Tuesday, April 13th 2010: 4 miles @ 9:47 per mile pace. I went to a moderate hill in the neighborhood and ran up and down it ten times. Incidentally, the level of fun seemed to take a gradual decline each time I started the hill again.
Wednesday, April 14th 2010: Big Mac Combo. Sweet mother of all things holy, Big Macs are so good.
Thursday, April 15th 2010: 20 miles @ 11:21 per mile pace. Due to some work changes, I did my longest pre-marathon training run on Thursday. For you locals, I started at the Chevron in LaVerkin, ran to the private Sky Mountain Airport, then back.
I stocked the course every three miles with some snacks to keep me going. Notice the colorful cornucopia of high fructose corn syrup, raisins, pretzels, and a banana. It didn't take long to realize that my stomach would not appreciate anything in this kaleidoscope of sugar.
The major problem of the run was that I started in the afternoon when the temperature was 84 degrees. Very, VERY dumb idea. I ought to be shot. By the third mile I was already starting to feel overheated. By the time I reached the half-way point at the airport I was fried. My body felt like a Big Mac sitting on a grill. I felt yucky. My legs were tired. My stomach felt gross.
The last half of the run was a challenge. I felt like I was melting. By mile 14 my stomach was feeling really bad. I felt like if I had one more sip of warm Sour Melon Powerade I was going to puke my guts out. Fortunately my mother-in-law's house was around mile 15 so I stopped and filled my bottle with ice water. It was a Godsend. Otherwise I have no doubt that I would have launched. But I wasn't sure it had prevented my head from igniting.
The last five miles were really hard but I was still able to do some bursts of running with the walking. I was so thankful to get back to my car, but my stomach felt even worse. I drove home with a grocery sack on my lap because I was sure I was going to puke. An hour after I got home we had dinner but I didn't eat much because I was so nauseous. I even turned down homemade Oreo ice cream cake because my stomach felt disgusting. I desperately didn't want to see fluorescent green sour melon shooting out of my mouth.
I bought myself a reward for the run: a tub of cookie dough. Lest you be confused, the cookie dough was never intended to last long enough to actually make cookies.
Friday, April 16th 2010: Rest.
Saturday, April 17th 2010: 6 miles @ 10:33 per mile pace. Darin & Shelley invited me and Mel to run the first section of the Hurricane Half Marathon. Those two are quick. Mel and I had fun running together. And there was no way I was going to bring Sour Melon Powerade with me. Just the thought makes me queasy.
You know what is so awesome? I have finally reached the taper before the Ogden Marathon in one month!!! Tapering your distance before a big race gives your body a chance to recover from training and get ready to haul.
I'm excited and nervous to run my second marathon next month. I have a few minor aches, but overall my body has bounced back from the injuries pretty well. We are running the Hurricane Half Marathon NEXT WEEK! I'm planning to have fun and not overdo it because I want to save some of my energy and strength for the Ogden Marathon. Happy tapering!!!
"It is a sublime thing to suffer and be stronger."
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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