Eleven Miles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I postponed Monday's long run because it was raining, plus I wanted to go to the zoo with the family. That meant that I had to do my 11 mile run today (Wednesday) in order to fit it into my schedule. And if you're thinking that 11 miles seems like a really long ways to run, I can assure you that it is. Also, a long run is much different from a short one. In a short run (3 miles or less), you are going faster and tend to use your heart and lung power to get through it. It's challenging, but in a different way. After a good short run, you need to catch your breath. In a longer run, it's not about your cardiovascular status; it's about your muscle endurance. After about 7 miles your feet and calves start to hurt. After about 9 miles, you dread each step because you know it will be painful. In addition, your feet feel like they have 10 pound weights strapped to them and you have to will them to move forward each and every step of the way.

And if you're like me, your IT band will start to hurt about a mile before the end of the run. It's become like clockwork for me. However, this time it didn't seem quite so bad and I was able to run the entire 11 miles, and I wasn't dragging my leg at the end like last week.

Probably the worst part about this run is that I got discouraged. Halfway through I stopped at home to change dogs and get some water. I really didn't want to go back out there! And towards the end, with as much pain as I was in, I realized that I'm not even halfway to a marathon! How the hell am I going to run 26 miles???

Well, that's what training is for. A month ago, 7 miles seemed like a lot. In another month, I'll hopefully look back on this run and wonder how I was even struggling with 11 miles. You don't go into these races unprepared.

Plus, it feels DAMN good to be done running 11 miles. I can brag about it for the rest of the day. And I can consume 1100 more calories today. And although my legs and feet hurt, overall I feel pretty good. That runner's high, you know.

I know that not everyone is willing and able to run long distances. But I encourage you to challenge your body somehow. Make it hurt. Then do it again in a few days. Eventually you may notice how much stronger you are. And you'll also realize that most of your limitations are mental rather than physical.

Try it, and let me know how it goes. No, really. Do it.