On Saturday I ran a half marathon.
13 miles.
No race. No event. No cheering spectators. Just me and my Asics, two gel packs, some water and a few crackers to fill up my stomach.
I have to say, it was an awesome run. I added on two miles so I got to explore unchartered territory in the form of a neighborhood with old Craftsman homes. It was beautiful.
Toes grew numb, yes, but I kept going. I ran through the pain, as they say that you have to do. Eventually they quieted and only hurt again when I stopped.
There were no major issues with the run itself. I did well, in my regular time-no faster yet no slower.
The problem was when I ended.
The idea that I have to now increase that mileage is scaring me. I look ahead at my running plan for the next 12 weeks and see 16, 18 and 21 miles runs. How can I ever go that far?
I’ve only gone as far as 13 miles. A half marathon. How will I increase that?
I took an echinacea when I got back, after eating lunch. My kids are sick; I wanted to prevent that, as i know that as you train and increase in mileage you are much more likely to get sick than when you are running shorter distances.
Ten minutes later I threw it up.
My suggestion: Don’t take supplements when running long distances. They just don’t mix!
luckily the crackers on the run, the two gel packs and the half piece of bread beforehand helped to squelch my blood sugar from dropping. I felt fine after the run and didn’t have to sit down, eyes half closed, wondering if i was going to make it another minute.
But I just don’t know if I can do 26 miles.
How is that possible?
It is, I know it is. I read the stories. I’m training. each week I increase, I get stronger, and yet the idea of running 26 miles is starting to scare the crap out of me.
Next week, on Saturday, I run 15.
Will I make it? I’ll report back and let you know. In the meantime I will concentrate on taking one step at a time. Tomorrow’s run is just 45 minutes. This sounds so little now that my long runs take over 2 hours.
And I will do as my daughter’s Christmas song says and, “Just put one foot in front of the other, and soon you’ll be walking across the floor . . .”