First 20 mile long run done

My title is a little deceiving. I have a done a 20 mile long run before (once) but not during this recent training session.  This go round I have will have at least 3 but probably 4 twenty mile long runs. Actually I need to make one of those 22 probably. Since I haven't posted a picture in forever I took one today. Here it is....

Since Jaime is doing a half in her home town this weekend, she did not do a long run today. Without her, I did not feel like driving 45 minutes north to run by myself on the Monon. I also did not have any desire to do twenty laps around my one mile loop. So I decided I would do laps around the Y instead. This makes only my second time running outside the Y, so at least it was fairly new. I texted my friend (who happens to be a Hendrick's PT at the Y), Christine, this morning to let her know if someone was laying on the trail it was probably me and she should call 911. I went directly from the bus stop to the Y b/c I knew it was going to get warm, and I wanted to start as soon as possible. I took  a cooler with all the ice we had in the house and put some water and Gatorade in it and parked right next to the trail so I could grab a drink or gel instead of wearing a fueling belt.

Since my garmin has decided to die (b/c Clark and I must have screwed it up when we tried to clear everything so it would stop just saying full) I borrowed Clark's garmin. I used to use this one and man did it feel huge on my wrist. It annoyed me at first, but I got used to it. I had already figured out that I was going to have to do 13 laps to make my 20 miles. So I started running. I wasn't really sure if the garmin was going to beep at me each mile and give me my pace for that mile. Well, it did beep, but it doesn't give the pace. Again, annoyed at first but then happy b/c I didn't care what my pace was but did really want to know my distance. It was actually kind of nice b/c I only looked at the time once at 13.1 miles otherwise I just listened for the beep and knew how far I had gone (or actually I don't think about that I only think about what I have left and mentally pretend that is all I am doing).  My right leg was hurting from the get go. I has been letting me know a little more recently that I am neglecting it. Still I knew that my 2 Aleve were going to kick in soon and if all goes as it has lately, the pain would get better by mile 5. It did. The trail at the Y is very very flat (as in NO hills at all), but it is curvy with lots and twists and turns. My legs didn't exactly love that but after the first 4 laps I turned and went the other direction. I changed every couple of laps after that.  At 13.1 miles the time was 1:47:20. I saw that and thought oops maybe I started a little fast, and I was really hoping that would not prevent me from finishing. Still at that point I only had 7 miles and I just kept telling myself I have done 7 miles a million times. I mean really...I am running the same loop over and over so I play a lot of mind games with myself. I counted laps and was hoping that since it was less than total miles my brain would just think of it as that many miles. I mentally broke up the run in just about every way I could. I have been getting A LOT of calf cramps in the middle of the night. I feel like I am preggo all over again (which I am NOT and will NEVER be). I almost started to think this was going to happen to me during the run. It would feel like one was coming but never did. I stayed on top of fueling and took gels a total of 3 times. I never got to the point where I thought I had to have something, so I think I did it right. I would carry my drink for a little bit then toss it in the grass only to pick it up again on another lap. I passed a lot of the same people who were also running or walking on the trail. Some lady told me I had "too much energy" as I ran past. I should have mentioned this up above but I bought a new iPod shuffle finally (since Clark lost mine after my Cleveland marathon when I asked him to hold it) so I listened to music the entire way.  I was starting to get really tired by the end of the run. I never hit a wall today but was sure that if I had to go any farther either that darn wall or those muscle cramps would have attacked.

When I stopped running I was a little dizzy and out of it. Nothing horrible but just not mentally thinking all that great. I went into the Y and bought a large drink from Subway. I didn't give the lady the right amount of money but was too slow to figure it out so she took 7 cents from the penny cup and paid the rest. Finally, I figured it out and put 7 cents back in the cup and apologized for being a little out of it. She must have known I was running the trail b/c she asked how many laps I did. She was quite shocked when I said I ran 20 miles. I am glad she asked and I am glad I told her b/c when I got in my car and looked in a mirror my entire forehead and half my face was covered in salt (white salt plastered all over me). I am sure I looked like freak to anyone who saw me. That might explain another woman's comment of, "are you alright?"

I was happy to be done and did very little for the rest of the day except lay out by the pool until the kids came home. Kept trying to actually fall asleep, but it never happened. My legs feel like I ran 20 miles. They are appropriately tired but not bad. My shoulder hurts like hell!!! I will add to this and post my mile splits if Clark ever comes home and shows me how to get it off his garmin.

I do love long run days! Happy training!!