20 Miles

I got 20 miles in with Stephanie's group this morning. It was hard!

We started out with a group of 7 - Stephanie, Shelley, Laurie, Miranda, Randy, John, and me. The course we ran was new to me and the pace was a bit faster than last Saturday's 18-miler. As much as possible, I just tried to enjoy it.

We started early (5:30) to try to avoid the heat but the humidity was high (+80%). Shelley broke from the group early to go a shorter distance. Stephanie graciously put a cooler of water and Gatorade out on the trail for us before we started this morning. I started slipping off the pace around 13 - 14 miles but was determined to stay with the group ... as long as possible. I know my tendency of really dropping off the pace once the group has dropped me! I was able to work my way back to the group while they were stopped for a water break at the Sabine Bridge. On the way back to the park I tried to keep up along the bayou but by the time the path went under the freeway, I was behind. I told Stephanie in advance not to come back for me this week .... I knew my way back and felt fine (slight exaggeration!). But before the Waugh Bridge, I caught the group as they were walking ... unscheduled so this couldn't be good. It wasn't. Stephanie was having a serious problem with her left shin ... maybe shin splints, maybe something else. She said she'd walk it in to prevent further injury. It didn't seem right to leave her behind to walk the last few miles but she insisted she'd be fine. So we pressed on. Again I was fighting to stay with the group. Sometimes I was better than others. When they got out of reach, a water stop would come up and I would retake them, take a shorter water break then go out with them for the next leg. By the time we hit Memorial Park, they had stretched out a lead that I wasn't going to close (but I could still see them!). I wasn't sure what their plan was as they were scheduled for 21 miles and I was scheduled for 20. I was still a couple miles short so I turned right at the loop. The group had gone left ahead of me. I went about half way around until my mileage was right passing group along the way. I took an extended water break before the last mile then tried to push it to the finish. I passed Randy, John, and Laurie breaking for water and they ran the rest of the way in with me.

It was a very hard run. It's still difficult for me to imagine tacking on another 6+ miles to today's run but I keep telling myself that's why I'm training. I've got two more 20-milers before the marathon. The pace is supposed to be a little faster for each one so I hope to get a better feel for the distance and break through the physical and mental barriers.