Sunday's 20 miler went pretty well. I did some major carb loading on Saturday, which may have shocked our Italian guest. I made waffles for breakfast and ate about 4.5. She was IMing with her mom and told her mom that I was feeding her well, which was nice b/c they always feed us so well when we're in Italy. Then we went out for pizza for lunch -- fairly good, but the place isn't as good as it once was. I think they're Americanizing their style, which is a bummer. We have a couple good authentic Italian places within a mile or two of our house, and this always counted as one but may have to go off the list, despite the fact the pizza guy and owner is Italian. The place we went Thurs night is actually owned by Moroccans but they lived in Italy for over 20 years before coming here, and we think their pizza is more authentic than the place we went on Sat, though I wouldn't have said that a couple years ago. Anyway, after pizza lunch and some time visiting with our neighbor, who is finally back in town, we relaxed and watched a movie -- Time Traveler's Wife (not as good as the book, but still good). Then dinner was more carbs -- hubby was carbed out, so we didn't eat the same thing, which meant I got to enjoy macaroni and cheese for dinner! I love it, but he hates it (at least he hates the boxed kind; he does like homemade), so I usually just eat it for lunch on the weekends if he's not around. Having it for dinner when we're both home is rare. I also ate one steamed zucchini with the macaroni, which is unusual for me. I try to avoid veggies for at least 12 hours before the run. I also avoid protein and dairy and fruit for the most part -- there's just to much risk of having an upset stomach over the course of 20 miles. My pre-long long run dinner is usually pasta in red sauce with a piece of garlic bread, and if I'm just dying for it, sometimes a small amount of spinach or green beans on the side.
But the carb-fest worked! We started at 5 a.m. on Sunday, ran an easy 3 miles, then met up with the rest of the group and ran another 17. By the time we were at about 13.5 (the rest of the group at 10.5), we realized the course was about 2 miles short. I've run with this program for years and it's been short before, but never by more than half a mile. This was crazy. The course wasn't exactly an out and back. We ran to the trail the long way (about a mile), down the trail, through downtown, up to the main hill street for a short little loop, then back through downtown on a different street, back up the trail, and then back to the start the short way (about .5 miles). We realized how short we were when we got back on the trail. Since it's the trail right by my house, I said I could come up with a little loop to add 2 miles. We got to the water stop very close to my house, turned off the trail and ran down a lovely little side street for about a mile, then got back on the trail and ran north again back to the water stop, then finished up the route as planned. The only bad part about our detour was the stairs to get back on the trail. It's a new trail entrance, so I've never taken it. I knew there were some steps, but I guessed about 8, maybe 12 at worst. Surprise! It was two flights. Not a big deal normally, but the very last thing you want to see after running about 17 miles and knowing you have 3 to go. Pretty much everyone in our group was great and able to easily get up the first half of the first flight, then it got slower and considerably more painful and difficult. Good thing there were railings!
We finished the run strong, or at least a few of us did. It was a tough, hot morning and lots of the group struggled. I finished the last 6 miles or so with Fred again. We discussed something we'd apparently both noticed last week -- we have the exact same cadence. Step for step, I can't tell if the sound is his feet hitting or my own. Even when we realize we're going too fast and decide to slow down, we still step at the exact same cadence. Even when accellerating to get across an intersection, exact same cadence. I told him that if hubby and I win the lottery in the next few weeks, we're going to fly Fred to MTCM to run alongside me for the last 16 miles or so, it's just so comforting to be in step with someone. I think it might be because Fred was/is a Marine and like my husband, easily falls in step with others from lots of training and marching. Anyway, he's going to run Marine Corps and it will be his first marathon. When we ran up the final hill in our 20 miler I told him to visualize the hill at the end of Marine Corps, since it's similar in steepness and in the fact that both have a turn at the top.
After the run I stretched a bit and went to meet friends for breakfast. We had so much fun. "Double D," his nickname, wasn't able to come meet me for the final part of my run b/c he's been sick pretty much since he got to Dallas. Unfortunately, his fiancee also tripped over some luggage one night and split the bridge of her nose open -- oh, I felt so sad for her, esp to have that happen right before her bridal shower. Nothing like 2 black eyes and a big open cut to make for some lovely photos. Luckily for her, she's still beautiful and has a good attitude.
I spent the day relaxing at home first, then at our neighbor's house. Then went to the running team party last night, where I tried to remain seated as much as possible.
This morning the first few steps were insanely painful again -- plantar's seems to be worse than ever -- but it loosened up as I got going. I went to boot camp but didn't really run. I jogged about a quarter mile and walked the rest, then called my neighbor when I got home from camp and she and I went to the trail and walked a mile there. By the time I got home, my feet felt great.
I wonder if the plantars is just so painful that I don't notice normal 20 mile soreness, or if I'm just not sore, but my normal tight spots feel great, despite the fact that I went straight to breakfast yesterday and never took an ice bath. Normally I'd feel a really long run in my quads a bit, and sometimes my back or glutes, but all those areas seem to be completely pain-free! I've been good about core work, so no back pain is no surprise. And I stretched and drank my recovery drink promptly, but I feel like I always do that and I still usually have some quad soreness. This year it's just all-plantars-all-the-time!
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