This morning I went for a run. My original plan was to run to the hike and bike trail and see how crowded it was. Right now we’re in the midst of another COVID-19 wave (Delta variant) and I don’t want to run near others. When I arrived at the trailhead, I saw that the trail was packed with people. I was the only one with a mask, and the trail’s width is only about the equivalent of about two sidewalks so I turned around and headed back to the neighborhood where I could run pretty much alone.
I was so glad I did because there was zero stress, and I could just put my mask around my wrist instead of keeping below my chin at the ready to pull over my nose and mouth.
So I just ran… and ran… and ran more. At about the 5-mile mark I was feeling great, and then at the 8-mile mark I started thinking that I should just go for a half-marathon distance. I had done this before, but it was a November run when the temperature was much cooler. I also realized that 13.1 miles is pretty far to go without any water or snacks. My legs were in good condition, though, so I kept on cruising along through neighborhoods that I haven’t run in before (but have cycled in), and eventually made my way back to my daily 5 km route. The distance I had run was 10.5 miles at that point so I figured I could just run my 5 km route (plus a tiny bit more) and complete the 13.1 mile run.
That last bit was a little bit of a struggle as I could feel my legs really losing energy, and new soreness starting to develop in my joints. Even though I didn’t feel thirsty I knew that I really should have been drinking some kind of liquids and with that in mind, I monitored my body condition carefully.
After 2 hours and 45 minutes, I completed my run at a total of 13.23 miles. That put me at a 12.5 minute per mile pace which is pretty much normal for my long runs.
I’m really happy with this morning’s accomplishment and it’s a boost of confidence for next year’s marathon that I am planning on running. I’m curious to know how a half-marathon feels with proper hydration and snacks, so I will plan out some half-marathon routes that loop back to my house every few miles where I can get water and pick up a snack. Something to look forward to!
