12.5?

i got out of my event really early, with plenty of time to get my run in but i didn't feel very good all. i came home and took a nap and felt a little better. i was not motivated to run all day but i knew i really needed to. i headed out the door feeling good that i was making myself run, but not really wanting to. i thought i was giving myself plenty of time, even though i did have to finish watching the first half of an nfl game. so i started running a little after 5pm thinking the run would take about 2.5 hours. it started raining just before i took off for the run, i was hoping there wouldn't be any thunder and lightening. it never did storm but it rained off and on. my left calf was really tight until mile 4 when it stopped hurting. i slowed this run down and really felt like i was at a good pace. at mile 5 i took a short walk break to get some energy chews. at mile 9 i got a few more energy chews and i was feeling really good. then it all went sour. at mile 11 it was getting dark and started raining harder and i thought about stopping. i just didn't want to run any more. i finally stopped at 12.5 miles. it took me 2:22.44 to complete it.

there are a few things that i was doing last year that i haven't been doing this year that i think are making this year a little harder. 1. i'm not going elk hunting, so that motivation is down a little, even though i still have the marathon to prepare for. 2. i do not have a good energy supplement that to use. last year, i was taking gels about every 4.5 miles and really felt like they helped me. i now get sick when i even think about taking a gel, that happened about 4 weeks before the marathon last year. i have tried blocks and sports beans but they don't go down near as easily. i think i have to figure this out before too long. 3. i have not been stretching any after my runs. last year that was the first thing i did after every run. i don't have a really good place to lay out and stretch in the new living quarters. i haven't been doing any yoga either.

i do think i am a little ahead of my training last year, in my schedule i still have a 14 mile run, two 16 mile runs, an 18 miler and two 20 mile runs. there are also 2 rest weeks and 2 tapering weeks (i think that is right). as far as mileage goes, i still have plenty of time to get my longest runs in, i will just have to do many of the runs in the dark, at least parts of them.

since i was so sore for the last 2 runs, i decided to skip today's run and start back on wednesday.

thought of the day: 2 days of rest and then the old shane is back, finishing long runs and staying motivated. look out!