Michael & Liz are Bloggable

Bear with me... this is a long post. If you want a synopsis, just read what's in bold.

This weekend is the biggest weekend in our race training schedule. It's the last and longest run before our races, 20 miles for me and 12 miles for Liz. I've had to run 20 miles twice before in the training, but obviously the last one is supposed to feel the best. The plan was to run early early Saturday morning so as to avoid the stupid 90+ degree heat and gross humidity that accompanies it.

If you asked me on Wednesday night if I would be running this weekend, I would have said definitively... no! Wednesday night I played an indoor soccer game and somehow strained my lower ab muscles, the part that's below the waistline. I don't know how it happened, but it hurt so bad that on Thursday I was struggling to walk. Thursday night I was supposed to run 5 miles and play two softball games. I skipped the running, sat out of the first game and played first base in the second so I wouldn't have to move much. I don't know what I did when I hit the ball but I sure wouldn't call it base-running.

So waking up Friday I felt a little better but just sitting up or jogging in place was painful. Needless to say I was nervous about having to run anytime soon. As Friday went on, it was loosening up and I was feeling better but it was clear that I wouldn't be running without pain. So my plan was basically to prepare as much as possible for the run and if I can do it, great, if I can't, then oh well. It's not like I've had great 20 mile runs in this training program so far, so what's another bad one?

Just to back it up a little, Thursday morning Liz went out for a 5 mile run at 6AM and came back absolutely drenched in sweat. Just because it's cooler in the early morning, doesn't mean it's nice out. When she walked in the house, I think her exact words were "it feels gross out there, we better run early Saturday".

That alone was alarming enough that on Friday I just chugged as much water as I could. If I'm going to be running with stomach pain, I need to do everything I can to set myself up for some level of success. I drank my 32 ounce bottle twice throughout the work day and then got cup after cup of water when I got home. For dinner Liz made a MASSIVE pasta meal with garlic bread and we filled ourselves sick. I continued my water drinking ways until I was peeing every 15 minutes the rest of the night. I would estimate I drank roughly 200 ounces of water on Friday.

The pain in my abs wasn't gone but regardless, Saturday morning we got to the trail at 6AM and went off on our routes as we always do. To our surprise, it wasn't hot or humid at all, in fact it was in the mid-50's and quite cold. My fear of the heat disappeared pretty quick. I started slow, although I didn't want to, because I was just trying to work around the pain and get into my stride. I was hitting a 8:30 to 9 minute mile. The run pretty much felt the same as all my other runs for the first 15 miles. My ab pain subsided to a tolerable level and of course I was tired while running but felt fine and had no problem with the pace.

With a little over 5 miles left, there was a turn around point where I head back to the car. I had already run 15 miles and had finished the most recent 5.5 miles in 47 minutes. This is where the run felt different than the rest. Usually at that point my mindset would be "how far can I make it before I have to start walking?" Swigging some water and chomping on my GU during a short break, I stood there realizing it wasn't a question of whether I could run back to our car, but how fast?

With only 2 miles to go, I was smoking it, running faster than I had been the previous 18. "Should I really stop at 20? I feel way too good to quit now." I sprinted the last couple hundred yards and finished that last 5.25 miles in 40 minutes. I got to where Liz was resting from her run and I was just pumping my fist with excitement. I turned a corner in my training and it felt fantastic. I dropped my belt of bottles and GU and went back out for 2 more miles. I figured, I need to rock a long run, but I also need to push myself and see if this good feeling is what I suspect it was. Although there's no reason to push it too far, so 22 was perfect.

The last 2 miles was exactly what I needed. No pain, no muscle cramps, no spasms, nothing happened except running fast and strong. I ran the last mile in 7 minutes flat and got my confidence back. Even better, I felt like 4 more miles would have been easily achievable. Now I can't wait until the marathon!!

What was different between Saturday and every other long run? I had never taken such a drastic hydration approach to any run before. I was worried about the heat so I drank as much water as possible to prepare. I was worried I overdid it because I actually had to use the bathroom twice on the run and twice in the middle of the night. But it didn't bother me if it helped accomplish my goal.

I must say, I have no worry whatsoever about the marathon anymore. I am going to take the same ridiculous hydration approach during the two days prior to our race and I feel comfortable that it will easily get me through the race. Liz also rocked her 12 mile run and she's going into the half marathon with just as much confidence. It's nice to know our race weekend will be filled with excitement and happiness rather than fear and anxiety.