This will be a quick & nasty report on yesterday's big run. Why? Because I'm blogging at the office - our home laptop ist kaput. No juice whatsoever, and I can't figure out why. So it's off to the handy-dandy computer doctor first thing in the morning.
Yesterday was my first really long training run for the Lincoln Marathon. I was scheduled to run 15 miles - next week it'll be 19, the following week I'll go 21 for the big run before I start to taper. I've blogged before that my training just hasn't been what I'd hoped it would be, due to the new sheriff in town who demands our attention at least once a night for feedings & diaper changes. (I reminded her yesterday that someday she'll be doing the same to me, only the scale will be, shall we say, much larger :-) ). So I planned on an extremely slow pace yesterday - I just wanted to eat miles and get through it so I won't do a complete bonk in Lincoln.
Rather than navigating the flooded roads around Barrett, I drove north to Ashby and the Central Lakes Trail. The CLT follows an old railbed from Fergus Falls to Osakis - it's a lovely route with lots of scenery, asphalt paved and thankfully snowmobile-free these days due to our early thaw last week.
Well, I got surprised by my legs. One hour into the run I was maintaining a 9:30 mile pace easily - not even breathing hard at that point. At the halfway point I was still on pace and feeling great, even though it had started to rain. My final three mile splits were 8:33, 8:36 and 8:43. I finished the entire 15 miles in 2:26:42. Holy Wheels, Batman!
Granted, this was a flat route with no hills, but the temperature never got above 40 yesterday and it rained the entire back half of my run, so I figure between cold and wet shoes the lack of grade balanced out. I was just amazed to be running so well with so little training, and the feeling as I was drawing toward the end of the run was just great. This is why I run - to surprise myself on good days and to be proud of working through the struggle on tough days. I got a little of both yesterday, and it was great.
Congratulations on the great run! Looks like we swapped shoes. I was cranking out 7:30 pace on the trail a couple weeks ago - bad idea, it proved - when I rolled my ankle on a root. Doc says 3-9 months of swelling (big window or what??). 2 1/2 weeks until I can run again; 2 months until I'm back solid.
ReplyDeleteNeedless to say, this is not good for my training for Wildflower May 5. I'm still gunning for it, but it will likely be painful and I hope it doesn't cause permanent damage. I may have to walk the half-marathon...:(
Still, it didn't keep me from skiing a week ago...;)
Actually, no - it appears we were wearing the same pair. I've developed some kind of tendonitis in my foot since Saturday; barely hobbled through four miles on the treadmill yesterday. Our doctor gave me steroids and an anti-inflammatory and orders to lay off running completely for a week. Considering how little I've run to prepare for Lincoln, that could be the death knell for the marathon.
ReplyDeleteNothing like having a kid to make you realize your ability to control you life is really just an illusion. :-)
*meanwhile, in her crib, Ainsley rubs her hands together and cackles evilly*
ReplyDelete"Excccccccellent......it is ALL going to plan....mua-ha-ha-ha-ha-Ha-Ha-HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!"
Ever get the feeling that's what kids do when you're not around?
No, not Daddy's little princess!
ReplyDelete