The Long Run
The long run goes a big way towards defining a distance runner. It shapes our minds, our bodies, and all too frequently our weekends. Today’s was no exception. And, if I’m going to get out of here on time, I’m going to have to make this a short entry (although there’ll be a longer one later - nineteen miles gives you a long time to be initrospective).
Yup, nineteen miles. The first sixteen went by pretty smoothly, even with an interruption at mile eight to jog back and forth for a PBS documentary. The last 5K was - well - difficult. Not impossible, and at no point did I ever wish that I could cut it short or stop, but difficult. This was only the 3rd time in my life that I’d run that distance, and I felt it pretty well. I think this was mostly due to running it solo, without any significant mid-run fueling. Still, next weekend’s twenty miler will be all the easier because of it. I worked hard to keep it steady, and my pace ranged from 9:15 to 9:45 or so with the exception of the last mile and a half at something more like 10:00 (I was bonking, alright).
I have to keep in in perspective - that’s 19 miles in more than 80 minutes less than my 30K PR from last season… alright, I was injured then, but I’m still looking forward to smashing that particular record into the ground four weeks from now.
Popularity: 2%
Dec 18th 2004
6:37 PM
EXCELLENT! 19 miles! Damn good job, Richard. Bonking on the last mile? Uh oh. Hope you weren’t off chasing flying elephants by the side of the road or something. :)
Waiting on the detailed report….
Dec 18th 2004
11:40 PM
awesome, richard! 19 is nothing to sneeze at, and trust me, it’s not uncommon to feel those last couple miles on a run of that length.
so, you don’t gu or take any sports drinks on a run like that? or when you said mid run refueling, were you talking about a power bar, or a grilled cheese sammich?
Dec 19th 2004
9:15 AM
Great job on the looong run! It is comforting to hear about “good” long runs, as one day I will attempt the same thing.
Are you contemplating options for mid-run re-fueling for next week?
Dec 19th 2004
12:07 PM
Wow. Congratulations, Richard. Did I miss something about the PBS film? What’s that all about?
Dec 19th 2004
1:13 PM
Way to go! Having done my first 20 miler yesterday, I can imagine it’s considerably harder without anyone to talk to. What a great sense of accomplishment it is, no?
Dec 20th 2004
9:54 AM
Um, yeah, Richard, “shaving” 80 minutes off your previous PR, *not too shabby*! You’re such an inspiration - can’t wait to read the long report. - Mia
Dec 20th 2004
2:00 PM
Thanks, guys. Mia, that PR was set a week or two after an ITB injury, so its a PR only because it was the first (and only) time I ever raced at the 30K distance. Still, its a nice feeling. Susan, the PBS doco is something that the local station is filming on Gilbert, my (ex and future) running coach. We were running behind him, running past cameras, following another stedicam guy, et cetera. There’ll probably be three or four hours of shooting shortened down to 20 seconds of televised footage or something along those lines.
Dec 21st 2004
10:50 PM
Steady improvement. Does it get any better? I don’t think so!