When Ya Gotta Go...Ya Gotta Go!

Yesterday was the loooonnnnngeessstttt run I've ever done.  A whoppin' 3 hours and 45 minutes and it was long but not as bad as I thought it might be.  I left really really late as I slept in and didn't wake up until 5:45 am.  By the time I ate and got out the door it was about 6:20 am.  Not a good start.  The temperature was a little frosty at three degrees (Celsius) but was supposed to be sunny.  My goal was to run up to Aurora Road (18 km) and then west to Kennedy and back home, so in theory I should have been able to go further than last week's 35 km run.  There was a slight headwind but sunny and cool.  As the sun climbed higher, the temperature warmed up.  One thing about running north of the city, there isn't a lot of businesses or residential area but there are a couple of really nice golf courses.  I ran by one course and noticed they had a port-a-potty.  My stomach was acting a little funny, probably because I didn't leave much time for my breakfast to digest.  I debated to stop or not but finally common sense came through, as in "where would I go, if I really had to go?"  Fifteen minutes later and several pounds lighter, I was back running.

I hit Aurora Road at the two hour mark and was way off last week's pace so I just turned around and ran south.  The temperature had warmed up and I began to overheat so I took off my gloves and hat and stuffed them in the back of my running jacket.  I had already drained one water bottle which I mixed Amino Vital and threw it away and was almost done my second bottle of plain water.  The sun really made a difference as I had to stop at a house in Lemonville (cool name for a town eh?) and got a refill.  By the time I got to Stouffville Road I had to stop and take off my running jacket.  Fortunately, it folds up into a little pouch with a draw string so I could wear it around my waist but it bounced up and down all the way home.  Somewhere along the way, I lost my GU Chomps.  I only had 2 or three left but was almost home.  I stopped at a gas station and refilled a second time and finished the run.  I wasn't hurting as bad as last week but by the time I got home it was 10:30 am.  It seemed my "pit stop" took longer than I expected.  Tammy had the kids ready and was heading out to take them to dance and swimming.  Usually I take Jake swimming but there was no way I could as I was a mess and needed food and an ice bath so she took all three of them.  Doh!  Now you know why I try and get out the door by 5:00 am.

I stopped by coach's house to check out a tri bike and had a power tap. I took it out for a spin but it felt weird.  I not sure I could handle riding it for six hours as my neck and back would be killing.  I had consulted with John Proc previously and he didn't think it was that great of a deal as it was a 2008 bike but I might go for the Power tap as biking is my weakest sport.

I told coach about my long run and I mentioned that I thought I had no chance of qualifying for Boston and he laughed at me.  I originally thought I might make it as I can run a Half Marathon in under 1:45 but wasn't sure about holding that pace for double the distance.  I told him how exhausted I was after each long run and he asked me about my nutrition.  Before yesterday's run I had:
two pieces of brown bread       150 calories
one hard boiled egg                   90
Cliff bar                                  250

During the run:
one bottle of Amino Vital              150 calories
most of a package of GU Comps   160

For a total of 800 calories.  Not quite enough for a 3:45 run.  Coach told me I should be taking at least 300 calories an hour or about 1,200 calories which probably explains why I'm so exhausted and hungry all day after my long run.

Oddly enough, my Polar was working and I averaged a 6:08 min\km pace which would put me to finish a marathon around 4.18 but if I can get my nutrition fixed, he figured I could hold a 5:45 min\km which would put me on target for a 4.02 marathon which sounds doable.

Oh yea, my blister on the bottom of my foot had fully healed from last week but using body glide on my feet prevented it from ripping open again.  Thanks A Couple of Hounds

Finally, congrats to my brother Paul and Sarah who had baby Hannah two months early.  She weighs only 3.2 pounds!!!