Week VII

Week VII
30.53

This was a milestone week for me. This was the week that marathon training got real. All of the weeks prior, I knew I had already been prepared to put behind me. Not that miles are ever truly easy, but I knew I wouldn't really be tested much. This was to be the week I put in more miles on average than I have since last summer and the week I ran further than a half marathon.

I wanted to get the moderate distance run out of the way so I did the seven miler first in the trails. I didn't even get lost. I was proud of that. I moved on to the two four milers, one at home and the other a 5.5 miler in the trails. Anything outside of the trails have become a bit boring for me.

I ran the final run, the long run today. I won't run the long ones in places that I've already run and found to be boring, so I found a rail trail in West Bloomfield and ran the fourteen miler there. I didn't plan well for this one. I found out last minute that I had to run it the next day due to scheduling conflicts, and alone as well. I didn't eat a good dinner the night before and could not drag myself out of bed early in the morning. I ended up doing the very thing I said I would not do again. I set off to run midday at 2PM. The sun was on top of me without tree cover. I filled my water bottle with Nuun, but ran out quickly and had to refill four times throughout the run do to the loss of sweat. I ate a salted watermelon Gu which severely wrecked my stomach and I had to stop twice at the porta-john to "Rectify" the situation (see what I just did)? The Gu also tasted terrible. After the issues resolved, I got a much needed boost after two Gu's and one Sportbean pack.

The sun hid a bit behind some clouds for a few miles and I got a little break form the big hot star and eased into my normal pace. My legs felt pretty good and I knew I was hydrated properly. I was concerned and convinced that I hadn't taken in enough calories, specifically carbohydrates, but I fought on anyway. The rail trail was a boring out and back, much less interesting than the website made it out to be, but that is America. No one tells the truth. The ground beneath me was crushed stone and easy on the joints which added a little upside to an otherwise forgettable run. Finished the run with a 9:35/mile pace and quickly retreated to pizza at home.

All in all, this "Nature preserve" enlightened me to the very aggressive geese, who have protruding tongues, a few chipmunks, and a really fast snake which presented itself only when I was about to step on it, sending me into a wild man dance to get away.

It was a tough weak that marks the start of all of the tough weeks. I promise I will not make the midday run mistake again.

My take home, because if you aren't learning you're dead...runners need fuel. Do not run without properly adding energy stores.


Sing.
Migrate.