May 28-p

Peeeeeeeeee-Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! (previous - 2:14:47. today - 2:10:58 baby! for 16.2-.6)
This has been 2 PR's in 2 weeks!

FIT:
I felt blah after not getting to eat many veggies and fruit since 2D's about wound down. I've just been eating lots of carbs. I was also sleepy - maybe not enough iron? There's been some debate about vitamin C and E supplements actually inhibiting the body's natural repair processes, so I've been more reluctant to take a multi, but that was probably a good source of iron. I've also been taking in less cocoa, since there's no more Bible Study or DP. Cocoa has lots of iron.

Anyway, I didn't run yesterday, and it's been a while since I had a quality run, so I wanted to either do a LR (which I haven't done in a/b 3 weeks) or a track workout (it's been longer since I've done a legit one). I chose the LR, since I just feel like you need to feel good to do a good track workout. A BM is grueling. I was just gonna go out, and at about 7 miles out, I had to stop to take a call. I recovered immediately, as if I hadn't done anything at all. I thought, "oh great, all this mileage I'm putting my poor joints through, for no benefit." At the turnaround, I felt good and knew I could probably pick it up a bit on the way back. Nearing the Delaware bridge, I saw that I was on track for a course PR, and I was still feeling pretty good. I got a couple more calls along the way, and it would be hard starting up again, since I had gotten in the groove. My stride would be off at first, but then I'd find it again after a minute.

The weather was 60 and misty rain. I was in a sports bra and loving it. I carried a cell, a pack of Gu Chomps (didn't use), half a Gu pack (ate it about 1:15 in), and 20oz of water (10 oz between r2 on the way back and halfway to wm, plus the other 10 near wm). It was comfortable, too, with that much water. Before the run, I had a PB sandwich and a plum. Post-run, I had a bowl of Onion Quinoa in Tomato Sauce (I had been sick of it after 3 consecutive meals of it, but running makes anything taste good) and Yogurt w/ Orange Fruit Spread, peanuts, chocolate, plus a bit of hummus. I'm stretching now.

Running back, I was surprised by how good I felt, even through the last hill! I was shocked at the splits. It was like normal 7.5-miler splits! I can't believe it. I had been slowing down on this 16er ever since the first one, and today, I was beating it down. I listened to 2 podcasts on the way out, and ran the last hour or so without it, since it was making my head feel too full, and I just wanted silence and complete focus on running afterwards. It was nice just focusing on my stride. I was way faster on the way back than the way out, which I feel is preferred by hard-core runners training for stuff.

A good run. Thank God for it. Except the 1.5 miles from r2 to o were treacherous with roots hidden by the long grass. I was lucky not to sprain anything or trip. My knees threatened to feel bad, especially after stops to get the phone, but thank goodness, they held. [Blow you a kiss, knees]

Oh, I had been debating about whether to do a 14.2 or a 16.2, but the decision was made for me (and I'm glad, since it worked out so well). The green spots I had been using as the 14.2 mark, as I mentioned in an earlier post, I realized too late were to mark trees that need to be cut down. In the past, it was just a matter of hoping that I was looking at the right tree. This time, not a single green spot, haha. So the only way I could measure a distance was with the o.

Splits> 9:31 t, 4:07 p, 3:58 h, 4:15 b (21:52), 4:47 x, 2:53 wm (29:33), 19:31 r1 (missed the d split), 4:56 r2, 12:46 o (1:06:48), 12:23 r2, 4:52 r1, 4:15 d (1:28:19), 14:53 wm, 2:38 x, 4:31 b (1:50:22), 4:01 h, 3:49 p (flyyyying!!!), 3:48 t (still!!!), 8:56 2. The wm to 2 time on the way back was 27:46 (vs. 29:33 on the way out, which was downhill even!). Serioiusly, the way back was a post 3.75-mile run pace, rather than the post-13ish-mile run pace. Amazing. Oh yeah, mapmyrun.com suggests that it's actually a 16.6 mile run, not a 16.2. Using 16.2, it's an 8:05 pace, and using 16.6, it's a 7:53 pace. What?!?!

Cumulative mileage: 346.7 + 7.4 wf+ + 2.75 failed bm + 7.5 heat + 7.8 shop + 16.2 (I'll count it as 16.6) to stay consistent = 388.8 miles.

Yesterday, felt like a used car and was apprehensive about trying to drive b/c I might break it. Somehow, I had a breakthrough run today. Yay sleep?