12 MILES!!

I didn't do a long run last week because I wanted to give my IT band a break. Instead I did two short runs in the Texas heat and humidity. Today was my scheduled 12 mile run. I was a little apprehensive about it because it would be tied with my longest run EVER, and the last time I ran 12 miles did not go well. It was four years ago in the middle of my training for the 2007 Twin Cities Marathon. I was running with two other people on an out and back course and 6 miles into it (thus, 6 miles from home), my IT band started to hurt. I felt I had no choice but to carry on, which was a big mistake. I could barely walk by the end and it ruined my IT band for several years and of course ended my marathon training. Another reason I was nervous was that I was going to meet my friend Margaret at 6 am and she was planning on running the first 1/2 with me today. Knowing that I had to get up early made it hard to sleep well last night.

But I was up at 5:30, even before my alarm went off. I ate a light breakfast, did some stretches, and ran a mile to meet Margaret. She is an ideal running partner because she's competitive like me, we run at about the same pace, and she lives only a mile away. Perfect! So there she was, at 6 am as planned. The first half of the run went great. We average about 9:30 minute miles and I wasn't even tired or sore. But then I dropped her off at her house, had some water and an energy bar, and went on my way for another 5 miles. The first 3 of the last 5 went ok, but I could tell I was slowing down to a 10 min/mile pace. See what happens when you don't have a friend pushing you? Then, at about mile 10, my IT band started to hurt. I changed my running gait, which helped, but slowed me down even more. I had to stop and stretch a couple of times and by the end of it I was at about 10:30 min/miles, but I made it. YES! It was not perfect, but 1000% times better than my fateful 12 miler 4 years ago.

I am a little concerned about how it will be from here on out. I mean, I'm not even halfway to a marathon and my IT band likes to crap out at 10 miles. But I will forge on, carefully, for as long as I can. A few of us runners were asked to talk about our experience in church yesterday, and sadly, the overlying theme was injury. Of course all of us are at least 40, if not older, and I am sure that has a lot to do with it. Yet another reason being 40 kind of sucks. I am old enough to know what I want, I have enough time and money to do things, but my body has given out. And it's only going to get worse.

Oh well, I really don't dwell on that for long. I am also wise enough to know my limitations and I will baby my knee as much as it needs it. So there may not be a long run next week. We'll see. And if I can't run the marathon this year, I will be ok with that. I think. There are other crazy milestone events to try, right?