18 miles of...fun?

Wow! So much to update about. I guess the biggest so far is that I completed my 18 miler on Saturday! Now, I want you to picture 18 miles- that's a looooong way. I'm sure you know that, but really...take a second and imagine to yourself how far 18 miles truly is. Now, picture me running all of it. Can't do it? Don't worry, neither can I, which is why I mapped it out. This map isn't the actual route I took but holy crapola!! I ran pretty much the entire height of long island! Pure craziness.

Susan, my running partner since like week 2 wasn't there because she had her first tri practice. She is starting to train for a Half Ironman Triathlon (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, 13.1 mile run)! Yeah, starting to train for that while still training for Disney. I'm not sure if I mentioned this before, but she is training for the full marathon but competing in the half. Good thing Joanne was at practice because 18 miles by myself...would not have been fun. As much as I enjoy Joanne's company, I wouldn't exactly describe my workout Saturday morning as fun. Probably because of that whole I refuse to admit to myself that I enjoy it aspect. For the record, we will say that Joanne and I had a good run and workout and established pretty much everything for the big day. We decided that we are just going to have *fun* with it. Enjoy our walk breaks. Take them at each mile marker rather then every 10 minutes. (which is pretty much the same but we decided it would be easier to take it at the mile markers then have to keep worrying about looking at a watch). Take in the experience. Finish strong. More importantly, finish together.

Unfortunately I can't bask in my glory of 18 miles because I'm already freaking out about next week when I will actually have to do the entire height of long island...then a little more. Ahhhh and that's not even the marathon! It is however the day I have been freaking out about since I first saw it glaring at me on my schedule back in August...my longest training run ever. I'm not talking to date, although its obviously that too, I'm talking this is it. This is the dress rehearsal for the big day...20 miles! I think I'm freaking out about it more because I don't wantto do it, rather then I don't think I can do it. I mean I already did 18- I know I can do 20- but ahhhh its freezing out and lets be honest, I'm slow which means its gonna take FOR-EV-ER. Took me just under 4 hours to do 18, so I'm thinking its gonna be just over 4 for 20. That means we are looking at a 5-5:30 hour marathon! Now, I know I've said it before and I'm gonna say it again.

I don't care about my marathon time...I just want to cross the finish line.

This is actually the only long run I really know how long it took me to do, but for the most part we have been pretty consistent with a 10 min mile pace. I mean its probably good that I have some idea on my time... Anyway, I'm proud of my 18 miler, dreading my 20, feel absolutely fine about my 13 miler tomorrow, and can't believe the marathon is just over a month away! Ahhhhhh! Well the actual marathon freaking out can wait until the second I'm done with this 20 mile run. And I guarantee I will start really freaking out about it the second I'm done. Well, to be honest...I will prob start freaking out around mile 15 of my 20 miler.

In other news, I bought what I can only describe as a runners fanny pack.
Ha Ha Ha Okay, done making fun of me? I am doing this for you, loyal readers of my rarely updated blog. I am going to sport this pack so I can carry a disposable camera with me during the race. Good idea huh! Also, I'm going to need a place to keep my gu's, cliff blocks and salt. Yeah salt- weird right? Apparently you sweat all (or at least too much of) the sodium out of your body and need to eat salt in order to replenish it. Ummmm okay. Whatever. I've learned to trust my coaches without question and just do what they say. They say run, I say how far. They say eat this disgusting orange flavored gu, I say how much. They know what they are talking about and were able to get me to this point, so I'm not going to start second guessing them now. No, I'm just going to lace up my ugly sneakers, snap on my fanny pack and run...making sure that I don't forget to stop and take a picture with Micky Mouse while guzzling down a packet of salt. Sweet Life.