When I got out of bed yesterday morning, I felt creaky and sore. My hams and quads felt tight. My lower back hurt. In fact, my whole body hurt.
But I had 16 miles to run. Grumbling, I got up, ate breakfast, stretched ... then procrastinated. I walked the dog. I read the Sunday paper. I took a long, hot shower. Finally at 10:15 a.m., I hit the road.
To say that I wasn't looking forward to running is the understatement of the year. Little dark thunderclouds hung over my head. What am I doing this for?! After almost 3/4 of a mile, I noticed that my Garmin wasn't working. #$*!@&%!! It took almost 10 minutes of fiddling to fix it. I decided to start over. Then I set off again, in an even blacker mood.
Somewhere around Mile 3, I decided that I had to run at least 6 of the 16 miles at marathon pace (8:45/mile) if I was going to perform half-way decently at the MCM. I already hurt. What's a little more pain?
The stats:
Mile 1: 9:18
Mile 2: 9:44
Mile 3: 9:34
Mile 4: 9:19
Mile 5: 9:28
Mile 6: 8:43 (Here we go!)
Mile 7: 8:33
Mile 8.3: 7:52 (Not sure what happened to the mile markers from here on out.)
Mile 9.3: 8:40
Mile 10.3: 8:33
Mile 11.3: 8:18
Mile 12.3: 8:45
Mile 13.3: 8:38
Mile 14.3: 8:48
Mile 15.3: 8:24
Mile 16: 8:15
Yeaaaahh, baby! I ended the run feeling great and in a much happier mood. Final time: 2:22:13. Total average pace: 8:49/mile, though the pace from Miles 6-16 averaged around 8:25/mile.
How did I run much faster than I did in the the 20-mile race last Sunday? I finally realized that no matter what, running a marathon hurts, and pacing yourself slowly too slowly just prolongs the pain. My body can do the race. My mind is finally starting to follow.
Now if I can only figure out how to drink Gatorade and eat Gu without stopping, I will be golden.
Now there's a novel concept - "it hurst so just go with it" You are right, though. Giving in to the pain is just more painful. Better to keep running, knowing you will get to the end eventually. Great run!
ReplyDeleteYeah, and my body didn't hurt more because I was running faster. Really, I felt better, overall, than when I was running many miles slowly. Who'd a thunk it?!
ReplyDeletehey you really kicked it out at from mile 6 to the end there! Nice!
ReplyDeleteI used to run track in HS and could do a mile in like 7 something which I seem to recall thinking was kind of slow - I smoked way too much pot in those days though so that probably didn't help. I imagine today, if I tried to run as much and as far as you did, I would be dreaming of running as well as you... way to go!
Great job. The head plays funny games on runs, doesn't it? You are SO ready, though. I can't wait to see the stats at MCM. David says hi, too.
ReplyDeleteGood for you! If I waited until 10:15 to get started, it'll be the end of me. Nice pace :)
ReplyDeleteI agree, Bex; sometimes you just have to get it done. The quicker the better as long as you can do it all. Great job! Good luck at your marathon.
ReplyDeleteNow that is a nice run, Bex. Too funny about just kicking it in and not prolonging the pain. I've felt that way before but never had the strength like you did to actually carry it off! On a 16 miler. Egads.
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