LONG.... slow... distance...

I ran 16 miles yesterday. WOW. That is indeed the farthest I have EVER run in my life, and the idea of tacking another 10 to that is quite scarey. I hurt yesterday! Talk about being OUT of the comfort zone - that was me. It was a tough, hilly course. Our coach said that this run was harder than the actual marthon. The other marathon veterans that were in earshot concurred. I hope they are right. My legs, my hips, my lower back hurt. I wanted to stretch, but truly feared that I would not be able to get up off the floor again.... I made it through - barely. 3:31:10 That was my time. SLOW 13:18 pace.

I knew before it started that it would not be a good run, and perhaps that was what did it for me... The marathon is supposed to be all mental right??? I got NO sleep the night before, I was NOT in a good mood and I was sick all last week... fighting off a cold with Zicam and battling diarhhea for three days straight. I was swigging Pepto before I left for the run... ANYWAY - I hope this is it for being sick. Yesterday I was WRECKED! This morning I made myself get up and walk the dog. It was a short jaunt in the BLIZZARD! The dog is late for a grooming and kept getting snow caught in her feet. I guess it must really hurt because she would limp desparately and fall over in the road as if on her death bed.... She's quite an actress...

Aside from my butt feeling like I squatted 500 lbs yesterday... I feel pretty good. I could always use some more sleep, and I will make myself get to bed tonight before I fall asleep in front of the TV! I know that SLEEPING IN is something I will never be able to do.

Next week we are running 17 miles. I hope the course will be the flat, rolling hill course as opposed to the Newton hills. I don't think I could stomach another bad run this close together. On the eating front, I haven't done too bad -- though I took a week off from the computer and didn't log my food. This week I am back to SPARKing and hope to see a nice loss at WW on Thursday. I could really use the mental boost! I am thinking about swimming tomorrow morning instead of the scheduled 6 miles... I think I really want to recover from this run and slowly ease into a 4 miler on Tuesday. I had thought about a track run, but the 18 inches we're supposed to get today should keep me inside for the next couple of weeks. SPRING where are YOU???