My next half-marathon is in a few weeks. Devoted blog fans will recall that I’ve been training to cut 10 or 15 minutes off my time, and that the overall plan therefore includes a lot of speed work, as well as a few runs that are longer than the event itself. In two weeks, that will cap off at 17 miles. Good lord.
Nearly a year ago, I wrote this:
I’d like to get to the point (not necessarily before this particular race) where running 12 or 14 miles is not quite so exhausting. I’m at a point where I feel like I could knock off six or eight miles on any given day with no problem, and not particularly feel it – and that’s how I’d like 12 to 14 miles to feel. It’s gonna take a lot more running to get to that point. Bring it on, I say.
In the past few months, I’ve gotten to that place. A 12 to 14 mile run is nothing to sneeze at, but it’s no longer something that relegates me to the couch for the rest of today.
Which brings us to today’s run – a 15-miler. I rolled out of bed at 7:21 am, fed the beasts, shoved a banana in the banana hole, and hit the road by about 8:15. It was about 80 out (that’s nearly 27 for you Celcius folks), and the humidity was just…oppressive. The combination slowed me down something considerable. Around mile 8.5, it started to rain very lightly. I welcomed this, as it cooled things off. It stopped raining after a few minutes…and then it REALLY rained.
You know, in all my years of running, I’ve never really run in the pouring rain. Huh. Turns out…it’s wet. Pretty soon there I was about as wet as I was ever going to get – soaked, squelchy shoes and all – so I figured, I am REALLY racking up the stud points here. No point in stopping. I just chugged along…15 miles in 2:47:09 – average pace (this includes the walking breaks) 11:09 – about 15 seconds slower than my previous long run.
As soon as I walked in the door I asked The Dear Boy to fire up some bacon. We had some pancakes as well, and then I pretty much passed out on the couch for a few hours – napping, and then reading.
Wish me luck.
banana hole.
ReplyDeletehahahah!
I read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance a loooong time ago. I almost forgot about that book!
Nothing useful in this here comment of mine, just playing catch up on a Friday afternoon. Way to rock those 15 miles in the rain girlfriend!