20 miles done, let the taper begin
Yesterday I did my 20 mile run with Running Fit. For $7 they had aid stations every 2 miles, gels at mile 15 (I think) and nicely marked miles. They even closed the roads for us so there was no traffic except for the occassional biker that didn’t want to go around. We got race bibs too, but I think that was to identify us to the aid stations so people didn’t jump in and get free water, which is kinda silly because its just water and would they make someone pass out from dehydration for $7? Probably not. Maybe it was to get us in the race mode and practice having a number on our shirts or something.
Anyway, they started us at 8:00 and I got there a few minutes before the start so I barely stretched at all. After a mile I stopped and did stretches, but by then most people had gone by so I ran nearly all of the run with few people around. No big deal, less crowding.
We had great weather for it. 45F! My hands were freezing, and I thought about my long sleeve shirt but opted for the short sleeve. My training log said this was a good choice for 45F or above in a race, so I figured by 11:00 it was going to be warmer anyway. It took 3 miles to get my hands warm.
I felt pretty good most of the way. I had to make a bathroom stop at mile 10 which was annoying, but I blame the cold. I took a gel at mile 10 and mile 15, and I brought my gummy fish which I was very happy for. I got rumbly tummy at mile 9, and then again at mile 14. The fishies were a nice diversion until the gel point, although I found myself eating them at one point just because I was kinda bored. Oink.
I had tried the sour bears on the 10 mile long run and they ended up not tasting sour at all, which was kinda surprising. Maybe it was from being tired or something. I had meant to bring them for this run, but forgot them on the counter at home, :( I’ll be bringing some to Detroit though, I think they work well.
At mile 16 I started to feel bad and my hips were getting tired. I worked hard to hold my form. It was tough not to slouch. I found that I tend to look down at my feet when I’m tired and it makes me slump over, so I focused on looking out at the horizon more, which seemed to help my keep upright. I had to keep telling myself it was a long run and not a race, hold your pace, don’t race.
My left shin was whining like crazy from the start, especially when I had to start up again after slowing for water. My heel was happy the entire time. I think one time it felt vaguely twingy, but that was it. Damn good news. Karen had worked my foot, calf, thigh, and hips on Friday, with minimal pain because she didn’t want me to be too sore on the run.
The last 4 miles just dragged and I was never so happy to stop running. The big reward? GIANT blueberry muffins, GIANT chocolatety chocolate chip muffins, and bananas as far as the eye could see! Yes, I had both kinds of muffins. I know they are filled with trans fats but I didn’t care. I wanted them and I ate them and I was happy. Ha!
I drank more water and Gatorade than I have in a long time. I knew I had lost at least 4 pounds, so I wanted to replace that water quickly. I found that drinking enough to replace the lost water (even if it feels like you will explode) seems to help recovery alot for me. Gotta be certain that it includes electrolytes (eat pretzels?).
While I was stuffing my face with muffins, a woman came up to me and said she and I had been passing back and forth through the entire run, and she said I had a very even pace. I didn’t remember much from the run, but told her it was the farthest I had ever run and I wanted to die.
I did my stretching, and drank more Gatorade in the car on the way home. I had my yogurt too. Ice bath and then a hot shower later after some more good food. This morning my shin and heel are a little stiff but not too bad. Better than after a race at least.
Here’s the splits. Forerunner crapped out after 3 miles, so the location and total mileage got all screwed up, so I had to go by the splits that I recorded. It may be time to send this one back again, just need to check the warranty.
mile - time
1 11:30 (stretching time)
2 9:53
3 9:35
4 9:42
5 9:47
6/7 19:05
8 9:45
9 9:45
10 10:06
11 9:50
12 9:41
13 9:51
14 10:11
15 9:57
16 9:47
17 9:56
18 9:43
19 9:38 (I can smell the chocolate muffins!)
20 9:39
Time for the taper! Thank goodness. Over 100 miles last month, and almost 40 miles this week (a new record), has really beaten my legs to pieces. I’m hoping for some good recovery this month.
Hope you all are having a good weekend. A few races out there, and I need to go catch up on all the blogs I’ve been missing.
October 2nd, 2005 10:03
Great job Jon. Sounds like it was a good day!
October 2nd, 2005 10:53
Yay for the 20-miler! I think it’s awesome that you had an organized type of run, with the aid stations and other people running. My 20-miler consisted of three different out-and-backs, so that I could grab water and food periodically. And after that, a feast of carbos at Panera! Anyway, enjoy your taper Jon, you’re an ispiration!
October 2nd, 2005 12:40
Jon, great way to hang in there, my first 20-miler was not necessarily a happy time where I went out dancing afterwards, but you can be proud that you finished it! You of course will do excellent at the main event if you built your wall of chocolate at the finish line high enough to get your through. Hang in there dude, get some rest during your tapering and get ready to “DO IT”.
October 2nd, 2005 13:08
Good for you!! You buried the MONSTER. Enjoy the taper!
October 2nd, 2005 13:39
that sounds like an extremely well spent $7. you’re a machine! way to knock out the 20.
October 2nd, 2005 14:20
Uh. Yeah totally impressed. Good work!
October 2nd, 2005 14:46
you’re SO LUCKY to have that kind of organized 20 miler available!!! i’m jealous (i just ran the last 6 of MY 20-miler this morning all by myself :(. but at least the other 14 were with company!!) anyway, great job!
October 2nd, 2005 15:18
Well done! Enjoy the taper, and awesome luck on the big day.
October 2nd, 2005 15:19
I think it is great that you’re digging in and working through the injuries. You’re training has been amazingly consistent with everything that is going on. Enjoy the taper. Race day is going to be sweet!
