Training for a distance run is a beast all on it's own. I'm learning this all too quickly. Its going to require a lot of time, a lot of pain, and a lot of finagling of my general life schedule (which really has a lot of free time all on it's own, but I just wanted to use the word "finagling").
The general preparation for the long run is something I love doing. I shop around for a few snacks and drinks, usually a few days in advance. The night before I make sure I have everything set out. Shoes, socks, shorts, shirts, earbuds, buff.... You get the idea.
I find myself a little giddy on these nights. And I often find myself having trouble sleeping as I'm looking forward to whatever challenge I have set for myself the next day.
The morning of is pretty standard. I make a 1 cup of coffee. I make some toast with butter and peanut butter (the combo of both is magical). I make sure my hydration option is set up with fresh, cold water, and I suit up.
Daylight officially began yesterday at 0745 hours. But I was out and started at 0720. It was 38 degrees out. I dressed warm, however have learned that a base layer of tights is not convenient at all after it gets warmer and I get hotter. Lesson learned. No more base layer tights on the long run unless I'm completely positive I will want them the entire time.
The target distance was 16 miles. However, I had it in my head to run for about 3 hours, which would have me over that. The total distance for yesterday's long tun was 18.1 miles. When I was into full marathon training my longest distance for a training run was 16 miles. I remember that run quite well. Parked at 3 corners, up and back Freshwater Road, then up Old Arcata Road to the post office and back. That WAS the plan. That run will officially and forever be remembered as a Bad Run. I found myself walking too much on the final stretch of a few miles, and I was miserable. I hit the wall that day and hit it hard. That was over 2 years ago. I don't remember the specifics of this run, other than how miserable I was. Funny how with certain events, you don't always remember the details, but you most certainly remember how you felt. I also remember that 68 miles felt like the most distance I would ever achieve, and how torturous it was to do so.
As a follow up note to that, a couple weeks later I officially ran 26.2 miles, and that most certainly falls under the category of an Epic Run.
Fast forward to the present, and suddenly 18 doesn't feel like such a lengthy distance. Its time consuming, but I don't mind that. After all, 26.2 miles is no longer the goal. In fact, it won't be too long and I'll be surpassing that distance on a regular basis as I prepare myself for 100 miles.
Its a totally different frame of mind. And I'm in it, completely. And its going to be amazing. I am fortunate to have an amazing coach and support staff (all wrapped up in quite the perfect package). This makes the motivation portion of this quest significantly easier. However, with the insane amount of mileage I'm going to be putting on I'm positive that the motivation factor will be tested. And fortunately when it is, there will be the appropriate amount of shaming which in turn will become motivation in and of itself.
The armory loop is just under 1 mile, if you stick to the inside sidewalk. This has its own benefits as you never really have to worry about traffic. Sure, there are oddities to the sidewalk and such, but after a few laps you get to know them and generally feel you could run the loop with your eyes closed. I like the armory loop for a few different reasons. For example, its a quick mile-long warm-up to any run, and its a quick mile extension to any run.
But in this case, its also the perfect length to mentally prepare for the rigors of running the same loop, over and over, for probably more than 24 hours. So for this reason, right now, I like the armory loop.... For now.
I'm quite confident I will hate the loop by the time this quest is over. And in time, I will learn to love it again. But for now, its going to be a love/hate relationship I have with the loop. A vehicle to be used on a long road ahead.
And that's OK. It knows what I am doing. I believe it even supports me. And even when I despise it, it will always be there for me when I come back to my senses. Some people would argue just thinking about such a monumental endeavor, the 100 Miler, is proof I have already lost my senses. I would argue the opposite. I'm positive my senses are focused and invested in the idea of success and victory.
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