Holy 12 miles

I was super excited and nervous for the 12 mile run on Saturday. I was prepared food wise having chicken fettuccini with garlic bread the night before with extra water. Breakfast Saturday morning was half a wheat bagel with peanut butter an apple and some Gatorade.

The air had a slight chill, but I knew as soon as the sun came up I would be too hot in the clothes Runner’s World suggested. So I packed the jacket just incase and went with pants a long sleeve thermal running shirt and a hat. Unfortunately, I do not have good running sunglasses, but luckily the Tow Path is pretty well shaded. We talked about mileage and where to find water stops and then we were off.


We met at the Hunt Farm parking lot in the valley. We ran 3 miles south to Bath Road for water stop #1. Then we turned back and did 3 miles back to the parking lot we parked in for water stop #2. Then we proceeded 3 miles north just shy of the Peninsula parking area. More details about this water stop later. Then back south 3 miles to our cars for a total of 12 miles.


It usually takes me 1.5 or 2 miles to warm up and feel like my legs are ready and my breathing is to par. We lingered a little too long at the first water stop. By the time we started moving again I was a little cooler again and felt a little stiff. It took only probably a half mile to work through the stiffness from the water stop. I ran the first 6 miles with Amanda. I think I have determined a good pace for me to not overdo it and tire myself out. Amanda’s normal pace is faster then mine… Angela’s is a slower…. and Liz I am still trying to figure out her pace. Sometimes she is up front and sometimes slow and steady like myself. When we reached water stop#2 (6 miles) I needed to wait for Angela to catch up so I could swamp my headband for the sweat drenched hat I had on. Angela drove on Saturday so I needed her to unlock her car. I told Amanda to go ahead of me I think I was slowing her down anyway!!!

Once I switched to my headband I was off and running again. With the sun out the long sleeve shirt, pants, and my colorful headband ended up being the perfect attire. I started off with Angela and slowly went ahead of her when she stopped to walk. I had a feeling I would be running by myself for some of it so I had my handy dandy iShuffle with me. Although, I had not charged it some time since I rarely use it anymore. The music only took me about a mile and then the battery died. I have to admit it was nice running without the music. It is amazing your body actually speaks to you …but only if you are listening.

With only the noise of the birds chirping and an occasional goose showing its displeasure that I was in their space I found myself in a tremendous runner’s groove for mile 7 and 8. I have never felt a groove like that. My stride was perfect my breathing was good and I felt like I could run forever. Then around 8.5 miles I was quickly snapped back to reality.

I started seeing a couple runners on their way back so I knew I was close to the water stop. Then I saw Amanda. She told me the mile marker for us to turn around was just ahead but there was no water stop. At that moment I was glad I had spent the money the night before on a fuel belt.

Friday night at Dick’s Sporting Good I probably spent 45 minutes alone looking at the fuel belts. You can get ones with one larger 20oz water bottle, one with 2 smaller 10 oz water bottles, or the top one with 4 little 10oz water bottles. I decided to get the one with 4 10oz water bottles. I figured it I ever do any long runs on my own I will need more water and the 4 bottle belt would be the practical purchase. Good thing.



The water stop at mile 9 was a little past the turn around spot. Amanda and I both decided we were not going to do any more mileage then needed especially since we would already be doing 12 miles. I gave Amanda one of the water bottles to wash down her gel and then she was off. I waited for Angela and Liz while I stretched to give them water as well.

Then I was off for my final 3 miles of the run. Now I am not going to lie I was in pain, but I kept telling myself I was not allowed to stop. I was hoping to find myself in a grove again like mile 7, but that never happened. I must have been in a semi groove because when I was about a half mile to the finish I felt myself pick up the pace a little.


THERE IT WAS … the parking lot with Amanda cheering me on to the finish. I couldn’t believe it I made it!!! I had just run 12 miles and only stopped at the water stops. I now knew I was going to be fine on race day as long as my body was fueled right. Now I was in pain … my knees and hips ached… my feet were on fire… and I had to pee like it was my job. I grabbed some pretzels at Coach Rob’s car to replenish my sodium and then headed to the restroom. I was hoping I would make it back to the parking lot to cheer on Angela when she finished. Unfortunately, she finished before I got back to the parking lot and I felt bad.

I walked around a little bit more to cool down and then of course posed for a picture. It was an amazing feeling even if every inch of my body hurt.


I think it will probably be a guarantee that I will cry at the finish on race day. Just thinking about back in December I couldn’t even run 3 miles without stopping to walk!!!