2016 LBL Marathon Training Week 12 - The Long Run

  Week twelve, like week 10 was turning out to be a really good week, the only thing missing was that 20 mile run. The forecast "looked good", until I woke up around 2 AM and I heard it raining and thundering, and then I saw lightning. All I could think of was "f*@king hell, it's almost like fate that I don't run 20 miles.....", but I laid back to down to sleep and tried to not to worry about it. My alarm went off at 5 AM, I got ready for that 20 miler, it was 61 degrees out so I wore shorts and my new pair of GT 2000 4 (Grey/Orange, a size 9 when I normally wear size 8.5), a tee shirt.
 I fitted my Nathan Intensity pack with:

•  3 Energy Gu's in the front - Chocolate Peanut Butter, Strawberry Banana, and Mandarine Orange
• my 18 oz bottle with water and 1.5 scoops of Hammer Nutrition Heed (Strawberry)
• 1.5L bladder of water
• 3 extra Energy Gu packs (just cause I haven't taken them out since Friday's test run.
• a ziplock bag of baby wipes
• a ziplock bag of Hammer Nutrition Electrolyte Capsules
• my phone

I know I need to start making sure I log this information since I want to run an Ultra, I need to know exactly what worked for me during a long run and what all I had just in case. Since I was running the 4.2 mile loop route, I decided I would stick the vasoline(sp?) in the mailbox. I stepped outside once to realize it was raining so I went back in an grabbed my light rain jacket. 

I only wore it for the first loop, the rain was really light so at the end of my first loop I stuck it in the mailbox. I stopped at the gas station to use the restroom on the first lap, I had a feeling I was going to be dealing with IBS most of this run.

First loop 1-4.2 miles

Mile 1 - 10:39

Mile 2 - 10:18

Mile 3 - 9:59

Mile 4 - 9:51

Second loop 4.2-8.3 miles

 I was hating these shoes. I swear if I could find out who had the bright idea of raising the arch in the new GT 2000 4's.... I'd shove every one of these shoes down their throat! They've ruined a perfectly great brand of shoes with that stupid change. Other than the nasty tingling in my feet, and my bowels.... things were going well, I tried not to think about the fact I need to run 5 loops. I hate loops but it is also a good form of mental strengthening and makes for a real workout. I deviated from the route a bit to hit a different gas station as there was a group of old men congregating there and I hate the feeling that people know my business (especially when it is bathroom business). It added about .25 miles to the route. I consumed an Energy Gu pack at mile 7, while I was drinking from the 18 oz bottle of water every mile or so.

I finished the 2nd loop with 8.3 miles.

Mile 5 - 9:45

Mile 6 - 9:44

Mile 7 - 9:41

Mile 8 - 9:33

Third loop 9-12.5 miles

The light rain was off and on, my shoes were finally easing up but I was tired and sick to my stomach.... not awful but I was so lucky I could make it to either gas stations. This time I went to the first gas station, and then headed off again. At mile 12 I had another gu, the Chocolate Peanut Butter which tasted better. I think the first loop ended at 12.5 miles... to be quite honest I've lost track of the loops.....

Mile 9 - 9:33

Mile 10 - 9:41

Mile 11 - 9:29

Mile 12 - 9:23

Fourth loop 13-17 miles

I was starting the fourth loop!!! But I tried not to think about it, I just wanted to finish this loop and be on the final loop. I had to make another stop at the other gas station adding another .25 miles to the route. I was getting really tired at this point, the hilly roads were tough and the miles were wearing on me. I reached 17 miles just a smidge past the house, I can't remember if I had the last gu or not......  

Mile 13 - 9:28

Mile 14 - 9:28

Mile 15 - 9:22

Mile 16 - 9:26

Mile 17 - 9:15

Fifth loop 18-20.4

Luckily I didn't have to stop for a bathroom break this loop, it was getting real tough. I was hating these hills, and I was seriously tired BUT I had finally reached mile 18, only 2 miles to go. Only 3 big hills left, just a little further and I would be done and I would have my 20 miler run for this training cycle. Around mile 19 I decided I would go for 20.4 so I would get to 57 miles for this week.

I made it to 20.4 miles!!! I got my 20 mile run in, and I am ready for this marathon... even if it is much, much hillier than anything I've ever ran before.

Mile 18 - 9:28

Mile 19 - 9:42

Mile 20 - 9:08

.4        - 9:20

 I ran 20.4 miles in 3:16:37 with an average pace of 9:38 min/miles, an elevation gain of 463 feet,  loss of 462 feet. 

This gives me 57 running miles for week 12, and 63 miles on my feet for the week total. Now I can pretty much relax, the next 3 weeks are downhill from here (in a good way).