the ghost of the bear

Oh loyal readers, all 3 of you, I have no running news of my own today, but please adjust your sets and head over to Girl In Motion for an amazing story of the Philly Distance run.

You'll laugh, you'll cry, you may need to change your shorts when all is said and done.

Everything I never wanted and more

So today: 17 miles, 14 at marathon pace. The last time I did a run like this it was 14 miles, 12 at pace and I ran it well.

Today was a bit different. I figure my marathon is going to be a homerun, because today was the day things went wrong.

I couldn't decided yesteday if I was going to run this in the morning or the evening. I woke up today and said I just want this over with. I got up, had one of Loren's homemade waffle (it is the best thing in the world to live with someone who's a great cook) with some yogurt. 

Why did I think this was going to be enough?

slipped on my running flats to see how they'd fair on the long run.

Not well, since they have this weird cross foot seam that hits me right where my toenail meets my toe.

Applied plenty of sportsheild, that was actually something I did right, no additional chaffing today.

Stuck 2 clif shots in my shorts, really, I should have had more, and out the door I went.

Not only did I not take a salt pill before I left, I didnt bring any with me. Nor did I bring any electrolyte drinking thinking I'd just rely on water.

Mistakes, all of them. And I've been running long enough to know better about all of them.

Warm up-fine

first 8 miles-great. I was hitting my pace (my marathon goal pace is 8:35) and feeling pretty good. There was some serious wind along the river, but it wasn't too much of a factor.

Once I met Loren about mile 8, I fell apart. And I fought falling apart and I failed. 

I just felt like shit and was really pushing to stay near pace. 

Blah blah blah, sob story sob story. 

Anyway. 

With a little less than 2 miles to go, I told loren I needed to finish alone and try and figure what the problem was. She went on her way and I stood on 125th st for a moment and thought abut it.

Then it hit me like an anvil from acme anvil company.

I'm bonking.

I'm usually really good about NOT bonking. At 15 miles into a run, there's really nothing I can do about it. Loren had suggested I run my last 2 miles like mile repeats and hit my pace. So that's what I did. Not ideal to stop so much, but will still make me work hard while fatigued. 

Was it how I wanted this run to go?

No.

Am I going to beat myself up over it like I usually do?

No.

I really had an epiphany while on the 125. This is fine, lessons learned, move on. 

I have run so much since June when I started this, I know I'm where I should be, this was just less than an ideal day with a lot of milage on my legs.

Move on.