Veterans Marathon Training: Week 13

The skin is missing on at least two of my toes and there are blisters on several others. I have open sores on my hip (medial, left iliac crest). I had to dig out the Desitin from Miles' baby basket but only after swallowing my pride and asking Mark if I needed it.

Even in the aftermath of Sunday's long run, I'm not sure whether my body or my pride sustained worse wounds from the difficult outing.

I've been running with a group lately for long runs and the plan was 12 miles at 7:30 a.m. Knowing I should get in 20 but at least 18 or 19, I drove to the meeting spot an hour early to get in 6 miles. Those early miles were dark and calm. While the rain fell, it didn't feel drowning. I reminded myself to start slow, slower than I'd like, to bank energy not time and so I could keep up with my speedier friends.

The sky was beginning to pick up some color when I returned to my car to switch out water bottles and eat a Bonk Breaker bite. I didn't see anyone outside so I checked my phone to see if the run was still on. In my head, I joked to myself that if they had canceled, I'd call it a day and drop down to the half at Veterans.

Funny joke, eh?

We were just a bit delayed starting but soon enough we were off. We headed out to a new-to-me section of trail and the first 6 miles with everyone seemed OK. I was managing to keep up (at a pace that shouldn't have been a problem), chatting and enjoying the new scenery. It was fun and I was thankful to have crashed the running group in time to get much needed support for the marathon.

Come the turnaround, though, the wheels came off. My Nuun tasted like soap. I could feel the blisters forming from the steady rain/wet conditions. I began to feel tired. And, worst of all, I checked out mentally. I started to take walk breaks in mile 15. At mile 16, I had myself dropping down for real. I dreamed of having a phone to call Mark to pick me up.

But the thing with running with a group - a good group - is that they don't let you do that. No matter how much I slowed, they stuck with me. Sometimes they would slow to my pace or get to a point and walk until I caught up. They encouraged me to stretch, walk backwards (works oddly enough) and to keep going. I felt guilty and unworthy but stingy, as well, taking all the support I could.

Even when I stopped at mile 17 and was ready to walk slowly back, they turned around to get me. I was certain my legs wouldn't move any faster but I was able to pick it up to a jog, and  I restarted my watch to hit 17.5.

Not quite the 20 miler I had hoped for.

I did some sulking and soaking at home but was inspired by the support of my new pals. I didn't want to quit something I had started - that day or 13 weeks ago. I was going to hit 20 miles that day. I waited for the rain to break and went out for another 2.75 miles. The run felt surprisingly good, and I felt renewed with each step.

I don't know how Veterans will go or how my body will perform but, as an encouraging commenter wrote on Daily Mile, I can remember those rainy, painful 17.5 miles and the people who believed in me. And the marathon might not feel so bad.

The week, in training:

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Piloxing (taught) + Ripped (taught)
Wednesday: 6.5-mile run
Thursday: 5-mile run + Ripped (taught)
Friday: 5-mile bike ride + PT exercises
Saturday: 3.5-mile run + Ripped (taught)
Sunday: 17.5-mile run + 2.75-mile run