October 2nd, 2005 15:23
Considering all the injuries, those are some nice splits…
Enjoy the taper!!
October 2nd, 2005 16:12
I am glad you found Karen to knock your loose and knotty parts back into the wagon. That’ll be your saviour come the M.
That you put all those big miles in this week is proof you’re tuned and as ready as can be. Your taper will probably annoy you but, by the same token, you’ll heel more and just knock the chocolate out of Detroit.
Good luck and congratulations. I’m proud of you, although I’m a little concerned about your fear of the dark…….
October 2nd, 2005 16:51
GO Jon GO!
Good pacing, strong finish. Kick butt.
I hope there are chocalately good smells near the finish line of your marathon!
No going back now!
October 2nd, 2005 18:28
Your posts always make me smile! Great job Jon. Enjoy the taper! And….if you aren?t doing anything this Saturday, will you consider driving back to CT to run with the running chicks during the marathon? :) Your positive energy is contagious and I?ll probably need that during the last 6 miles. If you come, I?ll promise you a truck load of chocolate at the end of the course! Who can say no to that?? :)
October 2nd, 2005 20:07
Good job, Jon! And yay for taper time! A tip for the race: buy a pair of cotton gloves at the expo. There should be some booth selling them for $1 or $2. Since they are so cheap, you won’t mind throwing them off after your hands have warmed up.
October 2nd, 2005 22:04
Excellent run. 40 miles this week….you should be so proud of that. Great that your shin and heel were behaving after such a long run. You are ready. I can’t wait to ready your race report:)
October 2nd, 2005 22:45
Wow. Inspiring!! I want some of that ART you been talking ’bout! That’s a boatload of miles without company! On the other hand, company can sometimes be annoying, like when the person you’re with just won’t shut up…wait, that person is usually me… hmmm.
Fantastic splits with or without an injury, but with your shins squeaking up, omg! One day, when I graduate from run/walk, I wanna run like YOU.
October 3rd, 2005 00:11
20 miles ~ wow. That’s incredible. I mean it; I’m trying to reduce my reliance on exclamation points, so it may not be totally obvious, but I’m blown away. You’ve persevered through ridiculous conditions, packs of dogs, and injuries and pain. I’m so humled by what you’ve done. And your times are phenomenal! (oops, one snuck in….)
October 3rd, 2005 08:51
I’d check that one off as a successful run - nice steady pace, no major heel trouble, and muffins! Enjoy the taper!
October 3rd, 2005 09:08
Holy crap! Well done! Did you finish Fred Flinstone style, floating on the fumes of the muffins?
October 3rd, 2005 11:08
Woohoo!! Good job on completing the 20 without tipping over. Thank goodness for Karen the muscle goddess.
October 3rd, 2005 11:11
what a great run, your pace is really consistent. I think it was worth the $7 … for nothing else but the huge muffins! Well done on getting the 20 miles in, you are sounding ready, enjoy the taper.
October 3rd, 2005 12:24
wow, jon, that’s great news. it’s awesome to read about all the success you’re having. i’m so glad to hear that the heal didn’t bother you!
enjoy the taper and don’t *twitch* too much!
October 3rd, 2005 12:26
Yep, it’ll be real sweet on race day! Have a great taper, enjoy!
October 3rd, 2005 13:37
you’ll do great on race day becuase of this good training run. congrats!
October 3rd, 2005 14:18
Way to go Jon - great job on your 20 miler.
October 3rd, 2005 15:02
WOO -HOO!!!!!!!! Yeah! 20 miles down. Now eat some damn chocolate and LOTS of it - you totally desereve it!
October 3rd, 2005 15:27
Hey Congrats on making it though 20!! Nice work!! I *so* enjoy your chocolate Firdya posts :) YUM!!!!
October 3rd, 2005 16:53
Whoa, you are one popular blogger. Look at all your comments. It’s amazing the power of a chocolate chip! I wish I had an organized long run to go to, what a cool thing. Maybe I should organize one!
October 3rd, 2005 21:55
My fingers are crossed?I hope you hit it big with the lottery!! :) Great post from Oct. 3rd.
October 3rd, 2005 23:19
The organized long run sounds great. Congrats, and best of luck.
October 4th, 2005 14:30
I saw on the RBF calendar that you’re running the Detroit Marathon. I read your blog so I knew that you were training for a marathon, but it never dawned on me that you’re running Detroit. It looks like a good race. I seriously thought about doing the half-marathon, but decided to do one here in NJ. It’s so cool that you run across the Ambassador bridge, come back through the tunnel and end on Ford Field. I look forward to reading your recap. Good luck with the taper!
October 4th, 2005 23:19
Great run and great paces!! I’m so jealous of your 45 degrees at 8 am, wow!! Sometimes I hate the Forerunner, esp when it tells me I did a 6.5 minute mile and then a 13 minute mile. Helloo?? How about just averaging it out???
October 7th, 2005 23:34
Detroit puts on an awesome marathon! I have run it 3 times and never get tired of running over the bridge and back through the tunnel with the bike path in Canada as an added attraction! If your a beer guy, there is beer at about 22 miles in Indian Village, very very good at that point in the run! Run Good!
October 8th, 2005 06:44
Nice even pace! And I love the info on the snacks you ate during the run. I think I’ll take Gummi Bears with me on my next long run, too. Oh, and did I ever say thank you for your advice on whether to run the Las Vegas marathon? If not, then thank you! I still haven’t heard back from race organizers if they’re going to credit me for not running last year’s half-marathon.