Experiencing New Distances

2.75 miles does not seem like a long way. In fact, as I get deeper into my marathon training regime, 2.75 miles has become an interval length. But this last weekend marked the first time in a long time that 2.75 miles really, truly, meant something.

When you are a beginning endurance athlete, the last quarter of your total race preparation is filled with "my longest ____ ever's". In the spirit of redundancy, this last weekend was the longest run of my life. When I knocked out 16 miles two weeks ago, it didn't seem like that big of a deal, but something changed when I crossed the 18 mile barrier.

My route was a dual out-and-back along the Willamette River from the Fremont Bridge to Oaks Park and back. The first out section had a consistent head wind, which forced the muscles to warm up very quickly. Actually, through the first 9.4 miles I felt great, practicing my long distance shuffle and keeping the pace negative-splitting by about 5 second per mile.

On the second half of the run, I was joined by my good friend Drew, who is an exceptional runner and a New York Marathon finisher. He is a great running partner for the same reason he is a good friend...loyal and focused. We talked running strategy, and how to bust through those mental lows that invariably crop up during any run longer than 13.1 miles. Mine can in the last half of my 13th mile, but was short lived. The net result was a mix of excitement and trepidation as to what I would encounter when I crossed the 16th mile into unchartered waters.

Instead of fear, I felt a fire lit within, and even though my stomach began to fire, the will to power through kept me going. After crossing the Steel Bridge, and I finally pressed stop on my watch, I could begin to relax. Damn, that felt really good.

2 Hours 22 Minutes on the nose. PACE: 7:34

20 miles next week, 1.25 miles of unchartered water.