That really happened.

You really did drink a few beers and barely eat dinner and then ran 21 miles the next morning.

You really did make it through all 21 miles with a right groin/adductor muscle pain that made you worry the previous 4 days whether you would be able to run at all.

You really did run at an easy pace for the first 10 miles, then speeded up so that the last 8 were fast. FAST.

You really did run better and more comfortably in those faster miles, with the groin pain fading significantly as you ran more.

You really did have the thought that if you just added 5.2 more miles, which didn't seem like it would be a problem, you would have PR'd your 26.2 time.

You really did exercise restraint, being smart and stopping at 21.

You really did fuel and hydrate well. Remember what you did.
You really did run strong and run well. Remember what you did.
You really did blow that run out of the water. That really happened.

40

This is what it looks like.

My sister and I celebrated our birthday with a fun night out with great friends. Despite my feet being WORKED by the super high heels I wore, I peeled myself out of bed this morning for a cool, crisp, sunny 10 mile run and then worked at the running store.

A good swim Friday, a 15 miler and lunch with my family yesterday, and then an awesome night with friends and a solid run today. Finished my 30's on a good note and got my 40's started pretty well.

No, that doesn't mean I'm going to stop telling people I'm 34.

20 miles of burn

I ran 20 miles on Sunday.  2 miles were easy on my way to the start line of the LBI 18 Mile Run.  The temps were ok (mid 60's), but the sun was warm at the 10:30am start.  My plan for this race, rather than trying to better my PR,  was to just log the 20 miles for the day.  2 before, then run easy for the first half and pick up the pace for the second half.  Total of 20 miles -- the longest I've run since May of 2010. 

My sister and I ran the first 13 miles of the race together.  We kept the pace easy and comfortable.  At the 13 mile mark/water stop, though, I felt a weird stabby pain in my left lower front side.  A cramp?  Maybe -- but it didn't feel like a normal cramp.  Whatever it was, it stayed with me for the duration of the race.  WTH!? I tried taking in fluids and then fuel.  I tried stretching it out.  I had to stop and walk just to catch my breath each time the pain returned.  I might fade momentarily, but it kept hanging in there and taking my breath away.  SO FRUSTRATING!!  The sun was hot, but I was feeling ok otherwise.  I had just run 18 miles solidly two weeks ago, and here I was having trouble with the last 5 miles of this race.  AGH!

Maybe because I wasn't trying to run a certain time, or maybe because I knew I was already 15 miles into my run at that 13 mile mark, or maybe because I kept thinking it would go away, I never got dejected about this speedbump.  Frustrated, yes, but not dejected.  Pissed, confused, frustrated, but not down and out.  The last five miles of the race, which were really miles 15-20 of the complete run, were slow and tough, but I finished strong and felt good about getting that 20 miles done. 

And when I got home, I jumped right in the ocean with my running clothes still on.  My nephew watched from the beach and asked why I was just standing there.  I told him this was my ice bath and I wanted my legs to take in the cold water.  He decided not to join me, so I dunked my head under the waves and then headed home. When I stripped off my top, my sister noticed my sunburn.

I had put SPF on before the race, and yet I still got sunburned. Huh. Shocker. I had another race day with warm temps and full sunshine.

Ideal temperature

50-55* 

That's it -- and I'd say closer to that 50* mark. 

I've run a lot of miles this week.  My legs should feel workd.  As the weekend approached, the temps dropped.  I ran 15 yesterday morning, and followed that with 10 miles today.  Both runs felt great.  Low temps, solid running. 

It's amazing just how drastically warmer temps and humidity kill my running, and how much better I feel in temps in the low 50's. 

I read somewhere that 55* is the ideal temp for cold therapy after physical activity.  In other words, directly applying ice can be too cold -- it stops the blood flow to the area, which is why you limit it to 20 minutes.  You then take anti-inflamatories to prevent swelling when the blood flow returns.  On the flip side, we don't use heat therapy to help recover from activity.  Apparently, 55* is the ideal temp -- it's cool enough to decrease the blood flow to the area while still allowing the flow of the capillaries -- thereby reducing the possibility of swelling. 

Scientific, yes.  How accurate is that?  I'm not sure.  But what I do know is that my muscles, my legs, my body run better in cool temps -- and that 50* mark seems like the best one for me.  Yesterday and today were strong arguments for that. 

Now if I could just get an ideal temperature day for my goal, distance races!