9/27 Long Run

18.88 in 3:02:09 (9:37/mile)

Got on the road at about 6:10. A nice comfortable 53 degrees, nice and clear.

My first real 'long' run (i.e. over 3 hours), at least by official standards. I certainly thing the 16 milers were long enough. :)

The plan was to run 18, but I forgot the run 'around the block' was 6.18 miles not 6. Hey, that mileage adds up. :)

First lap was pretty slow at 1:00:24. If the rest of the run was going to suck as bad as the first lap did, the next two were going to be pretty miserable. Fortunately, I took a GU at the regularly scheduled interval (45 min/mile 5) and it kicked in just as I was crossing over the start point for the next lap.

Not a lot of traffic this lap, but a couple was out walking their German Shepherd? puppies. A nice visual break. The lake was dead calm again, and the sunrise was fun. The Bikini Baristas (what is the deal with that, anyway...?) near Lowes weren't in that I noticed. Slackers. :)

Second lap was much better even when you consider I added another .34 miles running to the house (for water bottle refills and a pit stop) and back to the 'main line'. Did this lap in 58:05. The lake was starting to get wavy, and traffic picked up. Saw the people walking their Shepherds again. Same puppies? Just a long walk? Bikini Baristas were in, and McDonalds was cooking something that smelled like cinnamon. Broke land speed records getting into the house and making the pit stop. Fortunately Toby cooperated and didn't bark and scare the crap out of everyone.

Third Lap was done in 58:51. Lake looked like it does normally, waves and all.

After running just under 19 miles, I can say without hesitation. I am really glad I played with the schedule to get some long runs in and not just one 18 miler. I could have done another 2 or 3 miles at the pace I was running no problem. 6 more would have been a disaster. Well, maybe not, but I would probably have had to walk. :)

Val thought I looked better coming back in from this run than I did after the 16 miler. Which is, I suppose, a good sign that this progression thing works. Or, as Val thinks, that I upped the mileage to the 16 too early. Which is also probably true. :)

And keeping with the 'no rest for the wicked after a long run' policy, we went to the zoo with Little Miss after breakfast and a shower.