Distance: 17 miles
Time: 3:35:31
Pace: 12:23 min/mil
Most Challenging Moment: so...much...running...
Most Inspiring Moment: Felt okay?
I have to admit, I was sort of dreading this run. 17 miles is, like, reeeeally far. That's, like, a good half hour drive away. Last week's half marathon went great, but I don't know how terrific I'd have felt having to tack on another four miles.
The night before, I put my head down on the kitchen counter.
"I don't want to run 17 miles!" I said, and Dave, who was washing dishes, said, "Yeah, that's pretty far. You're in it. You're really doing it!"
Right before I left, I was still whining about it when I finally decided to stop. Think of it as a good thing. Three hours of getting out on my own! Peace and quiet! Besides, I get to actually go outside, unlike some mammals:
So, with a slightly better attitude, I set out.
First, I was not wrong. 17 miles is just a very long distance. It's not messing around. My running app alerts me every time I hit another mile, and I remember when it told me I had run five miles--five, a good, decent amount!--and I thought, "Great! Only twelve more miles to go!"
hahahahahahahahhhhhhaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaahahahahaaaaaaaha
That's crazy!
My trick for getting over the mental hurdle of 17 miles was to run 8.5 miles in one direction and turn around, so most of the time I was only thinking about getting to that 8.5 point, and then I was thinking about getting home.
It mostly worked! I didn't ever stop, and only walked once I hit the halfway point and had a granola bar and some water. Granted, I was passed by every single runner I saw. And not just passed but, like, smoked, but hey. I am a short girl trying to run a marathon. Keep it low and slow.
I came home feeling exhausted but pretty good. I also came home realizing that 17 miles is not a healthy amount for anyone to run. Never mind 26.2 miles.
"Didn't the first guy who ran the marathon, like, the one the marathon is named for--didn't he die as soon as he was finished?" I asked.
"Yeah," said Dave.
"Sounds about right," I said. "What was his time?"
I think it's time to start getting serious about what I put into my body, now that I'm chugging out a serious amount of miles. I mean, so long as it includes Sunday morning pancakes.
This week Boston is actually experiencing a...snow drought? No snow expected this week and warm-ish weather this weekend! (Which is good, because I'll be running 18 miles...)
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