1/26/14 20 Miles!!!!

Today I met up with a different group to run with. Just 3 ladies were there today from the group, but that was fine. We all are running in the L.A. Marathon and today they had a 20 mile run planned. I was going to do the 18 miles a couple weeks ago to be prepared for today, but then I had to be on knee rest. But I decided to just go for 20 with them today still. It might have been my last chance for a long run anyways. I wasn't sure how my knee was going to hold up after this.

The reason I chose to run with these ladies today is because one of them I had discussed needing to run slower and they run at a slower 11:30 min/ mile pace. And she said they run in intervals. Today they did an 8 min run/ 1 min walk interval. I thought this would be perfect for my needs to run slower and to preserve my knee. I also was ready to run with a group that wasn't taking off into the distance and leaving me in the dust. I had run with an older gentleman a couple times, and another man the same age as me a couple times, in the other group. But I still was hoping to find slower paced and like minded runners to help me get through a long 20 mile run without injury. I'm hoping that I can run along with them during the Full Marathon, as far as I can. I am sure we will all break off at one point or another. Runners don't like to hold other runners back from accomplishing their PR (personal record). My PR will just be to finish, since this is my first full marathon.

The weather was perfect. It was cool, but not cold. It was slightly overcast, so I didn't even need to wear my sunglasses. And the course we ran on was pretty flat, just a few minor hills on the trail. The interval running worked for me very well. I plan on running all long distances just like that in the future. By the end I felt I was going slower, but the pace really was pretty much the same the whole way through from beginning to end. We finished in exactly 4 hours. But I paused my GPS when we took bathroom breaks, so the run time was actually only 3 hrs and 50 min. And my friend was right, the pace did come out to be 11:30 min/ mile in the end. Which I think is a perfect pace for my first marathon! I did 10 min/ mile at my last half marathon, but I know I can't keep that up for 26.2 miles!

Now that I have the 20 miles under my belt I can relax. I don't have to worry about being able to run any more long miles. But, there is an opportunity to do 22 miles in a few weeks. I am not sure if I will actually attempt 22. I want to make sure my knees are ready for the real deal.

In the end today my knees were fine, though. And during the run there wasn't any pain. So I know I didn't have a stress fracture. There is no way that could be true. I may have been on the verge of giving myself a stress fracture. If I had run 18 miles that one weekend that may be the case right now. But I think taking the break and not pushing myself to far to soon was the right call. Praise the Lord! I am so happy right now! I am feeling prepared for the big day! Bring it on!