Last Long Training Run

Today was the last long training run before the half-marathon next week! I forgot to take a picture of myself all sweaty, but here's one I had on file! 

I should apologize to everyone now: since this was the last long run, that means we're officially tapering. Which means I only do three very short runs next week. Which means I will be twitchy and going crazy! Running is my drug. If I don't go, I get grumpy and I don't even know why...until I realize I just need to exercise!

I'm still planning to do some Walk Away the Pounds DVD workouts next week just to get some steps in, but they aren't very high intensity.

I started the run with a honey stinger waffle, vanilla flavor. I can't eat much before I run, or my stomach cramps up. It tasted good, was light enough that it didn't really make my stomach upset, and seemed to give me a little boost of energy. When I read the ingredients, though, I realized it's really more of a cookie! Organic wheat flour, organic palm fruit oil, organic rice syrup, organic cane sugar, organic whole wheat flour, organic soy flour, organic honey, sea salt, natural flavor, organic soy lecithin, organic spices, baking soda. Also, Steve can't eat it because it isn't gluten free. Boo. 

Anyway, here's how the run went:

Mile 1: I hate running. Why am I doing this?

Mile 2-3: Maybe I'll survive...a quarter of the way there! Oh, look at that girl. She's faster than me, but I'm probably going farther. 

Mile 4-5: I hit my stride. I may not be the fastest, but at this pace I can run all day. I love to run! I should do a full marathon!

Mile 6-8: I love this mix. I love to run. I love my life. Wait, what's that smell (it was a cross between garbage and a skunk). 

Mile 8-10: I have to keep running. Pretend this IS the race. I'm not stopping until at least mile 10.

Mile 11-the end: Only two more miles, less than one mile, am I even moving? Typically this is the point where I start counting steps (1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10) and telling myself I can do 10 more steps! But I didn't need to do that today. It was a good run!

I calculated my run at 12.5 miles but didn't factor in that I wouldn't be running up and down my street in between the legs of the run, so it ended up being 11.75. Still, I ran the whole thing, with around a 12 minute pace. Adrenalin will probably make me run too fast the day of the race for the first two miles so I'll buy myself a few minutes. I'd like to beat 2:45:52, which was my finish time in the last race. I think that's doable.

Now I'm sitting on the couch, re-hydrating, trying to figure out what to eat to replenish all the calories I just burned!