This is the longest run I have ever done, by just under 2 miles. We are down visiting family this weekend, so I did this run starting at my parents house. I looked at the weather forecast, and starting from about 6:00 am to noon there was a 30% of higher chance of snow/rain. Some of my siblings are coming over around noon, so I wanted to get my run done before they arived, and I didn't want to run in the rain/snow when it was about 34 degrees. I like running in the rain, but not when its near freezing. So I decided that the best time to do this run would be at 2:00 am (and the weather forecast was wrong, it is really good weather right now (9:30, and has been all morning, and looks like it will stay nice for a while).
I went to bed around 10:00 pm, but we are sleeping in the same room as my kids and Kaylin was being crazy. All she wanted to do was climb in our bed and wrestle with me. After about 35 minutes of that I decided that I was going to go sleep in another room. My wife was supportive of that decision.
I woke up at 1:54 am (about 3 hours of sleep, STUPID weather forecast), 6 minutes before my alarm even went off. Got ready and headed out the door. I did 5 out and backs, 4 of which were about 45 minutes, and 1 of about 30 minutes. I ate the same pre run food as last week including the GU, and had a peanut butter GU at 45 minutes, espresso love at 90 minutes, and chocolate outrage at 135 and 180 minutes.
I ran without music for the first 3 hours. It was really dark so I was already down 1 sense, and didn't want to have music take away my hearing as well. I bought pepper spray specifically for when I run at my parents house because I have been chased by dogs several times. If a dog was going to be coming at me that I couldn't see, I least wanted to be able to hear it coming (I did have to pull it out once because of a big dog barking and running toward the road. Luckily (for the dog) there was a fence that I couldn't see because it was dark).
The first 2 hours and 10 minutes went great, and I couldn't believe how fast the time was going. But I started to get tired, and used the music as a distraction/motivation for the last 30 minutes.
I kept my watch running during all my water/gatorade breaks, but did stop it for about 6 minutes as I was paying a visit to the bathroom at Maverik.
Glad this run is done, and I'm glad I don't feel like I have been hit by a truck, but there is still time for a lot of soreness to sneak up on me.
5 minute warmup, 0.63 miles, avg pace of 7:57.
210 minute run, 27.01 miles, avg pace of 7:47.
5 minute cool down, 0.54 miles, avg pace of 9:19
Total of 28.17 miles in 3:40:00, avg pace of 7:49.
| 