On Saturday, I ran my first 20 miler of this training cycle. I have two on the schedule, so I knew if I didn’t get this one in I would be putting a lot of pressure on myself to get the second one in. Once I have at least one 20 miler done I feel much more confident about completing a marathon. This is probably more mental than anything else.
Let’s back up to Friday. I took a rest day, which I had planned while making my initial training schedule. This was really helpful in preparing my legs for such a long run. I did my hardest workout of the week on Wednesday, went to my chiropractor on Wednesday evening, and then had 2 full days to prepare for the long run. I took an epsom salt bath on Friday evening and foam rolled (as I do most days). Everything was feeling good and cooperating. I noticed on Friday afternoon that my stomach felt a little off, but I had no idea why. I hadn’t eaten anything different all day.
Instead of my usual pasta dinner I decided to eat a baked potato, hoping it would sit better in my stomach. Unfortunately the last potato we had was really small. So I ate just a small side of pasta, the potato, meatballs, and salad. Stomach still wasn’t great but no worse than before. I had already been trying to figure out what to eat before my long run, as a practice for what I could possibly eat on race day. Since I’ve stopped eating bagels before running (its been like 6 months) I have only had bananas and/or honey stinger waffles. I wasn’t sure if the waffles were what caused stomach issues for my 18 miler 2 weeks before, but I didn’t want to take any chances. I made a batch of paleo pancakes because I felt pretty confident about all of the ingredients in them.
I got a good night’s sleep and woke up naturally at 5am. I could hear the rain outside my window but just hoped it would ease up by the time I ran. I ate the pancakes, drank a cup of black coffee, and my stomach was feeling good. I read some blogs and then did some foam rolling and a warm up. I was feeling good and ready to run. It was still raining, but there was nothing I could do about that.
At 6:30 I headed out, and was immediately not happy with the chilly, wet, windy weather. I reminded myself of my 20 miler 3 years ago in which I ran through an October snowstorm. I was ready to do this. My stomach didn’t feel great, but I tried to ignore it.
As I started running I noticed that my right calf was a little tight. The kind of tightness that you assume will loosen up as you run. For the first 3 miles I was noticing it, wishing it would just loosen up already. A little after 3 miles it started to get more and more tight. I stopped to stretch and massage it a little. I was wearing compression socks so I moved those around a little (I was feeling it on the very top of my calf, near my knee). I would run a little and it would tighten up again. Stop, stretch, repeat. It felt fine when I walked, but a few steps into a run and it would tighten up really bad again. Luckily I was a half a mile from home. I began making my way back to my apartment, feeling defeated.
I will say that at this point I thought I wouldn’t be running any more that day but I was handling it really well. I had experienced a similar issue two times before- it seems to happen once a year. Both times it was worked out with ART or Graston. I thought about how a year ago I probably would have been in tears over this, but instead I started thinking about how it’s a good day to not be running because of the awful weather. I was thinking about all the stuff I could get done in the extra time, or maybe just curl up on the couch with a book.
So I got home and rolled it out with the stick and a lax ball. I felt a spot where it was really tight and it was pretty easy to get in there and loosen it up. I also found a really tight spot above the back of my knee like the lower part of my hamstring. After working on that for about 5 minutes I figured I would head back out and see how it felt. I would know pretty quickly if it bothered me because I could only run a few steps before it bothered me earlier.
Well, I was shocked to fine that after those first few steps it still felt fine. I made it up the block and no issues. It didn’t feel tight or bother me at all. So then I had to figure out what to do. Should I continue running and see if it bothers me again? Do I still run 20 miles? How far from home can I run? And then I realized I may actually have to run 20 miles…after earlier convincing myself how nice it would be to skip the run!
So I decided to take it a few miles at a time. I stayed in my neighborhood for 5 miles before making my way over to a different part of the city. I knew that once I looped back from over there I would be close to home again and that would be around 12-13 miles and I could reevaluate things. Breaking it up this way helped SO much. My stomach still felt off, and I was a little frustrated because this seems to be happening more lately and I have no idea why.
I continued to run and was able to stay pretty positive. My pace naturally began to drop without even trying. When I got to 13 I knew I could make it to 20. I did an out and back for the last 7, and told myself it was just 3,5 miles each way. Around mile 17 my hips started to feel tight, as they usually do from a long run, but I was shocked/thrilled that it took 17 miles to notice them at all. I was able to finish the 20 feeling strong mentally and physically.
Usually my “training effect” for a long run is between 4 and 5. So this tells me that it wasn’t as hard of an effort as my usual long runs. The cooler weather probably had something to do with that.
This was also my fastest 20 miler. Although my last ones were in the middle of the summer, but those took me about 9 minutes longer.
I was in such a good mood when I got back. Usually I am just so exhausted I end up being kind of grumpy until I am showered and fed, but this time I was definitely on a high from my long run.
Oh except that my hair was in a huge knot. I was not excite about getting that thing out.
I am hoping that my tight calf was nothing and I was able to work out whatever knot was in there, but I will definitely mention it to my chiro this week. It still feels good although its a little sore to the touch (which sometimes happens when I massage out a knot). In general I am just making sure to recover as best I can.
I am feeling very grateful that I was able to complete that run and confident that it went as well as it did!
Have you ever had to cut a long run short?
How do you feel about running in the rain?
My 18 was a lot less eventful! I’ve never gone back and forth mentally like that over whether I should run. I can’t take the uncertainty! Also my runs are usually snuck into a time slot that doesn’t allow me to change my mind. Good for you to first come home and then go back out! That definitely takes se mental strength to make those decisions about an important long run!
I really hate the uncertainty…even during the week if I’m deciding if I should run or take a rest day it drives me crazy! Sometimes I would rather just make a decision either way to avoid the mental back-and-forth about it!
