I really, really needed that.

If you’ve been along for the ride awhile, you may have heard me mention a time or a million that my stomach and I don’t get along.   Also that it’s been a rough 10 months, stomach wise.   That roughness carried over into my running and things slowed down.    I was so gung-ho to set PR’s in 2014 and it just didn’t happen.   Even though I finally accepted that and moved on, a part of me was still frustrated.   Also with doctors but that’s another story.

While I have trained pretty consistently this year, I am still not where I was before my flare.  Walk breaks have become a part of run, long or short, slow or fast.  Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with walking, heck I look forward to those breaks on most runs.    But long runs stressed me out.   I don’t know if I hid it well or not but I was beginning to dread long runs.    I felt like I was moving so slow and that I walked too often but just couldn’t seem to pick it up.Beyond that I have a serious mental block when it comes to long runs past 10 miles.  I love half marathons but double-digit slow runs by myself?  Umm, not so much.   I have done one 12 mile run outside of a race.  One- and it took me 2.5 hours.  Actually it might have been longer but I’ve blocked it out, I am pretty sure I walked the last 2 miles.   So when I saw so many 12-16 milers on my training schedule, I had a mini freak out.   And I haven’t run a single one.   Once again I topped out at 10 for most of the runs.    Which was noticeable in Wine Country when I hit a wall at 10. Did that make me go out and run 12 the next weekend? No.    Then my doctor changed my diet pretty drastically and I missed 2 long runs in a row.  Crap.   I knew I could not miss another with SLO being so close.

While I am looking forward to my 5k race tomorrow, it is one that I know leaves me super sore.   So sore that I knew banking on a 10-12 mile run with a fast finish on Sunday was probably foolish.    Because work was a little crazy this week and I worked longer days on Monday and Tuesday and couldn’t leave the building on Wednesday and Friday, my boss said she was going to try and let me leave a little early on Thursday.   This sparked an idea but I wasn’t fully committed.  A small part of me thought I could move my long run to Thursday instead.  My 5K race is not a PR race but more for fun, so I figured if I was a little tired for it that was fine.    But I was still on the fence about if I even wanted to run that many miles after working all day.   Or if I even could.  I got off an hour early so I headed to the lake to run a few laps.  My stomach was the crankiest it’s been since I started this new diet, but then I had cheated the day before.   I also wasn’t dressed for a long run.  I wasn’t wearing compression socks nor a 10+ mile sports bra.  Yes, I have different sports bras I wear depending on the length of the run.    If I did run long I was going to split it. 7-8 miles at the lake and then I was going to head to the river path for the remainder.  My mother was thinking about meeting me for the second part.   So, in other words, I wasn’t expecting much and anticipating another Slacker moment.

I warmed up with my usual slow first mile before picking it up.    Miles 2 and 3 clocked in at 9:57 and 10:10.  So not long run pace.  I should have been aiming for 10:45-11:15.  I went out too fast, there was no way I was maintaining.  I was irritated with myself and doubting that I would even follow through with driving to the river path.  Then my mother texted that she wasn’t going to make it.  There went that motivation to follow through.    Ok fine, I was just going to run until I was tired or my stomach rebelled, I figured 6 miles tops. Around mile 6, I noticed that I was still running.  As in, I hadn’t taken a single walk break.  Not one and I felt pretty good.  Huh?  I did stop for a bathroom break but decided to just keep running after that.  Mile 7 and I was running.  Mile 8 still running.  Mile 9, more running.  Still no walk breaks.   I was starting to think I might actually pull this off.  Miles 9, 10,  and 11 all came in at 10:00 or under.   Did you see that 11?!?!  I cleared 10 miles on a long run!!!!!!  I wanted to throw a party and celebrate but I was surrounded by strangers!     I stopped my Garmin at 11 and walked the 3/4 of a mile back to my car.

Dudes, I ran the whole thing- no walking breaks!!  Who am I?  And 11 miles at that pace and not racing?!  I know it’s not much by some standards but for me and the past year, I was stoked.     It also reinforced that consistent training works and does pay off even if you don’t see it immediately.   I was seriously beginning to doubt I could even hit double digits after the last few weeks.  I was feeling rough and not confident in my running ability at all.   I had chalked my last race up to being a fluke and was mentally preparing myself for a rough race in a few weeks.    I didn’t know how badly I needed a long run- a good, long run.    Until I pulled it off.  🙂  Bring it on SLO!

Lapping the lake so many times, I passed a few people multiple times.  I was wearing a tank that says “I hate running” and that was getting a few comments.   🙂    I passed one pair of older ladies multiple times.  They said something to me once but I didn’t quite catch it.  Another 2 times past them and they stopped me.  One asked how many I was doing because I had to be near 20.  I wish!  I said that I was aiming for 11 miles and only had 3/4 of a mile to go.    I passed them again on the cool down walk and they said good job.  🙂

I still want to do a little happy dance when I think about yesterday’s run.   Training works, who knew?   I think I need to get this McMillan plan laminated for future use.  Haha.  Now I should probably get some sleep, I have a mountain to run up in the morning.  🙂

How do you feel about long runs?

Who is racing this weekend?

What was your last great run?

• Run!
• Slacker