Saturday, January 20, 2007

LRM TR #44, Twenty Miler #2

LRM Miles Trained To Date: 301

Last weekend my run had to be changed to due inclement weather. For this weekend I had a few contingency plans due to the threat of a "wintry mix." You see, in Arkansas, it rarely snows. So when it does, it will be like 1/2" or something similar and the whole state shuts down. No kidding! Wintry mix is even worse and more common here. It is basically freezing rain / sleet that forms ice on the ground. We get iced in about once or twice per year! All week the forecasters spoke what was to come this weekend. My original plan was to run to "the middle of nowhere" aka Poyen and have my husband come and pick me up. With the threat of bad weather, I decided it would be best to change my route and stay closer to home. So I devised a 20 mile loop course that would take me past the training airport, through an industrial district, through downtown, past the library, out to Salem (my favorite area in which to run) and back to the library area. I needed to check out a book for my book club anyway. That said, it seemed that the worst chance for bad weather would be this afternoon, so I got out there about 8:30 AM or so. I checked the weather first, though; now only rain was predicted.

As you may recall, the first time I tried to run 20 miles (6 weeks ago) it was a horrible experience! I was incredibly sore and didn't think I could finish (but I did). Going into today's run I was pretty pumped up and thought I'd have no trouble today, especially I did 22 miles two weeks ago with ease. Well... it must be the distance itself, because even though I tried to be very positive about it, today's run was not all that great. I finished, but not "with ease." Here goes:

I got through the first five miles (on the south side of the interstate) with ease. I was trying to get done with my south-of-the-interstate mileage and get on to the Salem fun! Once I got north of the interstate (home of the long, winding, busy roads and tons-o-dogs), the second five miles were OK. At about mile 8 my husband called and tried to pinpoint my location. We had some trouble with that. It was funny. Frustrated, he said "I'm just following your course!" I said "I'm just running my course!" The cel phone was smoking - ha! We finally met up within mile 11. I had my peanut butter sandwich (I was feeling very much "out of fuel" by then, even though I tried to really load up yesterday) and headed on. I had a bit more than 8 miles to go. "Just 8 miles to go!" I exclaimed as I started running, and then I thought about what I had said. I never thought 8 miles would be just 8 miles. Yay me!

I made it all the way down Mulberry-Salem road before heading back across the interstate. Did I mention that after mile 5 it rained on me the entire rest of the run? Yes. I hope all of the friendly folks that encouraged me to run in the monsoon last weekend are happy now! Note to them all: I don't care if we have Arkansas' first hurricane on marathon day - I will run through it. Ahem (said with a snippy tone)!!!

By this point I was calling my husband, who had gone to check out my book for me, for a massage. I thought I was "dying." He got to me at about mile 16, just before the hugest hill ever. This run was pretty hilly, especially at the beginning and at the end. When I formed the course, I was in a bit of a hurry and was really just concerned with staying close to home, in case I needed an emergency pickup in the sleet!

From mile 16 until the end, he was close by. Once I got off the busy roads and into residential areas, he pretty much drove by my side or just in front of me until the end. I admit, it was nice to have that support. His encouragement really got me through it. It was nice to have someone to talk to, especially since my MP3 player ran out of battery very early in the run. I was looking forward to the top 25 weekly countdown! Here are my times:

Mile 1: 11:02
Mile 2: 11:47
Mile 3: 12:55
Mile 4: 12:07
Mile 5: 12:40
Mile 6: 12:32
Mile 7: 13:08
Mile 8: 11:56
Mile 9: 14:07
Mile 10: 12:44
Mile 11: 18:18 (oh my!)
Mile 12: 11:24 (that's better)
Mile 13: 13:29
Mile 14: 13:50
Mile 15: 14:09
Mile 16: 13:53
Mile 17: 15:38 (hilly... worn out...)
Mile 18: 12:18 (nice redemption)
Mile 19: 13:06
Mile 20: 12:45
Total: 4:24:00
Average: 13:12 per mile

OK, so that's not so bad in the grand scheme of things. And my new shoes, by the way, performed wonderfully. I only got one tiny blister. After the run we immediately went for pizza. What a nice way to top it all off!

4 comments:

Andrew McAllister said...

We're not so lucky where I live -- we had a foot of snow yesterday, so I'm wimping out. I'll run when the weather is nicer.

Andrew (To Love, Honor, and Dismay)

MarathonChris said...

Great run!!! I think it went much better than the last 20 miler. I think you did great! You are so ready for LRM!

And way to hang in there with the weather. I have it easy here :-)

MarathonChris said...

Great run!!! I think it went much better than the last 20 miler. I think you did great! You are so ready for LRM!

And way to hang in there with the weather. I have it easy here :-)

Anonymous said...

as always, excellent job!