4 Hour Trail Run - I think I am ready!
I had a VERY successful 4 hour trail run yesterday.
The weather was nice, warm but not hot, and not to humid either. Unusual for South Carolina this time of year!
Not only did I successfully run for 4 hours, I felt good and strong for at least 3.5 of them! I was able to keep a pace of 11 to 12 minute miles the whole time, although the last 15 minutes of the run were getting pretty painful.
Nonetheless I felt both physically and mentally strong, no wanting to stop or feeling like I couldn't do it. I think a couple of factors played into that -
1.) my more relaxed approach to running that I have taken lately
2.) it NOT being ungodly hot and humid for once
3.) getting the hang of refueling / hydrating
I must say, Fig newtons are awesome for refueling! I still enjoyed eating them after 4 hours and they are a bit calorie dense so I could cram a couple down and get 100 calories off the bat without feeling full. I also started regulating my drinking too. I have often felt kind of bloated during and after my long runs and getting a little bit of a side stitch because I was drinking too much. This time i just took a few sips of Gatorade every 15 minutes or so and that did just fine! This should work for the marathon too as it is in October and farther north so it shouldn't be blazing hot or humid.
I was however SORE afterwards. This is probably the farthest I have run, and will do it once more before the marathon in 2 weeks before I start the taper. Boy could I feel it! My ankles, knees, hips, quads all hurt and I looked awful funny trying to walk up and down stairs. Today I feel alot better although I can't imagine how sore I am going to be after the actual marathon!
All in all I am glad I am finally getting the hang of these long runs. This next week is a more relaxed week according to the training plan and due to the fact I will be traveling to my sister's wedding and won't have time for a long run next weekend. But now I am actually looking forward to my next 4 hour run!