Today’s long run was a little painful and has left me wiped tonight!
However, I can’t decide if my 3+ hour run was more painful or the 10 minute ice bath afterward!?!?
What I don’t do for my obsession! 😉
Distance: 21 miles
Time: 3:10
One of my goals today was to not stop at all—not even at a stoplight. I really wanted to be running the entire time, but sadly a couple unexpected things happened:
1. I had to change my shoes.
The shoes I started out in definitely have more than 500 miles on, and my hips and knees started hurting after about an hour and forty-five minutes, so I turned around a headed home to put on a different pair.
I do have a newer pair of running shoes, but they are a little too small in the toe box. The newest pair are Mizuno Inspire 7s, and I’ve found Mizunos tends to run a half size too small. They fit fine in the store, but when my feet start to swell during my run, my toes rub against the end of the toe box, so I have avoided using them on my long runs. I have been using them during the week on shorter runs though.
2. I got dizzy and lightheaded.
After 2 hours and 15 minutes I started to feel light headed and dizzy, so I took a gel shot. However, it usually takes 10-15 minutes to kick in, so I had to stop and walk a little since I did not feel well. I only stopped for a couple of minutes and waited until the calories kicked in. After that I felt better.
I definitely struggled more through this long run than I did two weeks ago when I ran 20 miles. I’m not entirely sure why, but I do think it was due to poor fueling beforehand:
1. I don’t think I ate as much for breakfast as I usually do.
I had half of a bagel with peanut butter, half of a banana, and a muffin. That might seem like a lot for most people, but I think it was only about 400 calories, when I usually have about 500 calories. I also think I waited too long to start running after eating.
2. I didn’t have much to eat for dinner last night.
I had a large snack around 4 p.m. yesterday because I was super hungry, so when dinner time rolled around, I wasn’t hungry (obviously). I also never really got hungry the rest of the night, so I didn’t have much the rest of the night. I did have a Think Thin bar around 8 p.m. because I knew I would need something for the morning, but that probably wasn’t enough.
I tried this Think Thin protein bar based off your recommendations in this post.
While I was optimistic I would like it, I wasn’t all that impressed. It was good (for a protein bar), but I thought it was pretty “chalky.” Maybe it was the $1.70 I had to pay for it that left a bad taste in my mouth. Needless to say, I won’t be picking up any more of these anytime soon.
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Craig biked with me for the second half of my run today. 🙂
Our route took us to the Lake Hood airport where float planes take-off and land on the water.
We also enjoyed beautiful views of the mountains.
All those cars are from people who have parked their vehicle here for the weekend while they fly their plane to remote parts of Alaska.
Here’s a plane coming in for a landing. . . .
on a gravel run-way!
Even though it looks like it is 7 p.m. outside, it is actually after 10:00 and time for me to go to bed because I am wiped from my run!
Wow – 21 miles, good for you. I’m running a half today – your distance totally blows mine out of the water 🙂
Think Protein – I agree….good but over priced. They are only good when you can buy them at Costco in bulk.
Wow awesome job for that 21 miles seriously. The pictures are adorable. I could not imagine going to bed when it was that bright outside holy moly.
Yeah, it is hard, and I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it!
You win some and you lose some.
Most definitely. I am just glad it was a training run this time!
21 miles, wow! Even though it was tough, you finished it! 🙂 also what a neat place to run in 🙂
good job on your run! 20ish mile runs are always up or down, but at least you made it through!
Perhaps random… but I reading yesterday about how we push our bodies to the max and endure pain for the euphoria of the end result. Running long distances, climbing mountains, and even giving birth naturally… I really admire that you stick to it and set high goals for yourself. You go girl!
Thanks!
There are times when I don’t think I could go further, but it is amazing what your body is truly capable of. When I had an hour left to run yesterday, I was ready to be done, but somehow you just keep pushing yourself until the end!
Great run!!! I hear you though, it’s SO hard to predict the way your body will respond during runs. Sometimes I feel great but end up having a crappy run; sometimes I am really tired and end up having the best run of my life. You never know! But I think you did great!!! Keep it up!!
i’ve found that after a successful 20 miler, i tend to throw out all my understanding about preparation the next time around. i start to be casual about the long runs…until i do another one. under prepared. then i’m snapped back to reality. it just takes one bad run to remind me how important fueling is.
good work on still finishing the 21 miles! and the ice bath too 🙂
Yay on yogurtland (which seems just like pinkberry). I am amazed that you have the courage for the icebath. I really need them but don’t have it in me…
Awwww Michelle! As a up and coming Alaskan (since most visitors don’t ever escape) you forgot to mention that Lake Hood is the world’s busiest seaplane base airport in the world;)
good job on your run!
the world’s and in the world ahh I crack myself up
I did not know that–thanks for sharing!
The good thing about training runs is that you can practice what shoe, fuel, etc combinations work best for you so that you can kill it on race day. And I’m glad you took a walk when you felt lightheaded!
Lake Hood is quickly becoming my all time favorite place to run in the morning, so I’m glad you checked it out!
It is a great place to run! I do like it a little better when it is quiet and there aren’t a lot of planes taking off and landing–some of them can be really noisy!