Today’s run was the culmination of a 30-mile week, my longest ever, 14 miles at long run pace (10:35-10:45). I did 5 miles on Monday, 7 on Wednesday (with some speed work) and 4 on Friday. I was lucky enough to be joined today by 2 ladies from Team Roadblock, Row and Jess! Row started with us and Jess ran 10 of my 14 with me. It’s so nice having someone to run with, definitely keeps me going and on pace, and makes the time go much faster!

It was a hot one again today, as has been the case all summer long. We started at 7:00, but it was already about 72 degrees when we started, the humidity in the high 80’s. I’m beginning to forget what it feels like to run in cool dry weather, October is going to be such a relief!

I’ve been working on adjusting my fueling lately with these long runs, trying to figure out what works best for me. I know that if I take some fuel a little earlier (around 45 minutes) I seem to do better. Today I took one around 45 minutes (about 4.4 miles), and then a second at 10 miles (about an hour and 45 minutes). The end of today’s run was pretty rough. Perhaps I waited too long for that second Gu…..

My legs were tired today. Those first 10 miles went pretty well, and I felt like Jess and I were pretty well on pace. We stopped at that point, for her to leave and me to take off my hydration vest (which once again ate a nice spot on my collarbone). I then set off to finish my last 4 miles. I’m not sure if it was the fatigue, or the fact that I had taken a longer break and lost my mojo a bit, but I’m pretty sure those last 4 miles were so difficult for more mental reasons more than anything.

So much of running is mental, which I have talked about here before. I got some pretty disheartening news yesterday about my job, and so of course that’s all that’s been on my mind since. During my run was no exception, except that I had Jess to distract me during the first 10. Left to my own devices on the last 4, my mind of course went back to that worry. At around 12½ miles I finally just had to stop for a few minutes. I stopped my watch, set down my phone on the bridge railing, stretched a little and caught my breath. I only had a mile and a half to go, but it just seemed insurmountable today. I finished that last mile and a half, with a couple more walk breaks, but I finished! They were some of the hardest miles I think I’ve ever run. When I was done I laid in the grass and propped my feet up on the hood of my car. Lying there I thought about all I had accomplished, in life in general, in running and at work. I drug myself out of the funk, got up and stretched, and went home, proud that I had fought through and finished the 14 today.

Running does so much for my mental health. I really needed today’s miles to clear my head, and it did just that. It also reminded me that I’m tougher than I give myself credit for. And of course made me proud that I ran 30 miles in one week! Fingers crossed for an easier recovery week next week lol!!