So Eric got this idea that we should do a crazy long run during Christmas week. We had both recovered well form the marathon on the 13th so in Christmas Eve day we set off from his house in SE Decatur at 6:12am with the plan to run to the Fleet Feet store in Huntsville; 39+ miles away.
The Fagerman Bros. and Larry Dickerson joined us for the first 13.1 out of Decatur and through the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge to Mooresville. This route added mileage but kept us off busy state highways with no shoulder.
We kept a steady, comfortable 7 mile/hr pace with breaks for aid and nature. Running out of Mooresville to Madison we made good eastward progress but were more exposesed to a SE wind running on an accces road along I565. My right shin started to give me problems about 19 miles into the run, getting tighter and tighter so I had no flex in my ankle, making running very painful. I did manage to hold out until 26.5 to get my ultra in (4:15), but the last two miles were all walking. Thankfully one of Eric's co-workers had come out to give us an aid stop and I gladly accepted a ride and called Kelly to pick me up early. Eric on the other hand was still moving strongly and getting faster. Kelly and I met him over at Fleet Feet at 12:12pm. Nearly 40 miles in 6 hours and he looked like he could've kept going. His endurace amazes me.
I will do this run again in the future and finish it.
I hope everyone has a joyous holiday season. | 