A Looooonnnnnggg Run

I switched my schedule up a little bit and took advantage of the holiday Friday as well as the fact that it was going to rain Saturday morning.  The run was for 3 1/2 hours and unlike last week, it wasn't freezing cold, windy or snowing.

I headed out with the plan to run the same route as last week but several equipment issues didn't get me going until 5:45 am.  Usually I lay everything out the night before so I'm not wasting time looking for this or that but with equipment failure I still wasted time.   According to my heart rate monitor after running five steps, my heart rate was 160 and then it went to 00 (I guess I was dead).  Then my new ipod stopped working so I had to fiddle around with it.

I started out strong and finished weak.  The foot pod was not recording correctly and it said I was running at a 6:05 min\km and I finished at a 7:20 min\km.  Ok I was going slow but not that slow.  My Polar said I ran 32.5 km but I checked with Google Maps and I ran 35.3 km.  Stupid Polar

Before this season, I asked my coach if he thought I could qualify for Boston and he diplomatically (which is unusual) said I had no chance.  Of my two younger brothers have done multiple Ironmans, only one was able to qualify and race Boston several times.  After yesterday's run, I realize I have no chance unless I'm still running 20 years from now.  I was hurting by the end and my pace had slowed considerably.  Running on the soft shoulder helps a lot but once I'm running on pavement or sidewalk, every step brings pain throughout my body.  I have shin splints on my right leg and the blister I picked up at Around The Bay ripped open on the bottom of my right foot.  The Toronto Marathon is only 22 days away and I have doubts about it.  I've run the Toronto Half Marathon before so I know how the race ends.  Running up University Avenue is a gradual uphill which you don't notice it when you're driving it but when you're running it....that's a different story.  I remember from the Half, that it seemed to be never ending and then running 3/4 around Queen's Park was agonizing long.  I'm strongly considering using the 10 x 1s (run 10 minute, walk one minute) for this race as well just to save the pounding on my body.

I limped home (literally) for another ice bath and a day of lounging around.  I fell asleep for a short nap on the couch with the kids screaming around me and then later in the day I had a longer nap for a glorious one hour.

This morning workout was on 35 minute spin on the bike as I watched the last two shows of Weeds Season Four.  What an ending!  I have to get season five from my manager.  I'm pretty sore and tired so I just took it easy.  I was going to do some strength training but felt too tired.  One thing I've learned about these long runs, is that I need to do more core and glute workouts.  I also need to do more yoga.  The last couple of Sundays, I've missed my P90X yoga.