20 miler...

Saturday was my biggest challenge...finish a 20 miler. This was the deciding factor in my training. If I could finish 20 miles with no pain then I could finish the entire marathon on June 6th...all 26.2 miles!!

The course was new to me but not my team. They have been subjected to this route during several previous long workouts...however, I was out of town!
Anyway, we walked as a team for the first 3 miles as a warm up. Then I completed the next 17 miles alone, with my iTunes. Thank you Angie for putting 7 hours of pump up music together for days such as this one.

The hills were difficult and the humidity made breathing a challenge, but the worst thing was not having water at our preset water stop. Apparently someone stole it! Can you believe it? Who would steal our water? So after completing 11.5 miles I carried a bottle of water for the duration of the workout!

My right knee, the one with tendinitis, did not bother me. However, my left knee felt pressure going down Deer Avenue (the dreaded hill). Each 4.25 mile loop made it worse but not to the point of pain, thank goodness! The blisters, ah the blisters, they appeared during the final 4.25 mile loop. It felt like my skin was tearing from the sole of my left foot. When I finally finished the 20 miler I was afraid to remove my socks. Fortunately, no tears! And Coach VV provided a bucket for a foot ice bath....not to mention mimosas, watermelon, and salty snacks!!!

Below is a photo of me, Angie, and Coach VV. We are soaking our feet in the ice water..but you can't see the proof.



We had lunch as a TEAM at the East Shore Cafe in Daphne. It was hard to walk after that and the drive home was exhausting. I even called my mom just so I could stay awake on the Bay Bridge. My final stop before heading home was to purchase ice for my ice bath. 30 pounds...30 pounds!!!
So I took my ice bath, showered, and took a nap...the shortest nap of my entire training, only one hour!
Sunday morning I slept in til 10:30...I haven't done that in a VERY, VERY long time! Then I went to my 1 hour massage...highly recommended after such a demanding workout!

This Saturday...only 12 miles...ONLY 12! It is funny that only 12 miles seems so little after completing 20 miles. I am tapering for the big event...only 17 days away!!! Butterflies in my stomach...already!