galactic moron*
*since this seems to have been a recurring theme, i had to change the title!!!
newly added.... splits and garmin graph
mile 1. 11:13
mile 2. 11:15
mile 3. 11:43 (water)
mile 4. 10:43 (here begins the WTF?! how am i running so fast?!)
mile 5. 11:00
mile 6. 11:55 (gu)
mile 7. 11:04
mile 8. 11:09
mile 9. 12:45 (gatorade)
mile 10. 10:56
mile 11. 13:45 (gu)
mile 12. 10:55
mile 13. 11:12
mile 14 . 13:38 (started to question my all-star powers/water)
mile 15. 11:45 (this is my normal pace)
mile 16. 14:07 (gu/here begins the walking)
mile 17. 14:32
mile 18. 14:59 (water)
mile 19. 12:48 (tried to make a comeback)
mile 20. 14:36 (comeback did not last long)
.898mi (?? whatever. watch is weird) 17:20
-------------------
ok. as promised, a full re-cap of my 20 miles.
i arrived at Heritage Park a little before 6 am, not really nervous, not really excited... not really anything. for some reason, the whole 20 mile part of running 20 miles was a concept, i dunno... i guess i just couldnt wrap my head around it. all week i'd been waiting for my "holy sh*t i have to run twenty miles" freak-out, but it never came. so there i was, standing around with my fellow TNT'ers, in the very dark, just waiting to run... same as if i'd have been out there about to build sand castles... just kinda like yeah. ok. cool.
it was very strange.
so coach tells us we have a 3 mile out and back and a 2 mile loop around the "lake" (read: pond). we can run any combination of the two, so much as we run enough to equal 20 miles.... awesome. lets run around this lake ten times!! wont that be FUN!!?!!?! whoopie. bring on the party parade!
so, away we go. we're runnin'.... runnin'... and i'm cheesin along, like "aint no thang.. just 20 miles. piece of cake" (WTF?!) and as we're running Stripe Shirt mentions she's going to be running the KC Half Marathon in two-weeks (which i will be out of town for...) as is Blonde Girl. so, in preperation for that, they want to run the first 13 miles as fast as possible/without taking a walk break, "just to see" what their time would be for the Half.... and, since i'm a galactic moron, i decide yeah. that sounds like a BRILLIANT plan.
3 miles later, we're back at the parking lot and a.maria needs a potty break.... (*note: this would be the first time EVER during a long run that i've had to use the facilities... i've had the pleasure of divine intervention up until this point and have never had to deal with an upset stomach or Flow, my running nemesis, until now. and it weren't purty) so Stripe and Blonde take off w/o me, i conduct my bid'niss, grab some water and i'm back out there on my way...
at this point, i'm feeling good. strong. much like Jack in his "I'm the king of the wooooooorld" Titanic moment... ain't nuthin stoppin me on this run. i glance down at my forever beeping watch to find out i just ran the last mile at a 10:47 pace.
??? weird. it said about the same for the last few miles too. huh. something must be wrong with my watch.
but, never the one to THINK CLEARLY i just continue running like i have been, thinking surely i'm not running that fast. for the LOVE, i'm not Running Chick.... i'm me... i'm slow...
so, for the next few miles i'm running alone. which is cool, i kinda like it that way, just me and my music, and my watch keeps telling me, at every mile, that my pace for the previous mile was 10:this and 11:that (all much faster than my normal run) and i'm utterly confused. i'm not tired. i'm not sore. i'm not even out of breath. WHAT IS GOING ON?!?!?!? so i get to thinking...
hmm. i've been running for almost 10 miles. i havent taken a walk break yet.... maybe i should do that?! but... nah... i feel good! hell i feel great! omg. what if i just run this whole thing without stopping? what if i've broken thru some sort of tiredness threshold and all of a sudden i'm really fast and can just run forever. whoa. totally i bet thats what it is. i'm some sort of all-american running champion all-star captain of the track team type of running goddess. cool!!
obviously i should never be left alone with myself. i get completely outta hand.
so. to make matters worse, at 10 miles i look down and realized i just ran 10 miles the fastest i've ever run 10 miles... EVER.
yup. i'm definitley the new running hero in this town. they should make a movie about me, it'd be a total blockbuster
and with that, i keep on truckin.
