I will try to put in a quick post. This could be the day I finish the first challenge of Running Across Tennessee Virtual Race (GVRAT). I have 17 miles left. It is day 48 of the race.
I said maybe because I am not sure I could do 17 miles today. I know I run 17 miles all the time. But last night 17 miles was hard.
The first couple miles my feet didn’t want to move. Usually I am only like that at the end and not at the beginning. It was like I was not in gear. You could press the pedal as much as you want but I was in neutral. I did shuttle steps until after two miles. At mile three and 4 I started to feel my legs ease up a bit.
Luckily my breathing was alright and the weather was cool. What got me usually is a combination of heat and inability to breath.
So I was running along on pace, not very fast, and miles passing under me until mile 8 I took a fall. I tripped over the unevenness of the sidewalk. Usually this kind of things is rare because I know every nooks and bumps in my neighborhood by now. Also I call myself a trail runner where we do harder terrain than this. Well I was on the ground. My glasses flew away and everything scattered everywhere. I collected myself. Nothing injured. No stratch or bruises. I was OK. I got up again to walk.
The interruption was not too bad. Once my numb was over, I started running again at a reduced pace.
I got to mile 9 and 10. The sun had set. I made a round in a new area I just disccovered recently. It was about a mile or two (Fair Lakes / Walmart). I saw New York Tony Pizza and so wanted to stop for a slice. I was hungry then, and it was about 9 pm. I still got about 5 miles left.
By mile 13 I got my zoom/juice back. I was still hungry but I tightened my belly and ran. I knew sooner I got home the sooner I could eat. I ate before I went for a run at 5:30, I shouldn’t be hungry yet. It was only 4 hours ago. Yet I got my speed. I finally ignited. It felt great to put in the stride.
Miles quickly passed under me. By my watch I was slow. 13 miles is a half marathon. In races I usually cover that under 2 hours, but today, I was almost at the three hours mark, which is quite shocking. I was only this slow last summer when I was sick. Any way, I am watching myself.
I still had some left in me by mile 15. I was no longer running at full speed. I knew when I passed mile 16. Last hill climb and last mile to turn onto my street. I slowed down a lot by now. I know it is the wall. I told myself, almost there. Hit mile 17. Half more mile to go. I found myself walking. Giddy up. Got to break the wall. Ran again, shuttle steps to get to the Firehouse. The watch is not exactly at 17.5 when I got there, so I run and walked some more until it reached it. Done.
I had my second dinner. I had a glass of wine too. My fridge is almost empty, so got to do shopping before the next run.
I just have to repeat the above again one more time, one more night, minus the fall.
In awe 