Saturday, September 16, 2006

Training Run #1

I'm doing two training runs in preparation for the marathon--they're great, because my big obstacle to doing long runs is thirst, and these training runs have water and Gatorade stations, mile markers, etc. And this one has 2,500 people running. It's just the Central Park loop over and over again. The training runs go for 20 miles, but you can adjust to your training schedule. I'm going to try to do 17 miles, but if I'm feeling good, will go ahead and do 18 miles, 3 loops. We'll see how it goes. My alarm went off this morning at 6 am and I had no clue why.

Okay, time to go...by the time people read this, I'll be done, so I'll give an update.


I DID IT!!!

I ran 18 miles, even. Finished in 3 hours, 22 minutes, and 11 seconds, and that includes one bathroom stop of 2 and a half minutes. So, I averaged about 11 minute miles...I started out quick, finished slow, but felt good most of the way. Typical moments of Why the Hell am I Doing This, but overall good. Even wrote most of my speech for the SCBWI Conference in Oregon next month in my head. So it was productive in more than one way.

I could have done 19 miles today. I think I would have died at 20, though. But this shows me why most of the training schedules suggest doing two 20-mile runs before the marathon. The first one is going to suck, but the second one will probably feel better, and then you're both mentally and physically prepared for the marathon.

Okay, time to get all the city grime off me and then go to brunch with Rose!


ANOTHER UPDATE:
Uh, okay, so while having brunch with Rose, we figured out that I actually ran 19 MILES!!! Sheesh. The training run was actually really confusing, because after the first 6 mile loop they didn't have mile markers, and for some reason I kept thinking that when I finished three loops (one 6-mile, 2 5-miles), I had run 15 miles. Yeah, I was never really good with math. So, well, I ran an extra mile. Better than running a mile less than I thought!

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