The Big 2-0

Two weeks ago I ran 14 miles with Jim Evans out in Republic. It was a tough run. A blistering hot day. Maybe not blistering, but Jim showed me a trick that involved putting ice into small ziploc baggies and carrying it around in your hand until it melted. That's about two miles. Then you bite a small hole in the baggie and put it in your head and you've got ice water coming down your head and keeping you cool. It was hot.

So, the logical thing according to my schedule is that today I was going to run 16 miles. Slowly but surely building up the miles so I could get a few 20 mile runs in before the marathon in October. Yesterday in the shower though I started thinking, maybe I'll do 18. I had a big lunch and was planning on an even bigger dinner. And I did eat a lot.

Then today as I was out on the trail, it was pouring down rain. But there was no lightning. Well, right as I started running, I saw lightning fast Stephen Aleman. He and two other runners were coming to a flooded underpass. I said, "Are you running through there?" And they said they were going to try. But that part involved climbing around the raging waters. I also asked Steve if there was any threat of lightning. Nope, he said. It's just supposed to be like this all day.

And this was glorious. So what was initially a 16-mile run that got bumped in my head to an 18-mile run suddenly started getting another 2 miles longer.

A marathon is something but a marathon really isn't going to happen without the 20-mile training run. And that 20-mile training run is a major accomplishment. At least, I feel like I've done something worthwhile today.

20 miles. Now, I'm going to have to look and revise my long run schedule for the next couple of months but I'm feeling good about where I'm at.