Ugh I hate those runs with the kinks in the beginning which make you think you may not finish. So glad you were able to! I don’t mind running in the rain aside from the hair messy knot situation but I don’t like running in pouring rain. I can usually handle a mist that turns into a heavy rain but setting out in heavy rain is very hard for me to do.
I think the heavy rain the beginning of this run made it tough to adjust! I would rather it start raining while I’m already out running.
And this pain was kind of weird in that if it felt the way it did at mile 3 I couldn’t have continued to run. I’m just glad it was able to magically disappear!
Good for you for getting back out there! I’m glad your calf is feeling better.
Thanks! Me too!
Wow. GOOD ON YOU for fighting for it. Seriously, I am so impressed (others might say it was stupid to go back out there if you were having a problem, but you obviously dealt with it!). And to do it in the rain… hot damn girl!
Thanks! I really don’t think I would have continued if it still hurt while I was running. There are certain aches that I will run through, but when something intense pops up I have learned its not worth it. But I sure am glad it went away and I was able to get the miles in!
I’m really proud of you for going back out because that takes a lot of courage to head back out to do something you aren’t 100% sure of. Especially in cold wet rain! I love running in the summer rain but not really in any other type bc it’s too cold!
Now that you’ve done that run, mentally you must feel so awesome!
Summer rain is so much better than fall/winter rain! And thanks! I was kind of like “well what else will I do with my time on a Saturday morning”. It’s crazy the things that distance runners find to be normal:)
Ugh you know i understand calf problems but I’m glad you worked it out and got all 20 in! It’s great that it was a positive experience for you in the end even though it didn’t start that way 🙂
Thanks! It is such a random issue but when it happens its really annoying. I totally feel for you having to deal with calf issues so much! I am very grateful for compression socks:)
Good for you to think it through, do the right thing for your body, and follow through with your goal when you felt it was okay to do so. That takes a lot of inner strength and discipline. Anyone who follows your blog knows you have that core of strength within you. Thanks for sharing your story–it is very uplifting and its principles can be used in all areas of our lives. I always take something useful away from your blog. Thank you. Have a great Monday.
Thank you so much! I wouldn’t want people to think that it is ok to run through pain- because that’s not what I did. I was lucky that I was able to fix the problem, but the hardest part was getting back out there when I wasn’t sure how things would feel. Thanks again for your nice comments!
Awesome job for the victory! Pain and rain…and you still conquered. Great job! Rain makes me want to stay inside and cozy up, which is why I’m so impressed w ya!!
Thank you! The rain was no fun but at least its better that snow/ice!
Wow, great job getting that done! Quick question with the watch…do you have to wear a heart rate monitor on every run to see your training effect?
Thanks! Yes the heart rate monitor is what helps to calculate the training effect. I don’t think you need to wear it on every run but the runs where you wear it you will be able to see it. Mine also calculates VO2 max and I think wearing the HR monitor all the time helps to better calculate that (but I’m not 100% sure how all that works:))
Ah I hate what rain does to my hair too! It’s a nightmare to get the knots out, and it seems no matter how much conditioner I put in my hair when I shower, the rat’s nest remains. Thankfully running in cool rain can be refreshing, otherwise I’d never venture out in it.
Great job on your 20 miler! There is no way I would’ve gone back outside for take 2 after coming inside with aching legs and rolling them out. That’s dedication 🙂
Thanks! And sorry I am just responding to this- I finally looked at my spam and realized a bunch of yours and others comments were hiding in there!
Great job on your 20 miler, even with some issues. I think I would’ve threw in the towel when I first came back home. Heck I probably wouldn’t have even went if it was raining. That’s some dedication!
I think the more I run through tough conditions the more I get used to it! Its hard to complain about the rain when I ran through such a terrible winter last year training for my spring marathon!
Whoo! Congrats on the 20-mile PR, nine minutes off is huge. Just imagine what you’ll do on race day when you hopefully don’t have any calf issues or rainy conditions to distract you!
Thank you! I sure hope I don’t have any of those issues on race day:)
Way to push through and overcome! I ran my 20 miler in similar conditions Saturday. It felt awesome when I was finished knowing what I had accomplished. You really accomplished something! Way to go! If you can do that, you can do anything!
That is so amazing that you ran 20 miles…and wasn’t it your first ever 20 mile run? In the rain? Um you deserve an award just for that. You seem like you were meant to train for marathons.
Wow, great 20-miler! That takes a lot of mental effort to run that long in itself, but then to add thinking you’re not going to run at all to running that many miles into the mix, just ramps up that mental effort even more. Congratulations on a job very well done 🙂 I don’t mind running in the rain if it’s just sprinkling, but if it’s pouring that’s a whole other story.
Thanks! It was definitely a challenge in so many ways. And sorry that I am just responding to this- I realized a bunch of real comments were in my spam folder!
Hooray for getting that 20 mile run done!!!
Bummer about the stomach issues and calf tightness – hope you don’t have any more issues with either.
I hate to run in the ran – I’m perfectly happy on my treadmill.
Thanks! I am hoping to figure out what to do to avoid the stomach issues and hopefully the calf tightness was a fluke!
I can’t stand the treadmill, so I would rather run in the rain:)
Congrats on getting it done and such a great pace. Sorry to hear about your tummy issues lately though. I hope whatever it is your chiro can get it back in ship shape for you! I love running in the rain as long as it’s a warm rain…I hate those cold rains! And the knot in your hair? That’s why I chopped mine off 🙂
Summer rain is so much better than cold gross wintery rain! I was happy it wasn’t any colder or I would have been really miserable. I really should chop off my hair, I complain about it all the time!