I had my long run this weekend in preparation for the Dopey challenge, but mainly for the Philadelphia Marathon on November 23.  I haven’t really talked about that marathon, because I haven’t really been thinking about it!  I have mainly been thinking about the Dopey races in January.  I need to do some research about this race to find out what train I need to take to get there and also to get home, which station to get off in Philadelphia, what time the expo closes, and to figure out all the details to prepare for that race!  I guess it’s a good thing I don’t feel too nervous about it.  I was nervous about the 23 mile run that was on the training plan this past week.  I had to do 3, 5, 8 and 23 miles.  I did 3, 5, 8 and 22.  I did most of the runs on the treadmill because of timing and my job and my husband’s job. But I’m ok with that now.

I started the training at 9:30 a.m. on the treadmill.  My husband was working so the kids and I went downstairs and they played while I got started.  I had my iPad and ate a bagel with peanut butter prior to the run so I was fueled up and ready to go.  I learned that after 99 minutes, the treadmill shuts off.  I stayed on it for 12 miles so that I would only have to do 11 miles on the road. I did well.  I wasn’t as bored as I thought I would be. I don’t know if I would WANT to do the full 23 miles on the treadmill, but I think if I had to I could.

Around noon I got off the treadmill, mapped out a new route for an 11 mile trip, ates some pretzel fish and then hit the road.  I was on the road until 3:00 p.m.  I started to feel sluggish around mile 7 so I started to do the marathon math in my head and realized I was approaching mile 18 so I was getting close to a wall.  I brought with me some fruit chews and ate some of them to help get some sugar to my brain.  I mapped out a new route so that I was doing something different and that helped.  When I was feeling tired, I decided to walk a mile and then resume my 30/30 intervals.  I was maintaining a pretty consistent 13 minute mile.  My legs were doing ok but I was getting tired of running.  I had been doing it since 9:30 in the morning and I wanted to get home to my family.  I ended up cutting the run short by 1 mile.  I don’t like to do that, but I needed to. We had plans for the evening and I needed to get showered and ready to go out.

I know Jeff Galloway recommends you walk most of your runs prior to your long run, but during the week I ran most of the short runs.  I was in a time crunch so to walk 8 miles would have taken me too long so I had to run most of it.  I don’t feel too bad for cutting my long run short by a mile because I realized that it was the last run of 4 consecutive runs and considering that I really felt good.  It was a beautiful day to be out for a run and I did enjoy the wonderful weather I had to run in.

So I am encouraged now to know that I CAN do the Dopey challenge.  I WILL do the Dopey challenge and based on how well I felt that night and the following day I am going to be just great when it is all over!

The issue I was having with my left leg has improved greatly since I got my orthotics replaced.  I don’t need to use KT tape anymore to help lift my arch.  Something I did notice is that I should consider wearing different shoes for every other day.  My shoe laces were digging into my foot from my treadmill running on the previous days so by the fourth day, it was quite sore.  I also heard that it is best to pack 2 different pairs of shoes for the race in case of weather.  You want dry shoes each morning.  However, my older shoes have more miles on them, so I will wear them for my shorter runs and save the newer shoes for the long runs.