18 - DONE!!

I am back from the 18 mile run. The first 5 were great, the second five I started having foot pain (that kind in the ball of your foot that runs into the toes), the third five I felt better and the last 3 just really sucked. My goal was to finish in 4 hours and I finished in exactly 4 hours (no joke!) That's a 13:33 pace --- SLOW, but honestly it was 15 degrees when I started and the wind was blowing at a pretty good rate. I am just glad to have this OVER - you don't know how much of a psychological brick has been lifted.

Now I assess what's hurt. My feet are SORE - crampy mostly. My calves are MOOOOOing though only when I go up stairs. My cough is just awful - I really hope I don't have bronchitis - you know that raspy sort of - can't take a deep breath kind of cough?? Maybe it was just breathing sub-freezing air for 4 hours... I hope a hot shower will help, which is where I am headed now. Just needed the kettle to boil so I could make some tea!

Next week is the RUN TO REMEMBER on Sunday so I am SO good training-wise until 3/18 when I have to do the GRUELING 16 miler in Grafton... How can I even think about that now? I am erasing it from my memory for at least the next 10 days... REST and reasonable runs await!