it wasn't the 20 but the .44 that killed

Today was our third run this summer to Port Stanley and the longest run I've done since Chicago last October.

A grand total of 20.44 miles, 27 pieces of road kill, 5 waterstops, 3 big hills, 2 graveyards, 1 mental hospital and a huge blister I've called bubba.

I headed out at 6.25am, it was dark, foggy and cool. I had 6 miles on my own before I met up with P, and was aiming for a 10.45 - 11 min/mile pace. I struggle with pace when I'm running alone, even with gizmo to tell me how fast or slow I'm going. The first three miles went by quickly as I watched the sun come up and more fog roll in. I had a quick fuel and toilet break and continued on. I glanced at my watched, I would be right on time to met P.

It could of been the fog, or maybe I found the running zone and tuned out or I might have fallen asleep, next thing I heard was ..."Ali" huh? ... "Ali" I stopped and turned around, there was P about .25 km back, I had ran straight past her. She laughed and caught up

After a mile together, we decided to do the next 3 miles at marathon pace. So we dropped it down to 10/10.15 min/miles. Rather proud of ourselves, we slow it back down. Up ahead our two more runners, we catch them and start running together. I look at gizmo, 12.35 miles! My heel feels tender every now and again, but otherwise I feel great.

At the next waterstop, I feel the start of a blister on my big toe. The support vechicles have everything, water, poweraid, coke, gummy bears, bagels, fruit, tissues, tylenol, sunscreen and thankfully bandaids. I take of my shoe and am surprised how big it already is. I apply my bandaid likes it's a miracle cure for blisters, on with the shoes, bounce up ready to go. OUCH! My blister still hurts, I thought bandaids had special powers, making pain stop. Not to worry, mile 15 soon there would be other pains to replace my blister obsessing.

I felt great, besides for a twinge or two from bubba the next 4 miles went happily by. Then suddenly like a slap to the face my legs just stopped working. I felt like I was running, but I didn't seem to be going any where. I stopped and stretched that seemed to loosen them out a bit. I glanced at gizmo 19.18, just over a mile to go. I then contracted gizmo OCD, I looked at it 20 times in the next couple minutes. It finally hit 20 miles.

YIPPPPPPPPPPPEEEEE

20. Twenty. Miles

Another .44 and I was done. Literally! Done.

At the beach I took off my shoes to have a closer inspection of bubba. Bubba is big enough to leave home and live on his own. I can't bring myself to pop him just yet, he is like my 20 miler trophy. After a quick shower we all (about 80 runners) had brunch and an obscene amount of coffee. Between pancakes and sausages there were stories of great runs, sore muscles, wasp attacks and marathons.

Which reminds me ... I have to register today for Niagara.