Major psychological and physical breakthrough in today's run - not only did I run 30 minutes longer than I ever have before (3:30) but I cracked the 20 mile mark, which means that I only have a 10k to go to complete a marathon. Oh, and I can now say "flats, schmats."
I did go back to run/walk of 10/1 since I knew I was going so far and that worked really well. It does make it easier to run knowing you can walk in a few minutes.
Do you realise that now I've run the distance (plus about 4 miles) from Blenheim to Picton? And only about a quarter century after I cycled it with my best friend Suzie.
The run started on the C&O tow path alongside the canal, then down to the Mall and around one of my favorite but lesser known memorials - a tiny island with facsimiles of the signatures of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. It's a week before Obama's inauguration and they've installed all 5,000 portaloos on the Mall. There they were row after row of blue and white-topped boxes in perfect military order. But the irony was that the park service bathroom on my route was out of order. Portaloos, portaloos all around ...
After the Mall, and heading back to the start for 10 miles, I headed up the Capital Crescent Trail which turns out to be an old rail bed, so one long hill. That was a bit disconcerting, but the grade really suits me, and besides - after the Appalachian Trail and Skyline Drive, it was nowt.
When I got back to the car, I found my coach bundled up like the michelin man waiting for me. I think I was the only one who'd gone anything other than 10 miles so he'd been waiting for nearly 90 minutes. I really appreciated it though. And it's evidence of the commitment and caring that is Team Z. Ed's the man.
One long ride tomorrow - 4 hrs of hills. It'll be the test of my new set up on the bike. Then recovery, blessed recovery.
Hills kill your quads and calves. Flats kill your butt!
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