Yesterday was the day I had been looking forward to the most since I started my 16 week training program. It was my longest training run - 20 miles. For me, I enjoy the long training runs a lot. The next three weeks are the taper. I will run less and less up until the 18th of October. Then I will run a marathon.
When I participate in a marathon race, I enjoy the camaraderie with the other runners, the right to run in the middle of the street and stop traffic, the atmosphere of people who care about their health, the enthusiasm of the crowds, the excitement of the start and finish lines, the dedication of the race volunteers, the t-shirt, and the fact that a 4+ hour run can be fully catered.
But, as much as I enjoy the marathon race, the 3 and 1/2 hour solo training runs are the highlight of the whole 16 week process for me. I get to explore new areas on my own and ask for directions from people who wonder how I got way out there and where I am headed. I also get to focus on one outdoor activity for an entire morning with no distractions.
Yesterday's run took me along the coast from our house, up a river that cut across the city, over a gap in the mountains and down to the city of Yangsan. It was a great run and even the hour long subway ride home was not too bad.
My schedule called for a 20 mile run, but the route I planned was 21 miles. A few wrong turns in the hills, and it ended up being 23 miles to the train station. I thought about running another 4 miles and making it the longest run of my life, but I was getting a little hot and thirsty by then. I am now in my taper for the marathon, but I am hoping that my enthusiasm carries over into November and I can try for a 30 mile run by myself. We'll see what Mameko has to say about that.
In the picture below, you can see how I spent 3 hours and 45 minutes yesterday morning.
1 comment:
Avram - nice work! I miss those long runs. It's great to be in your own world, at least for a couple of hours.
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