Sunday, December 31, 2006
14 Miles: A Damp Affair
Today's Run: 14.13
Run Time: 2:34:04
Total Miles to Date: 227.1
Thoughts on the Run:
The prospects didn't look good for my record run today. My ITB was tender last night, so I iced it frequently. I went to bed at around 10:30pm and let my body wake me up. I did not wake up until 9:30am ... guess I needed the rest.
The forecast was spot-on. It was raining. Pouring rain. Fortunately, at 59 degrees, the temperature was fine.
I decided this was my chance. I was going to go for it. So, I loaded up my supplies and set out to a local park. The park has a 1/2 mile track. This way, I could loop around the track and never be far from the car if I felt I was injuring myself or pulled anything.
I got to the park and sat in the truck and stared at the rivers of water pouring from the track. The drainage there was not so good. Fortunately, at the start of the loop, they had a small covered area with cubbys. I put clean, dry socks and packets of Amino and CLIP (a meal replacement for runs - Amino has trace branched-chain amino acids while CLIP has protein, fat, and carbs) along with my bottle there. I wouldn't have to run with my pack, I could just refuel at the cubby.
I stepped onto the wet track and began to run.
The first loop was miserable. I found out quickly that the dry socks were a waste of time. The track had several spots that were ankle deep and one area that came well above my ankle with water. My shoes would just be soaked throughout the run. The rain also showed no signs up letting up and pelted me.
It was enough to make an excuse and call it quits. But you know me, don't you? No way. Unless I was hurt, I was not going to stop.
About two miles in, my ITB began to ache. It was then I had a choice. This was it - my last run of the year, a record run, a big opportunity to close out 2006. But I'm no idiot and I'm not about to hurt myself more. So what did I do?
I turned to my faith. I prayed. I asked the Lord to guide me. This run is not about showing off and glory, but the humility required to run 28 loops in a circle in the rain. Believe me, it takes swallowing some pride to splash through the puddles and slog through the water. I also wanted to take the time to pray and reflect, as there were no headphones and no music on the run. So, I decided, if my pain persisted, so be it - the run was over. If it went away, then I would push ahead no matter how miserable or how long I was out there.
The pain lifted.
So I plodded on.
I would drink 8oz of fluids mixed with my meal replacements every 2 miles. That's 4 loops. So I took the run 4 loops at a time. 1 ... 2 ... 3 ... 4. Then I'd pause, take a drink, and continue.
After the bottle was empty, I grabbed it and jogged to the drinking fountain. Busted! No water there. So I jogged to the center of the loop where the bathrooms were, hoping one would be open. It was. I got to duck in out of the rain and fill my bottle with tap water. Then it was back on the track.
For 28 loops I pounded that pavement in the rain, and then I was 4 loops away. And then 3. And then 2. I began thanking God for this opportunity - never before had I had the chance to experience something like this, to push myself so hard and so far but do it simply by taking one step in front of the other and repeating over and over. Then the last loop, and then it was over. I stopped to stretch, got in the truck, and then the tears began streaming. It hits me every time I do something that in the back of my mind I've doubted if possible.
As it turned out, I set out to do a pace of 12-minute miles. I ended up averaging 11-minute miles, and that includes stopping to drink every 2 miles and then having to refill my bottle and shake a new shake every 4 miles. I did not stop the clock for that. Here were my splits:
1 Mi 9:59 9:59
2 Mi 21:27 11:28
3 Mi 31:49 10:22
4 Mi 43:38 11:49
5 Mi 55:13 11:35
6 Mi 1:07:50 12:37
7 Mi 1:18:24 10:34
8 Mi 1:29:49 11:25
9 Mi 1:40:03 10:14
10 Mi 1:49:45 9:42
11 Mi 2:01:39 11:54
12 Mi 2:12:56 11:17
13 Mi 2:23:32 10:36
14 Mi 2:33:41 10:09
14.13 Mi 2:35:03 10:31
WOW! What an experience. What a way to end the year.
Everyone, have a safe and fun New Year - and have a blessed, abundant, and prosperous 2007!
