My first 20-miler.
Sunday was very cold, even for mid-November in Wisconsin. Expected highs were to be in the low-30s, but with a wind advisory, the perceived temperature was to be around 20. I had a Wisconsin basketball home opener to attend that afternoon, so was required to start my run bright and early. Refusing to run on a treadmill for over 3 hours, I bundled up (tights, pants, long sleeve T, hoodie, winter gloves and balaclava), got out of the house around 7AM-ish, when the actual mercury read 28. After what I later learned was an 8.6 mile run, I went in to finish with another even-12 on the treadmill. Nutrition, drink, and remote control within arms reach.
The first 6 went by harmlessly, than I took a quick bathroom break, consumed a gel, chased it with water, and slowly accelerated back into a run. Startled by the 99-minute and 99-second automatic shutoff on my treadmill, I took the opportunity to slowly accelerate again, meanwhile eating an entire package of Sport Beans (w/caffeine), chased by more water. Then with 2 miles to go, I ran out of water, and Gatorade (20 oz. each), so I quick refilled on water. Having to go up some steps reduced the guilt of the “break”. Then I finished up, never quite entering “death march” mode, which I think might have been imminent had it not been for the 4 opportunities to break stride. The entire process, with breaks, took nearly 4 hours. My pace, including the walk-to-run accelerations, was a slow (even for me) 11:19-mile pace, which still happens to be within McMillan’s target pace for Long Runs (10:49-11:49/mile) for a goal marathon pace of 10:19-minute miles (4:30:00 finish).
Surprisingly, the only residual pain (including Monday), was a bit of chaffing on the inside of just one leg, but the actual legs held up fairly well, and Monday’s 2-mile recovery run was not the worst post-long run recovery I’ve done. I did however proceed to wake up with a cold on Tuesday, so I elected to not run Tuesday night, anticipating a swap with my only scheduled day-off this week, Friday. I’ll hit it for 6 tonight (Wednesday) with my pal Chris, then 3 miles of tempo on Thursday, and easy 3 on Friday, and another easy 3 on Saturday before blinking out (yeah right) 12 on Sunday. Then I pretty much follow the same routine during the week before my next 20-miler, two weeks after my last, and one week from this Sunday. It will be the second of three scheduled runs of 20+ miles.
November 20th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
I’ve been reading your blog for awhile now. I am a fellow clyde as well, you know we’ve got to stick together. Keep in mind when I say this that I live in Florida so I really have no experience with it that cold, but I would rather run in the cold and have my junk freeze solid and slowly chip off before I could run that long on a treadmill. I guess you gotta do what you gotta do, right? Happy training and stop by and say hi.
http://caughtontherun.blogspot.com/
November 23rd, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Thanks Ryan. I ran on the treadmill this morning instead of outside. The thermo read 21, and I sat outside all day at a football game on Saturday, so I was too sick of the cold to run in it for 2 hours. Anything like that in Florida recently? LOL! I’ll be down your way (Orlando) in January. That’s my brief Wisconsin winter respite for the year. That’s all I get, a lousy week. Although my dad is in Ft. Myers for a month, and has spare bedrooms. I’m very tempted. This will be my third year in a row that we’ve gone to WDW… two years ago it was cold and wet (50s) and warmer in Wisconsin (what’s that all about?). Thanks for reading.
P.S. Way awesome job on the 9:31 at IMFL! Wow!