16 Miles Today!!

The selected clothes for the long run: forgot that all black and compression socks are not the best choices for 80 degree days

Today, I ran the furthest that I have ever run in my life, at one continuous time!  I'm not sure if you could call it running by the 15th mile, but I finished! I was so nervous about doing this run all week, I was even more nervous when I saw that the weather forecast was calling for sunny, 80 degree weather.  Of course, 80 degrees with no humidity is considered a beautiful Fall day, but I really don't do well in the heat, I wish every run could be between 40-50 degrees!  Also, I was planning on running from my parents house in Dover, and Dover is much hillier than Rye...there was no way I would be able to run a flat 16 miler. 

   For breakfast, I had my usual bagel (with nothing on it) and a cup of coffee.  I ate at 730am, and wasn't able to run until past 10am, so I had a chocolate Power Bar right around 930am.  I decided to wear compression socks even though it was hot out, I figured that I would need all the help I could get with tired legs.  I have no idea why I picked out an all black outfit,  #islagiatt.  

I brought my Nathan Hydration Pack (which is amazing, and I highly recommend it!) and two Salted Caramel Gu's

I also wore my new favorite pair of shoes...I love them even more than my Saucony Kinvaras! I have decided that they are going to be my official marathon shoe.  Meet the Saucony Ride 7S!

They are SO comfortable and stable, but do not feel bulky. They are also springy, and are light enough that you can wear them for tempo runs.  

Going into the run, Angela suggested keeping my pace easy, and if I was feeling up to it, do 2-3 miles at goal marathon pace (8:45) during the middle or end of the run.  Throughout my run, I kept telling myself that I would do my last two miles at 8:45/mile but by the time I got to 14 miles, my body said:

  

   

The Run...

I started my run just past 10:15am, within the first tenth of a mile, there is a steep uphill, followed by a gradual uphill for the next 3/4 of a mile.  I was tired by the end of the 1st mile (9:49), which isn't a good sign.  I told myself that I only had four, four milers to run.  Piece of cake!

The 2nd mile was much flatter, and was in the shade- I ran past three farms and five garage sales.  (9:19)

The 3rd mile was also a lot flatter, and on a back road, mostly in the shade.  I didn't have my music on yet, I figured I would save my playlists until after the midpoint.  (9:33)

The 4th mile brought me out to Route 9, this was mostly downhill and flat, but no shade from trees (9:09)

5th mile was on Route 150 to Madbury,  this was flat with a few slight uphills...there were a lot of cars (9:03)

At the 6th mile, I had to stop and use a public restroom by Kingman Farm, I ate my first GU (9:09)

The 7th mile was mostly out in the sun, and very hilly....MapmyRun said I did a 6:23 minute mile pace...but MapMyRun must have been overheated because I went back and compared the times with my watch and it was actually 9:25.  For the other splits my watch and MapMyRun had identical data

The 8th mile took me down a road where I used to do hill mile repeats with the track team in high school (for the very few times that I actually went to practice.)  Luckily, I was going to be running down the hill (9:01)

The 9-11 miles took me out onto Route 108 from Durham to Dover, this had no shading, and is really hilly.  Luckily, the hills seemed like a piece of cake compared to my Reach the Beach routes, but I was definitely hot, and seemed like I couldn't drink enough water

(9:19, 9:43, 10:39)

Stopped at the Hannaford's on 108 to drink some water out of the water fountain, and to have my remaining GU.  Mile 12- 7:42, amazing what some air conditioning and water will do!

Mile 13, all of that energy from Mile 12 seemed to dissipate, and my legs just did not. want. to. go. (11:23- yikes.)

Mile 14. So. Tired.  Who ever decided that marathons were fun???   I am complaining about 80 degrees in New Hampshire with no humidity, how am I going to deal in Hawaii???  (9:55)

Mile 15: Only one more mile. So tired.  So thirsty. I love my Nathan Hydration Pack, but I only filled it up half way (36 ozs.) My water was all gone!  My songs are not even helping...legs do not want to move! Had to walk a few times (12:20- yikes again)

Mile 16: Had to walk a 10th of a mile.....(11:18...didn't really get to those 8:45 miles)

Walked for a mile to cool down, and staggered into my parent's house, my mom poured me orange juice- moms are the best :)

Today was the hardest run I have probably ever done, and it's still 10 miles shorter than a marathon!  I have super respect for all of you marathoners!!!

Of course, all of that running meant it was....Pumpkinhead Ale time!!!!