18 Miles: Stats and What I Learned

I’m so lame. I completely forgot to post my stats from AJ II about my 18-miler in the recap (which is right here, if you missed it). The interesting thing about this run (to me anyway) is that I went slow and steady, like planned, for the first half and then around 7-8 miles, I picked up the pace. I just felt good and maybe I was warmed up. I was trying really hard to keep it between 11-11:30 and on that second half of the run, I really had to tell myself to put on the brakes.

5/2/10 – 18 Miles – 3:23:58
Mile 1: 11:39
Mile 2: 11:33
Mile 3: 11:36
Mile 4: 11:41
Mile 5: 11:12
Mile 6: 11:21
Mile 7: 11:12
Mile 8: 11:20
Mile 9: 10:38 (oops)
Mile 10: 10:53 (realized I was going too fast)
Mile 11: 11:09
Mile 12: 11:18
Mile 13: 11:29
Mile 14: 11:00
Mile 15: 11:04
Mile 16: 11:11
Mile 17: 11:34
Mile 18: 11:58

I do not feel like I ran 18 miles yesterday. I’m not sure if that’s due to the cross training I’ve been doing (the bike) or the 10-minute cold bath I took after my run. I feel human today. I don’t even have to take stairs one at a time.

Yesterday’s 18 miles was a huge confidence boost for me. I learned some things, too:

1. I need GU. The little gel packets really helped me with my energy levels and I remembered to take them at about 45-minute to one-hour intervals. Sadly, the PB and Js are not going to cut it, so I need to remember to buy GU.

2. I need to mix up my music. I will do that with specially-made playlists. I will mix new and old music and I will arrange the list how I want. I will not be using the “random” setting on long runs. Steve McQueen (Sheryl Crow) was one of the first songs to come on my Zune in my first race last fall: Issaquah Salmon Days 10K. When it played yesterday, I thought a lot about how far I’ve gone since October. That was motivating. The other songs reminded me of high school and track and cross country, and the year of running I did right before I got married, which was appropriate because my 8th wedding anniversary is tomorrow!

3. I need to keep my mind busy. That little slug game I played was awesome. It kept me from thinking about running as I focused on finding the biggest, grossest slug to photograph.

4. I need to take pictures. Stopping to take pictures here and there keeps me aware of my surroundings: pretty bridge, beautiful bird, sparkly river.

5. One out and one back is best. When I did 16 miles, I broke them up too much: Four out and four back, then four in the other direction (but it wasn’t actually four and I had to make up miles at the end) and four back. Seven out and back was great, and then I met my friend for two out and back. It’s different when you are with someone — that’ll be an exception to this rule.

6. I need to run in the morning. Well, that’s not possible all the time. But I have to make it possible for long runs. My legs are fresh and I am not bogged down from stuff that comes up during the day.