4 miles later i start to thinking maybe. just... just maybe i spoke a little too soon.
aw maaaaann. what is this?! i'm tired? now!! i'm over half way done!! come on A, suck it up. you've got 6 miles left... 6 miles is your favorite distance. its not a big deal. you can DO IT!......
whoa. WHO-AH. is that dizziness i feel?! am i dizzy?
why does it feel like i'm not even hitting the pavement when i run. wtf?! did i just learn to float? serious. and whats with the water... its getting closer while the pavement's getting farther away.
am i high?!
no WAY. is this "runners high"... coooooolll... i AM the champion...
but wait. isnt runners high supposed to be a good thing? this doesnt feel so good...why aren't i enjoying this?!
at about this time... 14.33 miles into my run, i had my first thoughts of walking. cuz i was just not right. but then... THEN, for the first time EVER... you'll never believe it but...
DUMdumdumdum DUMdumdumdum BWAHHHH-BWHAAAAAHH dee-dee-dee-dee-deeeeee-deeeeee....
the CHARIOTS OF FIRE theme song!!!!!!!! i-pod shuffle rules the day!!!! all thoughts of walking shot from my head, i actually laughed out loud and ran like i'd never run before. it was fantastical.
and then the song was over. and i stopped for water. and my whole world came to a crashing hault.
i was done. i had just, for all intents and puroses, run 15 miles without walking. and i ran them fast. and i. was. tired.
i tried telling myelf i only had 5 more miles... but i only had about 2 miles left in me. so i run/walked the rest of the way, willing myself to jog for mere seconds at a time.... trying to ignore the heaviness in my legs, calves, ankles, i mean you NAME it, it hurt.... and i was just done. at 18 miles, i felt like crying, so i flat-out walked the 2 last miles around the lake, said "screw it" to my goal time of 4:00 hours and finished my 20 miles in just over 4 hours 11 minutes.
had i run smarter, from the beginning, i dont doubt for a second i would have finished with-in my goal time. but, as i said before, i'm stubborn, and i pushed myself too hard, too early, and it came back to bite me in the ass.
so, what did i learn?!
1. walking early = finishing strong
2. thank god for toilets (i didnt want to get into it much, but there were multiple stops. and just... yeah.)
3. i am a galactic moron
4. i am probably not a running hero. and should probably not be left to my own devises when running. and probably dont rule the running world. and more than likely should not host a "how to be the coolest runner ever" clinic. and probably will never win the boston marathon. (yes. all these thoughts did cross my mind. i was running for over 4 hours. thats a lot of time to convince yourself you're probably worthy of some sort of statue made in your honor for conquering.. ya know... the WORLD. as i said before. i should not be left alone with myself. i'm completely ridiculous.)
5. i am a galactic moron
Comments
DATE: 11:03 AM
My dear, you're not a galactic moron. You're a new runner. You are training for your FIRST marathon. Many people have done the same thing or you wouldn't hear trainers telling people to pace themselves so often. You may not be a running hero, but you're amazing. Thanks for sharing the details and for being such an inspiration.
Posted by: Keryn | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM
DATE: 11:34 AM
Dear amazing galactic moron,You just kicked that 20 miles butt! That's the whole point of training runs, find out what you are capable of "i just ran 10 miles the fastest i've ever run 10 miles" and learn what to do differently next time. You did great.I couldn't agree more with ... I spoke to soon, why when our heads are filled with wonderful thoughts, qualifing for the olympics, winning boston, oscar speeches for our running movies do our bodies take over with ... ha that's what you think!Awesome report!
Posted by: ali | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM
DATE: 12:27 PM
At least I wasn't the only one with stomach issues this weekend! God bless you, Albertson's (grocery store) bathroom...Nice run, you're Grrrrrreat!
Posted by: Flatman | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM
DATE: 2:17 PM
You did look strong out there when I saw you. But that sun did head up after around 9am and I think a lot of folks were feeling it. Tim, one of the mentors, fell down at the water cooler. I'm just amazed you ran the whole first 15 miles. I could maybe run 10 very slowly, but definately not 15 at that pace! You are more of a runner than you think girl! See you next week? - Sarah (Big Red Yamaha)
Posted by: BigRedYamaha | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM
DATE: 3:13 PM
HELL, I'm gonna SEND you your trophy. You are awesome~ You just ran 15 miles without stopping?!?!? I'm in total awe. And so what you walked some the last five miles. You FINISHED. Please be very proud of that. You are MY running hero. Now, you really have to change the name of this blog...:)
Posted by: jeanne | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM
DATE: 4:32 PM
Great details for your re-cap. You're so lucky to be able to run in SF. I waited too long to register for this year's Nike race (half marathon) and now it's completely full. Bummer!Good luck - a little over a month away!linda
Posted by: Linda | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM
DATE: 6:17 PM
Enjoyed reading every word. Thanks for sharing all the details.
Posted by: Hutch | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM
DATE: 7:26 PM
good stuff as usual a.maria!
