So my last couple of long runs have not gone well and I was starting to get crazy over it. Earlier this week I totally melted down and was pretty much convinced that this marathon was going to be a big disaster. What? Me, doom and gloom?? NO way!!!
Anyway, Saturday was our marathon training group and it was supposed to be our final long run of 3 hours, then we will start tapering. So Friday night I got all my stuff together and was pouring over my old running journals to try and see if they offered any clues to what's going on. I didn't find too much info but I did develop a good solid nutrition/drinking plan. I also was going to try salt tablets for the first time. So I was pretty stoked about this run as it really would be the proving ground for the marathon. I was falling asleep in front of the tv by 8:00p.m. so I decided to go to bed early. I set the alarm for 4:30 a.m. and proceeded to fall dead asleep and not hear a thing until 9:00 a.m. Saturday. Now I never sleep this late but I must have shut the alarm off and rolled right over. I figured I needed the sleep so, oh well..
I immediately started making plans for Sunday morning and the more I thought about it the more excited I became. I have not done a long run by myself in a long time and during the marathon I may well find myself alone for a long stretch. Also, all our training starts at 6:00 a.m. and we are done by 9. Even though the marathon starts at 5:00a.m. I fully expect to be out there till 11 or noon. So I figured I'd start my run later in the morning to be out there in the heat of the day. So I planned out my route and set everything aside for the morning.
I got up this morning at 6 and walked the dogs. Once they were all fed and settled I got my stuff and headed out. I drove to Temple Valley, it's a central location around which there is lots of places to run. By the time I found a parking spot and got my shoes on,etc.... it was 7:45 - perfect, 3 hours will put me near 11:00..... I fired up the old iPod (Vince Flynn, Consent to Kill - excellent book) and I was off.
After running for 1/2 an hour I stopped to take my first Clif Blox and salt tablet. After that I stopped and walked every 1/2 hour to take a Cliff Blox, drink some, and every hour take a salt tablet. At the 1 hour mark I felt like I had hardly been running at all. At the 2 hour mark I could not believe how good I felt. When I reached the car at exactly 3 hours I felt like I could have run for another couple of hours. It's amazing how well it went. The route I chose wasn't the greatest as a 2 mile stretch had no sidewalk or shoulder so I had to walk a lot there in really overgrown weeds; that stretch took me almost 45 minutes - not good. But overall an awesome run.
It was really hot and humid with no tradewinds. I was glad of this because it could be like that on marathon day (it's been know to hit the low 90's on marathon day). So the salt tablets appeared to have worked their magic. Everytime I took something or drank water or gatorade, my stomach rebelled a little but it would pass quickly.
I can't say how good I feel. I have my confidence back and think I will be able to complete the marathon. Even now I only have a little soreness in my legs, usually it's much worse. I'm so happy!!! I can't tell you how worried I was but now I know things will be just fine......
2 comments:
you should be happy flo!
it snowed here, and stayed on the ground for a day!!
keep that positive attitude -- you're gonna be fine!!!
Yea!! Congrats on the great training run! Oh, and I'm not going to say, "I told you so." Heh.
If your race starts at 5AM is it still dark or will the sun be up by then?
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