Today was huge! I did a 10 mile run this morning...my first double digit run!! There is something about running 10 miles vs. 9 that seems very significant. I've heard that once you can do 10 miles, you are a "true" long-distance runner. I'm not sure who made up this rule, because honestly, anything over 5 miles seems really long to me! I've also heard from many people who have run no more than 10 miles on a training run before running their first half marathon. This is a big deal to me, because my half is in 3 weeks. After this morning, it seems very doable!!
I had 2 terrible long runs in a row. One was 8 miles, and I did it completely dehydrated and with a horrible headache. Last week I went out for 9, but only did 5. That was on Saturday, and on Sunday I did the colon cancer 5k. I did another 3 mile run before work on Tuesday, and was supposed to do another on Thursday. From Wednesday to Friday I had a mild stomach virus, and decided to take a break from running. By this morning, my legs felt better than they had felt in a long time! I had forgotten what it felt like to not have sore, tired, stiff legs. I was worried that 4 days off from running would make today more difficult, but I believe that it is exactly what I needed, and I am so happy that I listened to my body.
I was so well prepared for my run this morning, which I was definitely not for my past 2 long runs. I follow a few running forums on FB, and have learned so much from experienced runners. I bought a pair of compression shorts and a pair of compression sleeves for my calves. They are really meant for recovery, but I ran in them. The shorts definitely help keep my quads, hips and IT bands feeling good. Not sure that the sleeves helped my calves that much, but they might be a little too big and not offer enough compression...not sure. Regardless, they are hot pink tie-dye, so at least I look cute ;)
What was critical this time is that I was well hydrated. Running with a hydration belt was a disaster, so I moved on to Plan B. I filled up my water bottle with water and electrolyte powder, carried it with me for the first half mile, and then put it in a spot that I would pass about every 2.5 miles (I run a loop.) I allowed myself 3 approximately 1 minute stops to drink, re-tie my shoes, stretch out my legs, etc. I used to think that if I stopped I was "cheating." Today I realized that it was the best thing I could possibly do. It gave me time to drink, broke up my run, and gave me a goal..."get to the water!" I also ate a pack of Gu energy gel before my run, and then at mile 5. Before my run I also had a tsp of almond butter. I never felt hungry, thirsty, tired, and I never had a headache. Other than some achy calves, I felt great!
I was out running by 5:50 this morning, and finished by about 7:30. I woke up to feed the dogs, and was going to go back to bed for about an hour. But the sun was up, I was a little anxious about the run, and definitely wanted to be done before it got too warm. It was perfect! The weather was beautiful, there were few cars and almost no people out, and after I was done, I was still able to enjoy the morning before I had to leave to celebrate Mother's Day with my family.
I dedicated my run this morning to my Mom, who has always believed in me way more than I ever could believe in myself. Last week I ran my fastest 5k for my Dad, and today I did my longest run for my Mom. I love that!!
I'm taking tomorrow off...sort of. I'll take Marty for a 5k walk, but we go slow (thanks to Marty needing to stop every 10 feet), and then I have to work. Tuesday morning I'll do a 3 mile run and work with my trainer, same for Thursday. Wednesday morning I'll walk with Marty, and Wednesday night is deep stretch yoga. Friday is an off day. Saturday I'll be travelling to NH, and will spend the majority of the day on the train. That will be a nice rest for my legs. My training schedule only calls for a 10k long run next weekend, which is perfect since I'll be on vacation with my Mom, and won't want her to have to wait for me forever. I'm really looking forward to doing a 6 mile (and then 3 mile on Monday) run around the Dartmouth campus. It's going to be awesome!!
I hope all of you had a nice Mother's Day. I'm going to spend the Amazon gift card I got to buy more electrolyte powder and Gu!!
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