Day 35 - First 20 Miler

Wow! Who would have thought I would be able to run 20? And I ran it the whole way, except when I had to stop home for some reason or other. So, I'm very proud of myself. And I'm still moving so no major issues.

This was a somewhat hard run. Everything that could happen was thrown my way to see whether I would quit. I twisted my ankle during Friday's run, my feet and legs were sore from Thursday's tempo fiasco, I am getting a cold and to top it all off, I have some symptoms related to women issues that I knew I had to deal with during this long run. In addition, there was a very hard rainstorm at Mile 2 and Mile 13. But I prevailed.

Stats:
Temp: 83-88F
Heat Index: 93-102F
Humidity: 82% - 73%
Dew Point: 76-78F
Goal Pace: 10:56 - 11:56mm
Pace: 12:54mm
Fuel: Gu Chomps every 2.5 miles, water at every mile, Gatorade after Mile 13

Here are the splits with some comments about the run:

Mile 1 - 12:42 (soaked already from the sweat. It's also 5am and I'm still somewhat asleep)
Mile 2 - 12:49 (rain starts falling down at the end of this Mile. Puddles start to form and I have to weave around them)
Mile 3 - 12:42 (rain falls harder, the whole complex is under 4-5 inches of water. I stop weaving because it's dark and there's nowhere to run. Shoes and socks get soaked)
Mile 4 - 12:51 (rain stopped at Mile 3 so the soaking actually helped me with the heat)
Mile 5 - 12:56 (I really don't know why I was so slow but throughout the whole run, I was barely able to keep the mile under 13mm, but it's hot)
Mile 6 - 13:02 (again I don't recall why I am slowing down since I'm a negative splitter. I'm running all soaked and squishy and I must be carrying 1lb of water in my pants alone)
Mile 7 - 12:44 (I stopped home, change everything including my socks, pick a fig newton, refill my water bottle and go out again)
Mile 8 - 13:06 (since I started running from zero having stopped at the house, it does not surprise me I was slower. But I picked up the Ipod and now I can run with my music. I decided to run another 7 outside the complex. The sun has come out but there are clouds, which is better than having the sun shine down on you)
Mile 9 - 12:58 (continue to run, the feeling that I want to walk starts arising inside me, I ignore it)
Mile 10 - 12:56 (I am feeling strong but tired. Cannot believe I'm only half way)
Mile 11 - 12:45 (a drizzle falls at some point in time but it stops)
Mile 12 - 12:47 (start the return trip to the complex to stop at the house at Mile 13 instead of 14)
Mile 13 - 12:30 (fastest mile of the run. I guess the prospect of going home and rest while I refilled the bottle and eat a fig newton was nice)
Mile 14 - 13:13 (I switched to Gatorade and leave the Nathan bottle behind)
Mile 15 - 13:09 (I want to walk badly. I keep ignoring it)
Mile 16 - 12:50 (I stop at the end of the Mile to drink Gatorade and rest a bit)
Mile 17 - 12:50 (Wanna walk, wanna walk, wanna walk, but no)
Mile 18 - 13:01 (stopped again to drink Gatorade and rest a bit. Gatorade is gone so I must stop by the house during the next mile. Sheesh, I drank 20 oz of Gatorade in 5 miles. It's still cloudy but I know it's hot if I am drinking that much)
Mile 19 - 13:08 (I stopped at the house, filled the Gatorade bottle again and went out for one last mile. I know I can do it. I still have not walked at all and I'm not going to start now, although when I was about to start the garmin I was debating whether to walk/run)
Mile 20 - 13:00 (And I'm done!)

I then walked 0.26 and went home. Ice bath, chocolate milk, and some fruit. Now I'm starving, so I must search for lunch.

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