Finally this past weekend it was time to do another 20 miler. Last time I felt like I was really amped up the night before and the night before this 20 miler I just was pretty mellow and was hanging out at my house. I ate a lot of carbs and went to bed at 9:00. It felt amazing to say the least but when my alarm went off at 5:30 I was still wanted to stay snuggled in my bed. Sometimes the hardest part of the long run is getting up super early. I packed up my little backpack with my sharkies and fuel belt and headed down to Newport Beach to run along the beach path. I had to go really early in the morning because it’s been SO hot here lately. Once I parked I went right off to get in the miles.
I gave myself little things to look forward to throughout the run. I got to eat some sharkies at mile 6 and I drank water every mile as well. It was an out and back route. I find that if I run by myself and go 10 miles out, once I turn around I have a little pep in my step because I tell myself “I just have to get back to my car!” As I got to the 10 mile turn-around, it was already really hot and I made sure to drink a lot of water throughout my run. Though I was getting tired, I knew I just had to make it ‘back to the car!’ Finally I got to the upper mileage and kept telling myself 6 more miles, 5 more miles, 4 more miles, then I only had a 5k left!
Finally I made it back to the car, with more awkward tan lines and a rumbling stomach. On my way home I could literally feel my muscles tightening. It seemed that I couldn’t get into the icebath soon enough! I grabbed a bag of ice at the market and hopped in the icebath to freeze for ten minutes. Seriously, icebaths are a weird miracle thing that make you feel 100 times better. After the icebath I really thought about how I fueled and the miles that I put in. For the lack of miles I’ve been getting in during the week, I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to get in another 20 miler. With Camarillo quickly approaching, I know that these last miles in my training is important and I have to keep up my consistency.
It’s easy for me to get really tired and overwhelmed with training, and lose focus on what I’m training for, but right now I have about a month to go and I really have to keep up with training and finish strong.
41 days!
xoxo
21 Comments so far
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nice job on the 20 girlie! wow your marathon is sneaking up quick!
By aron on 08.23.10 10:14 am
I totally agree – ice baths are magically amazing. Even after a 10 miler I tend to get sore legs by the end of the day, but a quick ice bath right after my run and I am pain free like I never went running at all!
By Sara on 08.23.10 10:22 am
Wow! Way to bust out your miles! I can’t imagine running 20 miles. I’m definitely going to rocking the ice bath after my next half, I couldn’t move the day after the other two I ran, not even doing yoga afterwards helped.
By Aj on 08.23.10 10:30 am
Great job girl!! And I’m totally jealous of that picture your put up on twitter of y’all with Michael Phelps! I was watching him swim all weekend on TV!!
By Niki @ Niki's Neverending Adventure on 08.23.10 12:34 pm
Well done with the XX mile run. I also had one this past weekend, and also had to dodge hot weather, so I know how you felt.
I’m always surprised to learn that people like out/backs, I prefer to run in a huge circle than an out/back…but then again I’m not running on the beach now am I?
By Spike on 08.23.10 1:43 pm
Congrats on the 20 miler! I often do an out and back route too for longer runs. For me to do a big loop seems so much longer. Using your car is a great motivator to keep going ;)
By Bekah @ runtrackmind on 08.23.10 1:46 pm
Great job on the 20 miles…I’m a fan of the icebath too…well, not the ice bath itself but its results.
By abbi on 08.23.10 4:35 pm
yay running! great job on the 20 d!!! :)
By Nicole on 08.23.10 6:56 pm
Congrats on the 20! Just curious, how many 20+ mile runs do you plan to do before the race? My training plan has me doing 5 but many people I talk to only do 2…
By Keri on 08.24.10 4:51 am
nice job on the run! I love an out and back for long runs. It helps me just split the run into two halves. Not as overwhelming then.
By kristina@goodnweirdr on 08.24.10 6:02 am
Solid run yo!
By Janna (Janna's Keeping it Real) on 08.24.10 6:49 am
Way to go Danica! I struggled with hot and humid runs on a family trip to GA this past weekend and it was really difficult! I’m with you on the ice baths after long runs. I like to jump in the ocean right at the end, and then hit the tub at home! Race day cometh! :-)
By Vera on 08.24.10 8:43 am
Sounds exactly like my 20 miler last weekend. Uneventful long runs are such a blessing!
By Olivia @ Blissful Runner on 08.24.10 10:53 am
Way to get those mile done! I suck at getting in anything over 15-miles alone.
Well done!!
By Ron on 08.24.10 3:17 pm
I dont think I can handle an ice bath, bbrrr!
By Heather on 08.24.10 7:28 pm
Woohoo! No matter what, a 20 miler will always be an AMAZING achievement. You’re going to rock those marathons!!!
By Jenny@ The Healthy Teenager, a teenager with a healthy (and academic) twist on life :) on 08.25.10 12:02 am
Hey 20 miles! You got nothin’ on D-train!
By Page on 08.25.10 8:07 am
YAY for 20! That is awesome….you will be my motivation for this weekend’s 12 miler :)
By rachel on 08.25.10 1:08 pm
Way to go! It’s hard enough to run a 20 mile training run but to do it by yourself! That’s just fantastic!
By Renae on 08.25.10 3:33 pm
Hey Danica, I’m pretty new to running (got my first Half coming up in October) so I’m wondering if you would write a “How To” about icebaths? When/how often/how soon after the run/how long for/how much ice/do you have a hot bath after/ and of course, how to be brave enough to get in!
Thanks!
By Helen on 08.27.10 3:02 pm
Great job on your 20 and so excited I get to join you for the next one!
Also, I’m *always* starving on my long runs.
By Marathon Maritza on 08.31.10 4:26 pm
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