Shoot me now. I mean it! Just shoot me now!
Holy Cow today’s run was THE ugliest run I have ever had. Seeing as I’ve had a few people ask about it, I’ll tell you about it. It probably won’t seem all that awful once I’ve shared but trust me, it wasn’t fun.
Yesterday I ate carefully, carbs and all. I fueled like I always do the day before a long run. I put away over 3000 calories yesterday expecting the scales to be up a pound or (hopefully) two before I headed out. My goal for today was 30 miles.
I didn’t fuel any differently than I have in the past. I’ve learned that I need the extra “insulation” on me to have a successful long run. I know about “race weight” and all that, but to be honest, I do better with a few extra pounds at the start. It’s gone by the end of the run. I burn right through it, so I ate like I always have before long run, expecting all to be peachy.
This morning, I stood on the scale and discovered that with all my fueling, I was actually DOWN two pounds! This wasn’t good. I ate a little bit more for breakfast than usual, loaded up my hydration vest and hit the road.
Mile two. I had to make an abrupt trek back to the house. Intestinal difficulties. That’s not good. Having this so early in the game!?! I utilized the little girls room and headed for my stash of Immodium.
Couldn’t find my Immodium!!! Where was it!?!
I tore the house apart. I had used it at the Mississippi Blues Marathon. It was a brand new bottle! Nothing for it. I searched close to 15 minutes and it was nowhere. I thought back and a couple of my friends had borrowed some on race day. I’m guessing it was at their house. RATS!
Nothing I could do! I headed back out the door and for the rest of my 26.40 miles today, I was ducking behind trees and bushes. NOT. FUN.
As I headed back out, it was raining. It was 37* and raining. It rained until close to mile 15. Running in the rain really doesn’t bother me. It’s the cold that settles in my bones that makes it difficult. I just kept putting one foot in front of the other.
I was fueling properly and hydrating well but I was really struggling. I found myself crying as I was running. I never thought about stopping, I was just kind of weepy. This was very out of character for me.
Made it to mile 19 and I needed to stop by the house and re-supply my hydration vest. This was a planned stop. No surprises that I had to make a pass by the house.
I went up to the front door and tried to turn the handle. I was wearing gloves. My gloves were wet from the rain and slipped on the handle. I couldn’t open the door. I took off my gloves and tried again. My hands were wet from wearing the gloves and I still couldn’t open the door.
That was the straw that broke the camels back. I just didn’t have what it took to mess with that silly door handle so I rang the doorbell. Of course Paxton went bonkers but MFH (My Favorite Husband) was there in a jiffy and opened the door for me.
I came into the house, sat myself down in the kitchen and cried. While I cried, MFH refilled my water bottles and made sure I ate and drank something. He asked me what mile I was on and then hustled me out the door.
I ran another loop on Robinson Road. It was mile 25 and I was heading down my street again when I saw MFH! His Iowa Cyclones cap was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen! I was so happy to see him!!!
We met about a half mile from the house and I asked for his help. My legs were swelling pretty bad and my compression sleeves were pinching my Achilles tendon on my left leg. I knew that wasn’t good and I wanted those sleeves off for the last few miles.
I wear Zensah compression sleeves and they are awesome! I like to wear their Ultra compression sleeves when I’m running because they are a tighter fit. Because they are a tighter fit, I need help getting them off.
When I met MFH, I asked him to peel my legs. That meant, “Please take off these compression sleeves.” He had me lean up again a tree and started to take off the sleeves. He asked me what mile I was on.
After he had taken off the sleeves, he said that he thought that I shouldn’t go past the assigned 26.2 miles today. He thought that I was too tired to go to 30 miles.
He was right.
MFH has never, EVER pulled the plug on one of my training runs before. He KNOWS that I respect it when he suggests something when I’m running, so when my Garmin said 26 miles, I turned around and headed back to the house.
Today’s total miles was 26.40 miles.
I know that these miles, as hard as they were, will pay off in a big way come race day on March 5 but holy cow they were hard!
MFH is the absolute best! I am so thankful for all he does to encourage me with my running and his wisdom in knowing when it is time to call it a day.
Today has been a day of warm fuzzy PJ’s to running clothes back to warm fuzzy PJ’s. *with a shower between the last two.* #imtoast
Tomorrow? Scheduled 10 mile recovery run. #IRun4Aiden