Baby Steps

I was a little apprehensive about running today because I didn't know how I'd feel after Sunday's 23 miles. It went surprisingly well. It wasn't fast, but I didn't run until after dark so my steps were a tad tentative (one might say baby steps) because I didn't want to trip on a rock or a twig. I didn't set my run up for a distance. I set it up for 60 minutes and just turned around at 30 minutes. I guess I did better on the second half because I got back to the starting point before my 60 minutes were up. I guess that means it was a negative split albeit a small one. Yeah for me.

I'm not going to hit my goal of 150 miles in four weeks, but I'll be close. I should be at about 130 when it's over on Thursday. Not bad for doctors orders keeping me on the bench for almost five consecutive days.

It ain't pretty

It wasn't pretty, but it's done. My longest training run before the race is now in the books. 23 miles yesterday starting at 5:20am so I could get my run over and take M to her softball game. The best part was that I wasn't completely wrecked.

Each time I do a 20+ mile run it seems to get a little bit easier and I don't feel as bad afterward. It's going to be tough for me to hit my goal time of 5 hours and 30 minutes on race day but I think it'll be close.

Once again, Laela came out and saved the day by bringing me a PB&J , some Powerade, and refilled all of my water bottles at about mile 15. She waited for in the lot parking lot from 7:45 until 8:40 for me to show up. Running those kinds of distances by yourself requires some planning and I could NOT have completed it without Laela's support.

10111

Tomorrow's ambitious plan. My longest training run before the big show. Sunday is packed with things to do, so I have to get it done early. Hoping to be finished, home and cleaned up by 11:00am.

Fail Whale

Isn't technology great? Or isn't technology really creepy? I haven't decided which.

I signed up with @TweetMyTime to update my status while I'm running the #CbusMarathon, in real-time, during the race on Oct 18 #fb

It'll also update my Facebook status. I'm shooting for a 5 1/2 hour finsih time so it won't be updating quickly.

I can be followed @speedwalrus on twitter.

Tweet my time can be followed @tweetmytime

The Gauntlet

Here is the course map for the Columbus Marathon. It seems a little more real now that I've looked at it. Here's a link to an easier to read PDF.

2008 Columbus Marathon Course Map

Next week is my last long run before the big event. 23 miles on Sunday the 20th. I'm looking forward to completing it and hoping that I do as well as I did last week. It's going to be a little tougher as I won't have last week's run support.