Longest Run Ever! (Again).

My fall back week last week was just what I needed.  I was looking forward to my long run this week rather than dreading it.  I had my pre-run meal planned out, I'd checked the weather and knew I wouldn't need to get up super early because the forecast was calling for cool and overcast all day, I was all set!

I'd had another busy week work-wise, so I didn't bother setting an alarm, figuring my body would wake me up around 7am.  I got up at 8, a nice weekend sleep in for me!  After my bagel and peanut butter, I was ready to go.

Crap!  I knew I was forgetting something.  I hadn't done laundry and didn't have any clean running clothes.  I pulled out a new long sleeve because I thought it was cool enough and the least offensive sports bra from the laundry pile.

I was out the door at 9, around the block and back home.  It was cool, but I was going to overheat in the longsleeve as the day warmed up.  I shook out a tank and changed, thankful for once that I was running alone.  If I'd had a running partner yesterday, they would not have wanted to run next to me!

Then I was really off.  My town is not that big, so it's getting harder to do these longer runs without either running laps around one area, or doing a loop at the top of THE HILL and descending down THE HILL to do another loop and then return up.  I'd mapped out a rough route the night before, but was still trying to come up with ways of avoiding THE HILL, or at least the climb back up, as I ran.

After the quick change, the next 5K felt great.  The roads were quiet and aside from a friendly group of men out running and the odd car, I didn't see anyone until I got to the school yard where there were a pair of boys learning to unicycle!  Now that's something you don't see every day.

I kept going, and kept feeling good.  I ran 3K, walked a minute, then 2K, walked a minute, then 2K, and took an Espresso Hammer Gel.   I passed an unfriendly runner going the other way (no acknowledgement), and a few guys out picking up bottles and cans in the ditch.

I was going to do another 3K, 2K, 2K, but the big downhill came, so I just kept running, feeling strong.  I saved my next gel til 16K as I was going across a narrow bridge.  Usually by 16K, I'm starting to get pretty tired, but yesterday, I still felt great, I just needed to pee!  I knew where there was a porta potty and a water fountain to top up my water bottle, so my mantra for the next 2K was, "Please don't let it be too gross, please, please, please don't let it be too gross!" 

It stunk, but nothing that 2 years of dealing with squat toilets in Asia couldn't prepare me for.  I circled downtown and started to make my way back to THE HILL to head back up towards home.  I was at the 24 km mark, on what was supposed to be a 26km run.  I had two options, finish the run at the bottom of the hill by running another 2K and then walk home with a pretty awesome time, OR, run my butt up that hill, and finish at the top, with a shorter walk to home.

I figured if I'd run down the hill, it was only fair that I run back up it.  (Fair to whom?  to what?  I don't know, but this was my logic after 24K).  As I started the climb, I knew I couldn't make it.  When was the last time I did hill training?  I couldn't even remember.  I walked the kilometer to the top with my watch still going, then added an extra kilometer onto my run because my logic told me that was fair.

Total distance:  27km  (including a 1km walk up hill).

Time:  2:41:06

Afterwards, I tried my very first ice bath.  I added bubbles to try to make it more inviting.  I didn't last very long, but my legs feel pretty good today, so maybe it worked?

In the afternoon yesterday, the BF and I went to Prince George and into my favourite running store.  I got myself a fuel belt to try out and stocked up on Gu.  Then we went out for dinner at one of my favourite restaurants there.  Normally, I can't finish my plate, but it was not a problem last night!