Warmly,
Jeremy Likness
Run Time: 2:34:04
Total Miles to Date: 227.1
Thoughts on the Run:
The prospects didn't look good for my record run today. My ITB was tender last night, so I iced it frequently. I went to bed at around 10:30pm and let my body wake me up. I did not wake up until 9:30am ... guess I needed the rest.
The forecast was spot-on. It was raining. Pouring rain. Fortunately, at 59 degrees, the temperature was fine.
I decided this was my chance. I was going to go for it. So, I loaded up my supplies and set out to a local park. The park has a 1/2 mile track. This way, I could loop around the track and never be far from the car if I felt I was injuring myself or pulled anything.
I got to the park and sat in the truck and stared at the rivers of water pouring from the track. The drainage there was not so good. Fortunately, at the start of the loop, they had a small covered area with cubbys. I put clean, dry socks and packets of Amino and CLIP (a meal replacement for runs - Amino has trace branched-chain amino acids while CLIP has protein, fat, and carbs) along with my bottle there. I wouldn't have to run with my pack, I could just refuel at the cubby.
I stepped onto the wet track and began to run.
The first loop was miserable. I found out quickly that the dry socks were a waste of time. The track had several spots that were ankle deep and one area that came well above my ankle with water. My shoes would just be soaked throughout the run. The rain also showed no signs up letting up and pelted me.
It was enough to make an excuse and call it quits. But you know me, don't you? No way. Unless I was hurt, I was not going to stop.
About two miles in, my ITB began to ache. It was then I had a choice. This was it - my last run of the year, a record run, a big opportunity to close out 2006. But I'm no idiot and I'm not about to hurt myself more. So what did I do?
I turned to my faith. I prayed. I asked the Lord to guide me. This run is not about showing off and glory, but the humility required to run 28 loops in a circle in the rain. Believe me, it takes swallowing some pride to splash through the puddles and slog through the water. I also wanted to take the time to pray and reflect, as there were no headphones and no music on the run. So, I decided, if my pain persisted, so be it - the run was over. If it went away, then I would push ahead no matter how miserable or how long I was out there.
The pain lifted.
So I plodded on.
I would drink 8oz of fluids mixed with my meal replacements every 2 miles. That's 4 loops. So I took the run 4 loops at a time. 1 ... 2 ... 3 ... 4. Then I'd pause, take a drink, and continue.
After the bottle was empty, I grabbed it and jogged to the drinking fountain. Busted! No water there. So I jogged to the center of the loop where the bathrooms were, hoping one would be open. It was. I got to duck in out of the rain and fill my bottle with tap water. Then it was back on the track.
For 28 loops I pounded that pavement in the rain, and then I was 4 loops away. And then 3. And then 2. I began thanking God for this opportunity - never before had I had the chance to experience something like this, to push myself so hard and so far but do it simply by taking one step in front of the other and repeating over and over. Then the last loop, and then it was over. I stopped to stretch, got in the truck, and then the tears began streaming. It hits me every time I do something that in the back of my mind I've doubted if possible.
As it turned out, I set out to do a pace of 12-minute miles. I ended up averaging 11-minute miles, and that includes stopping to drink every 2 miles and then having to refill my bottle and shake a new shake every 4 miles. I did not stop the clock for that. Here were my splits:
1 Mi 9:59 9:59
2 Mi 21:27 11:28
3 Mi 31:49 10:22
4 Mi 43:38 11:49
5 Mi 55:13 11:35
6 Mi 1:07:50 12:37
7 Mi 1:18:24 10:34
8 Mi 1:29:49 11:25
9 Mi 1:40:03 10:14
10 Mi 1:49:45 9:42
11 Mi 2:01:39 11:54
12 Mi 2:12:56 11:17
13 Mi 2:23:32 10:36
14 Mi 2:33:41 10:09
14.13 Mi 2:35:03 10:31
WOW! What an experience. What a way to end the year.
Everyone, have a safe and fun New Year - and have a blessed, abundant, and prosperous 2007!
Warmly,
Jeremy Likness
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