SWEET 16!

Miles, that is!

Yesterday I completed my first 16 mile training run. For some reason this run did not psych me out mentally. Now 18 and 20, those scare me, but 16 I was ready for. Or so I thought!!

See, normally my running buddy and I talk about where we are going to run and almost always we run into each other somewhere in town. Not literally of course. However, this week, the night before our run we scratched our big plan to venture out of our sleepy lil town to run in the big city. So, we each went to bed without a plan. Well, allbedamned if at 3.46 miles I didn’t look up and see my friend at the same intersection! So cool!!!!

After a brief discussion about how poorly I had calculated my intended distance, I foraged on towards 15^th Street. Now there is a portion of 15^th I don’t care for, due to lack of sidewalks and, well, for some reason about a mile or so just seems to feel like it takes forever. Nonetheless I continue on. I get to midtown (?), well, that is what I will call it anyway, and I notice they have the pavement marked every few feet or so. I look down and see a marking that says 26!! No way! That’s what I’m training for! I see 18 and 22 and there is 26 again and again! How cool is that! Okay, I know they aren’t really trying to prop me up for the insane adventure I have committed myself too, but nonetheless I smile every time I see it!

On and on I run. Or walk. Or run. Now due to the aforementioned miscalculation of distances, I’ve run from my house (we’ll say the Atlas Dog Park for those in the know) to 15^th Street to Sherman to 4^th(ish), stopping at a friend’s to potty (thanks friend) and back to my house. Guess what – big ole circle(ish) and only 12.5 miles!!! So I hop in the car and drive back to midtown and head out for 3.5 more.

I thought it was cheating to stop for 10-15 minutes while I relocated my car, I mean this will NOT be an option during the marathon! Well, not so much. My calves had a lot to say about restarting my run!! Ouch!

I wandered around, somewhat aimlessly, to finish my mileage.

At 14.77 I realized I had gone .77 more than ever before! Whoa! I’m tired.

Near the end of the run, I was bummed. Really, I had gone for hours and only found 6 pennies…

I arrived back at my car at 15.84… ugh!

Around the block I go… and what do I find??

Are you kidding me???

16 miles! 31 cents! Phenomenal!

It gets better!!!

You see. My running buddy. This is her 2^nd Marathon. Crazy. I know. She loves it.

She is a true inspiration! When I struggle, she fights. She encourages me to keep going. There is no sugar coating in marathon training. It’s hard. It’s painful. Keep going. You’ll survive.

I arrive back at her house. Alive. Having survived… this is what I’m greeted with…

Mimosa’s and jelly beans and everything I need to revive my very tired feet!! Foot soak and nail polish and the most amazing socks ever!! Oh, and of course a bucket and shovel. I just ran 16 miles. For the fun of it. I’m in no position to ask why I’m being given a bucket and shovel. I do, however, promise it will reappear on the beach, come summer. Probably filled with some fruity refreshing beverage.

What a fantastic day!

I hurt. I’ve taken an ice bath and for the first time since discovering such a torturous activity, it does not take away all my aches.

It seems as though this run last for two days.

You see, today I’m fondly aware of having pushed the boundaries!

My quads speak!

My calves speak!

All day long.

This evening, as I prepare to write this blog, I am bummed that I do not have a picture of the random support of strangers I saw along 15^th Street. So I call up my running buddy for a short walk. Armed with a flashlight (that we forgot) we head down the street. For blocks and blocks there are no markings. My friend asks me if I was sure that’s where I ran. Yes. Yes. I’m sure. And then we see a 25. A 30. 22. 25. 30. 10, I think. We’ve walked blocks and blocks. We’ve almost reached the point where I turned off the street. My friend eludes that I have actually gone crazy. That I was seeing something that didn’t exist.

There it was. In all its glory.

See it?!?!

I’m not crazy!

Well…