Run #69 - 10 miles (last of the "long" ones)

Hello all,

Well I ran my last long run on Saturday. IT was 10 miles and was the longest run I have done in 4 weeks. This worries me since I missed my 18 and 20 mile runs due to injuries. The longest run I have completed going into the Flying Pig is only 18 miles. Anyhow, Saturday morning I got up and ate a breakfast of wheat toast with peanut butter and honey on it and headed tot he dam where I run. A friend who is running the half marathon joined me (well we both met there and he ran faster than me). I started out with the dreaded "ascent" that I have talked about before. IT goes from the very bottom of the dam up and out over 2 spill ways. I wanted to put my knee and ankle to a final test. The run went well. I used the strategy that I am going to employ fort he pig, stopping about every mile or so (simulating water stations) to get a drink and start back up. Using this system, I was still a little slower than I hoped, but ran the fastest long run of my entire training to date. With no pain, I call it a successful run.

I am not into my last 3 taper runs before the pig on Sunday morning. I asked for 2 prayers. First for thanksgiving that I am healed enough to even run the marathon and second for everyone at church to say an extra prayer for me on Sunday at the start of service (10:00am). I figure I will be at about mile 18 at that point and will need all of the support I can get.

I also want to take a moment to thank anyone and everyone who has followed my writings and rantings in this blog. While I have been doing this as kind of a "keepsake" of my training for my first marathon, it has also been a way for me to have a kind of "accountability partner" since I did not have anyone to train with for the full marathon. Thanks everyone!!! I still have 3 runs to blog about as well as my marathon experience and recovery.

In Him,

Philippians 4:13