Lesson Learned

Yesterday was the big day: 12 miles. For some reason, I had been looking forward to that day for a 3 months. Possibly because I never thought I would be able to make it that far and possibly because that is where the training calendar ends. (See, the TNT people are sneaky because when you sign up, they only give you half the training calendar. I suppose they don't really want you to see that the 16, 18, 20 milers are expected, especially when you are brand new!)

After my tremendous performance last week, I was really anticipating this milestone, especially because, until now, things have been moving along smoothly. Don't get me wrong, this is tough work and there is some soreness and fatigue involved. But, as long as my mind and body cooperate the way that they have, I am doing alright.

So now we are getting serious. 76 days left before Paris. Many long runs yet to get under my belt. Experienced runners have encouraged me to start experimenting with different clothing options, nutrition, and hydration techniques, to find out what will work best for me on the long run. The idea is to fine-tune all of these areas so that nothing is left to chance on race day.

Just last week, I tried out some new socks that I thought were going to excellent. While they were all they were touted to be, they were also 1/4 inch too short for the back of my shoes. Needless to say, I won't be wearing those fancy socks on race day. Same thing with the strap of one particular sports bra. So, it is a work in progress. Find the things that work and stick with them.

I certainly wished I had followed my own advice for the 12 miler. I got this brainy idea that since I had run out of steam at mile 9 last week (after having eaten 2 pieces of toast before the run), I would need more fuel to make it the full 12 miles. With that, I got up a couple of hours early and made myself a "breakfast of champions". From step one, I knew I was in trouble. Between an upset stomach and a body that felt like a ton of bricks, I deemed my breakfast experiment a catastrophic failure! I may have completed the 12 miles yesterday, but I confidently say that I have never had such a poor performance.

Seeing that I was in distress, my coach tried to coax me along the last 6 miles. She used that time to explain why the high-protein breakfast I had just consumed was so debilitating to my run and what some better options might be in the future. Needless to say, after clocking a miserable time (so bad that it can not be put in print) yesterday, I went straight to the running store and bought a book on sports nutrition. I read the entire book yesterday and can clearly see the error of my ways :/

All I can do is chalk it up to experience and make sure I learned my lesson. On a bright note, I noticed that miles 9 and 10 were not an issue as they had been last week. This week, mile 12 was the one that gave me hell. I suppose I see a pattern with that too. Oh well, I am living and learning!

Because we have done two back-to-back long runs, we get a break next weekend and only have to run an 8 miler. Do you know how easy that will be? I can hardly wait. It will feel like a week off!

Until next time,
Lisa