18 miles unplanned.

Two weeks ago I ran my first ever 18-miler. My longest distance to date. I really hadn't set out to do 18, I planned on 15 - but what is a 5k more???

I was running with a couple teammates on the marathon course (Dang, there are a LOT of runners on the route on Saturday mornings!) and we did a series of out and backs between several water stops set up along the route.  One of the most awesome ways to run is to have a team of volunteers hang out and support you by giving out water, gaterade, peanut M&Ms, pretzels and lots of words of encouragement.  The Dana Farber volunteers rock!  AND I don't have to ever carry a fuel belt WHOO HOO!

So back to the planned 15.  So we were 9 miles in and one group was heading back to the club which would have given them 14.  The other group was going back down to the previous water stop and then back which was closer to 18.  And somehow one of my teammates convinced me to make the turn around.  Oh man!  What have I done!  There's no turning back!  Well, there was, but then I'd be on my own. So, I went along.  And then there it was, heartbreak hill.  I am probably going to hate myself for even writing this come April 18th, but it really wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.  Don't get me wrong, it was tough, but no crazy hard.  

We made it back to the club, but then it was my turn to get the ladies I was running with to keep going when the Garmin said 17.1.  One RB headed, but Susan & I decided to head down the road and back.  17.8!  There was NO way that I was going to do 18 and NOT have it read 18 on the Garmin, so we looped the parking lot JUST so I could see th 18 click over.

I felt a small twinge in my calf around mile 10, but just stretched it the rest of the way.  (I was stiff the next day and took 3 days rest, and it was much better by the next long run.) 

Overall, this was a really good run.  I was glad to do 18 without really planning it because I didn't have to sweat doing it.  Well.  Sweat BEFORE doing it.  

The sweat was so bad, David was heading out to the store, but sat in the car for a minute, decided to roll down the windows and air it out for a spell before heading back out.  

Yeah, some major stinkage. 

Next time, I'll remember to bring a shirt to change into.  Rookie mistake.