Long Run – 16 Mile DONE!
Today was my longest run to date – and I’m feeling fantastico & positive and all that great stuff that endorphins do for you!
The day did not start auspiciously. I didn’t sleep well – and think I ate something last night that disagreed with me, because I was nauseated for a long time before bed last night. This morning, I was going to make coffee, but we only had whole bean and a) I didn’t know where the grinder was and b) haven’t made whole bean coffee in about 70 years & couldn’t remember how.
BUT – I live in Portland. There is coffee. So, I headed to downtown (of my neighborhood) and both places I was going to go were not yet open! BOOO! So, I ended up at Starbucks (booo). I ordered a medium coffee and plain bagel with peanut butter. I got a medium coffee (burned tasting, of course), a Hawaiian bagel and frozen almond butter. The bagel & almond butter were fine, and the coffee did have caffeine in it, so it was fine.
I really wasn’t sure how the run was going to go. I maybe fell down the other night, and am covered in bruises & feel like I twisted my left knee. I was not so enthusiastic. But I was doing it, dammit!
I met a couple of running buddies (and Mr. Pi!) at the Burnt Bridge Creek Trail at 7:30-ish. Mr. Pi started out for his 13 miles a little earlier than we got going, but we headed out.
The Ambitious One was planning on 8-10 miles, and JM & I were going for 16 (although my marathon is two weeks earlier than hers, she’s been matching all my long run mileage, because she is super, duper awesome.
We were all feeling a little creaky this morning (JM & I were both suffering from falls & yucky knees, the Ambitious One had a better excuse – she rode her bike out at hilly Hagg Lake yesterday).
At this point, I wasn’t sure if I was going to do the entire 16. I really wanted a minimum of 14, so I could have at least 30 miles this week, but man, I did not feel like running for 3+ hours.
Miles 1-10, done with my girls:
Mile 1 – 11:32
Mile 2- 11:06
Mile 3- 11:50
Mile 4- 12:30
Mile 5- 12:07
Mile 6- 11:02
Mile 7- 11:25
Mile 8- 13:11
Mile 9- 11:16
Mile 10-11:05
Total, first 10 – 1:57:04; 11:42 pace
Then, I said good-bye to my friends & headed back out for my solo portion. I was so glad to have had company for the first 10 miles!
Miles 11-16 were HARD!
Mile 11- 11:05
Mile 12- 11:04
Mile 13- 11:11
Mile 14- 12:27
Mile 15- 11:50
Mile 16- 10:57 (I was ready to be done)
Last 6 miles- 1:08:34 (11:25 pace)
Total, 16 miles, 3:05:24 (11:38 average pace).
This is a little slower than my long run goal pace (b/w 11 & 11:30 pace, with an emphasis on 11), but I’ll take it! Readers! I ran 16 miles! That’s a long ways!
So – thanks to my running buddies -so glad I have you!
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