While half-marathon training caps out at 11 miles, I wanted to try 12, just to make sure I could do it. Because 1.1 is not hard to push through if I know I can get to 12. So, Sunday I head back out to my arch nemesis to try to conquer the big 12. Unfortunately, it was windy and rainy, or maybe that was fortunate because if I can run 12 miles at the hardest place I know to run in these conditions, I can make it through the half, no problem. I ran up and down the hills on the forest and the prairie, back and forth until I hit 12 miles. Most of the time, I felt pretty good. Better than the week before when I ran 11. I was running uphill into the wind at parts and I give myself a pass for that. Sure, it was challenging, but I pushed through and felt strong, despite the slower speed.
Monday, I took Henri out for my streak run. One, he didn't get to go on my long run because the forest preserve is his arch nemesis as well, places he is afraid to go by. Plus, we would have to stop and go and I didn't think I've be able to continue pushing through that. Also, rain is another one of the things Henri doesn't like. Two, Henri is having a bit of a stressful time right now and I know he needs to get out as much as possible right now. He was ready to go! I thought I'd be a little stiff after 12 miles, but I felt really good. It felt like we were flying! Henri was super quick to jump back in after the quickest pee breaks he's ever had. I was so glad to see him having a good time. I let him choose which way we went and we even went an extra half a mile.
Tuesdays run was not as good. Maybe the 12 miles caught up to me. Maybe the strength training got me. I felt like I was limping, but I wasn't. I was trying to push, but I was struggling, so I just fell into a comfortable pace and got my 1 mile in.
Today, I wanted 5 miles. I was feeling a little off at the end of the work day, a little woozy and weak. I wasn't sure we were going to get very far, but I told myself that we would just do what we could do. It was windy again. I did my best to calculate the direction of the wind and the direction of our run. We still ended up running into the wind a lot, or with it blowing us off to the side, but I think I'm starting to get the hang of running in the wind. It was a pretty decent run. We got all 5 miles. I really didn't think I would be able to do it.
Also, without even realizing it, we were at 29 miles before today for the Rescue Run Club 3030 Challenge. I guess that means we're at 34! We made it! We did 60 miles last go around. I think we can do that again!
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