This Week's Long Run (was an epic fail)

Coach Christine Wanted: 17 miles with the last 7 at Marathon Race Pace
I Delivered: 17 miles with no miles at Marathon Race Pace

My pre-run portrait

Yesterday I set out for a more unusual long run. I was supposed to run the first 10 miles of my 17 miler at my usual slow long run pace and then pick up the pace for last 7 miles. I had never done a workout like that before but I kept telling myself that it would be ok, it was shorter than last week, I could do it. WRONG!

I decided to do a big loop that would take me across one bridge, then along the lake, then back across the JK Bridge and back to my house. I wasn't sure exactly how long it would be but I hoped I would only have to add a little at the end. I like running a loop so that the scenery is always changing and I don't go by anything twice. But after I crossed the first bridge I had to run through fields with really uneven footing and I was terrified that I was going to twist an ankle or step in a giant hole. I don't like that feeling, I much prefer pounding on the sidewalks which are at least flat and predictable.

Not even my new Boston Strong headband could help me

I hit 10 miles as I was heading down to the JK Bridge, ate a gel, and tried to slowly pick up the pace. Coach Christine had warned me not to start sprinting or doing anything crazy in that first mile but to gradually work up to race pace. So I wasn't too worried when the split for the first mile was 8:31 which is about 15 seconds slower than race pace. But then I started to feel like my legs weren't responding to the urgent messages from my brain telling them to run faster. The next mile was 8:33 and the one after that the same and I knew I was in deep trouble. I could not shift into a faster gear, I felt tired and sluggish and felt like I couldn't run any faster. It was very frustrating and I couldn't figure out how to get moving. I needed a bear to chase me or something at that point, it was that bad.

Then I slowed down even more and by mile 16 I think I just gave up. The splits for the last two miles were over 9 minutes and that's really not good. It's so far off from race pace, it makes me a feel like I'm delusional for thinking I can actually run that pace for 26 miles. This was only for 7 miles and I couldn't do it.

I finished in the middle of my hill and felt a mix of emotions. On the one hand I was proud of myself that I  had run 17 miles which is a huge accomplishment. Yeah! But on the other hand I didn't do what my coach had asked. Boo! And I didn't show that I could run at race pace on tired legs. Boo!

I sent a slightly panicked message to Coach Christine telling her what had happened and asking for her help. She is running a marathon herself today so she just wrote back a quick message telling me not to freak out and promising that she would help me figure it all out this week. As I said before, this was the first time I had ever done a workout like this in my whole long distance running career so maybe it was just unexpected for my body? It's strange to me that I can maintain race pace if I start at it but it's hard for me to shift into that gear if I'm running slowly at first. The idea behind the exercise is supposed to be to get me ready to kick into high gear during the second half of the marathon when my legs will be very tired and I may well have to really pick up the pace in order to meet my BQ time goal. I'm hoping Coach Christine will have some tips for me and I'll be able to work through this and do it more successfully next time. All is not lost!

I forgot to take a picture right after my run, this is post-shower

I'm taking today off, enjoying some Mother's Day love, and eating lots of yummy food. Happy Mother's Day to my mom who was my first running role model and all the moms out there!