Posted by: brent | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM
DATE: 8:21 PM
congratulations!!20 miles is an amazing accomplishment no matter how you do it!while you may feel that you're a glactic moron, to the rest of us you're galactically inspiring!(BTW, Galactic?!?!)
Posted by: Danny | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM
DATE: 2:26 AM
Don't be hard on yourself, you just bit 20 miles in the butt, it doesn't matter that you didn't do it all in one bite! My first 20-miler had a bunch of walking as well. I think you learned how important pacing is and that is a critical lesson that will get you through the 26.2! One day as you run the entire 20 without catching your breath you will laugh at how easy it was ;-)
Posted by: Jack | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM
DATE: 5:10 AM
Welcome to the world of starting out too fast. I have to be the absolute best at that game. In the last marathon I ran, I contemplated giving sticks to a few people just in front of me. That way, they could beat me when I tried to run too fast.It's a learning thing, I guess. The key is to target a pace and run it. The best athletes are so consistent it's frightening.Congratulations on finishing. And consider that it will only take slight improvement in pacing to hit your target for the marathon. Now that you've done the 20-miler, the marathon is easily within grasp. Stay healthy and you're there.
Posted by: Tom | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM
DATE: 6:55 AM
Lesson 1: The marathon is unforgiving. Go too fast early and you'll pay dearly late. I learned this one the hard way at my first. (23 miles in 3:00!, then 3.2 in 1:01!) Better to learn it on a training run.
Posted by: Scooter | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM
DATE: 7:10 AM
I thought you did a great job on Saturday! And you're going to kick the SF in the rear.
Posted by: Josh | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM
DATE: 7:45 AM
I definitely wouldn't call you a moron! I know it felt like crap for the end part, but you finished 20 miles. That is awesome. and you ran a really fast 10 miles. all of the will actually help you more in the long run than if you had just putzed along. Now you know that you have it in you to go harder. Keep in mind as well, that wall at 18-20 is very real. You crashed right through it and kept going to the end. You didn't bonk, therefore you Rock!
Posted by: tri-mama | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM
DATE: 8:23 AM
Congratulations! What an accomplishment!!
Posted by: april anne | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM
DATE: 10:12 AM
20 miles DONE.And take it from someone who has the wordly experience of one whole marathon under her belt...it's all about pace.It's a constant learning experience. I still go out too fast. I ALWAYS go out too fast...and think I'm superwoman...and then get schooled by the pavement.On race day: Pace Groups are your FRIEND.You did awesome. In addition to the fact that you were able to will your body to cover 20 miles, you also kept your mind occupied with positive thoughts. That is a big key to success - especially for those last 6.2!!
Posted by: Running Chick | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM
DATE: 12:44 PM
What a fun read, a.maria--you're a tribute to ALL the "non-runners" out there who think they don't have it in them. Twenty miles! I'm utterly impressed. The photo documentation was a fun bonus, too. :)By the way, can I ask a stupid question? How do you copy and post the page from your Forerunner logbook? I've been completely unsuccessful in my own attempts...
Posted by: Steffany | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM
DATE: 1:25 PM
steffany... i dont know what the equivalent program would be to use, if you dont have photoshop (paint maybe?!) but i just capture the screen image (ctrl+PrintScreen) and then paste it into photoshop, cut out the excess stuff and save as .jpghope that works!
Posted by: a.maria | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM
DATE: 5:59 PM
You should pat yourself on the back--big time--for that accomplishment. Running for 4 hours takes stamina, hope, courgage, and guts. Go get 'em, girl.
Posted by: susan | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM
DATE: 3:25 PM
Awesome post, you go girl :)P.S. PLease don't call yourself slow-then I'd have to call myself slow and I'm in denial.
Posted by: Kiran | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM
DATE: 8:09 PM
congrats on the 20 mile run. I was supposed to run 3 hours on Sunday. I'm training for the San Antonio Marathon in November. I left late and only ran around 10-11 miles.
Posted by: atownrunner | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM
DATE: 5:42 AM
Sorry it took so long for me to get here, but I'm here!And you're not a galactic moron. On the contrary, YOU JUST RAN 20 MILES!!! That's so awesome. I've only run 20+ miles twice in my life - once last Sunday and once about a year before that. 20 miles is no easy feat by any means! You should feel like a galactic rockstar! :)
Posted by: Chris | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM
DATE: 12:40 PM
Wow, I really don't need to add my voice to the throng here, since everybody else seems to have it covered, but when has that ever stopped me. Congratulations on finishing 20 miles! And I know how much it sucks to start fast and crash at the end, but at least you learned your lesson on a training run, so on marathon day, you'll have yourself under control. you are so going to kick ass at the marathon!
Posted by: Noames | July 4, 2006 08:03 PM