11 Miles...I think I'm nuts.

Friday night I ran my 11 mile run! I’m still amazed at how I’m able to do this. I know you have heard me say this before, but I never thought I would ever be a runner. Let alone a long distance runner. It’s funny and almost scary how things change.

So, about the run. Well, the first 2.75 miles were uneventful. The only thing that was on my mind was I should have worn my long sleeve shirt. It was 63 and a little breezy, so I was a tad cold. But just under the 3 mile mark, something happened. I couldn’t believe that it happened, but it did. A bird crapped on my head!

Luckily, I was wearing a hat, but moments before I had taken the hat off to adjust it. I had just put it back on my head when I felt some thing hit the bill of the hat. Curious as to what hit my hat (really thinking it was a bug or something), I took off my hat to check it out. Sure enough, there it was. Bird Crap!

Well, at least it didn’t hit my face while I had my hat off. It really wasn’t a big deal and it didn’t affect my run, so I continued on.

For the next several miles, it was pretty peaceful. Nothing really exciting happened, it was just me running and enjoying being out there. That was until I realize that I had to use the restroom. Even though I went before leaving the house, I had this feeling that I really had to go.

Thankfully, I was only about a half mile from Port-a-Potty that is located on the trail that I run. So, I made a quick stop and continued on. However, the sensation of needing to go started right back up a mile or so down the road. I told myself I need to make it home, because I’m not turning around.

After a few minutes, I was started debating about jumping behind a tree or brush. Although the sensation was there, it really wasn’t getting stronger, just really annoying and it made me think about it. Then, out of nowhere, it dawned on me. My water belt felt a little tight, too. As soon as I loosened the belt, the sensation went away and I was back to running free of that thought.

As I passed the 9.5 mile mark, things started to break down. Twice I started walking without thinking, “I think I’m going to walk now.” I didn’t make it more than a few strides before I was yelling at myself to keep going. Then at the 10 mile mark, I actually started walking. But not 20 seconds after I started walking, I asked myself why I was walking. I was so close the end; I knew I could make it a little more. So, I started running again.

Then it happened the first time. There was twinge was in my left calf muscle. Not a cramp, but one of the pre-cramp twinges that you get right before a leg cramp.

I started praying.

Side Note: Every time before I start my run, I say a prayer. I pray that the Lord keeps me safe, from injury, animals, cars, etc. I also ask that he gives me the strength and motivation to keep going.

So, after the twinge, I asked him to help me make it the last half mile. I started praying the Our Father and the Hail Mary over and over. I got the second twinge about 1/5 of a mile from the finish. It was a little bigger, but I still just kept running, praying that it would not cramp up until the end. Thankfully, it didn’t cramp up at all.

I finished in 2 hours and 20 minutes. After my cool down, I stretched out and took an ice bath followed by a nice warm shower.

However, I did realize I had let myself become dehydrated. Because it was really cool out (and the episode with the water belt) I didn’t drink as much as I should. Which is what I think did me in. When I did start thinking about the need to drink more water around mile 8, it was probably too late.

Lesson learned: Stay Hydrated!

9.5 - WOW!!!

On Labor Day, I ran 9.5 miles. It was a beautiful morning and I prayed that I would have a good run.

The night before, I thought about how I was going to run the entire 9.5 miles. When I ran the 8 miles two weeks ago, I had to start run/walking after 4 miles into the run. I had decided to run 1 mile, then walk for a minute and repeat throughout the run.

But when I started warming up, I decided to run 3 miles and then see how I felt. If I felt okay, I would continue running. If something seemed off, as was the case two weeks before, I would walk a couple minutes and go from there.

It was a perfect morning. The sun was still under the horizon, but there was enough light that I didn’t have to run in the dark. About a mile into my run I saw two groups of deer, one group of 4 and another group of 3. About half mile past that, I saw two more pair of deer run across the path in front of me.

At the 3 mile mark, I was feeling pretty good. So, I had some goo and kept running. The next 3.5 miles was run near a lake. The trail goes in and out of a wooded area. At this point the sun was starting to rise over the horizon. Sounds of bugs gave way to sounds of birds, ducks and geese.

About 4 miles into the run I saw a group of wild turkey cross about 100 yards in front of my path. I was hoping to get a close up view, but they saw me and went off into the woods. Between Mile 4 and 5 I saw some ducks fly over head, about 6 more deer and another group of turkey, including some baby turkeys. Seeing all the animals really took my mind off the running.

As I approached the 6.5 mile mark I was still feeling good. Not as strong as I was at the 3 mile mark, but far from feeling the need to walk. I had some more goo and kept running. Things were feeling good and before I knew it I was at the 7.5 mile mark. I remember looking up and seeing where I normally turn around on my 3 mile runs and thinking to myself, “If I can make it there, I’m home free!”

When I got to the 8 mile mark is when things started to get tough. I don’t know if it was subconscious or if I really started to break down. I wouldn’t call it hitting the wall, I just felt I was getting close to it. So, I started picking an object about a quarter of a mile away and telling myself, “If I can make it there, I can go another quarter mile.”

That got me almost to the end. With only two tenths of a mile to go, I almost broke down. I just put my head down and started chanting, “One more step, one more step.” That last little bit felt like it took longer then the previous mile, but I finished running.

It feels really great to have completed the 9.5 miles non-stop. It has renewed my confidence and told me I can run the Half-Marathon!!!