s time to trust in my training…