This was supposed to be my last big week of mileage (68) and last long run (34), but with work, family obligations, and an oppresive front hanging over us, a large part of my week was chewed up and the only block i had to try and sneak 34 miles in was tonight. That was a mistake.
It was only 87 degrees with 56% humidity making it feel like 92 degrees whenI left @ 4:33 pm. I figured I would do loops of 14, 10 and a couple of 5 mile loops to try and get it in. Heading out the door with 40 oz of water, gatorade, a credit card, and some ice cubes in my hat Dirrty Girl said "Be careful, remember you have 2 kids @ home." I told her not to worry as I bounded off.
Thank goodness we have urban sprawl here in SE Michigan because the water and gatorade were both gone at about mile 7 and I had to stop into a 7-11 to refuel. Walking into the store, it felt like an igloo as my shorts and top stuck to me and the employees looked at me with that odd twist when there like "hmm that's an odd one" especially as I stood outside and poured purchased water over my head to try and cool down.
I kept plodding along until about 12 miles and then my body did the biggest FU I have had in recent memory. My legs felt like they were stuck in concrete and hurt worse than any of my long runs this year. My plodding was reduced to a walk. At this point, my mind starts racing. Thoughts come pouring out like: "This was a really good idea" "Maybe it is just a bad patch, and you can get back on the horse and finish the run" "Have i reached the breaking/overtraining point in my training?" "How will I finish 50 miles, if i can't run 34?".
Common sense finally won the battle, and I decided that yes, this probably wasn't the smartest idea to try and get 34 miles in in conditions that i have not really trained in, and listening to my body is the smartest thing i should do at this point.
I knew this really wasn't my day to run as I stopped at another 7-11 close to home to get a slurpee and spilled it on the concrete a mere 1/4 mile from home. Licking my wounds, a severe thunderstorm warning dropped some heavy rain and some hail at a time when I should have been out there.
With 23 days before the race, I think I will turn my attention to tapering and getting ready. One bad run is not a fair assessment of my training or how I will do.
1 comment:
Sorry your last long run didn't go so well. Good decision though--at this point staying away from injury or illness is your best bet. Not to say I won't be rethinking my own training schedule around mile 40.
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