Week 21- Twenty Miles

Honestly, I don't even know what to say in this post.  I feel like I've said it all before.  I'm so amazed at what I've accomplished so far.  I can't believe I've come this far.  This is such an amazing experience.  I suppose today would be a good time to let you in on some of the things I've seen in thought of as I ran 20 miles.

1) I'm running 20 miles!!!!

2) It is very interesting to see a man running in a running skirt.  Granted, it looked different from most running skirts, and he may often wear kilts, but it was definitely a skirt.  Hey, if he's comfortable, more power to him!

3) Running when the high for the day is only 70 degrees is much easier than when the high is 100 degrees.

4) Apparently, cool October mornings are when everyone and their brother walks their dogs.  One guy even ran past us with his dog.  I cannot stress how much I wish Cody had been with me.  This was particularly true when one guy passed us with his dog pulling on the leash and everyone said how well-behaved his dog was.  If only Cody could have been there to show off!!!  (Note: I did ask if I could bring Cody on some of the training runs, but they would not allow him.)

5) It is important to really know your route before you head out.  At one point, I realized there was no one ahead of me.  I checked my route and realized I had missed a turn approximately 3-4 blocks back.  This will really give you an "Oh Shit!" feeling.

6) The last 6 miles of any run is the hardest.

7) When all your teammates have just finished running 20 miles and you just finished 20.36 because of your missed turn, you will feel extremely special and awesome.

8) Choosing to not stop your watch at SAG stops will kill your time, but it gives you a better idea of how long it will take you to finish the full race.  My final time for 20.36 miles was 3:57:46.  My goal is to finish in under 5 hours, so I may need to step it up just a bit.  Luckily, I know my weak spots and have a plan on how to get through them.

Well, that's about it for today.  I'm so extremely tired, but I'm also very proud of myself.  This was our last looong run before the marathon.  Now we start to taper and prepare ourselves mentally.  Wish me luck!