Week #12 - Day 3

Today was my long run and the first of two scheduled 18 mile runs. I'm happy to report that I managed to complete the entire 18 miles, in just under 3 hours (2:59:45 - 9:59 mile pace). But I did continue running for another minute or so, just so I could say that I've now run for over 3 straight hours. Yeah, it's not exactly the most exciting 3 hours someone could spend, but it's part of the training.

I headed south on the towpath, and given the great weather conditions (low 70s and mostly sunny), there were a ton of people out. Fortunately I did not get run over or cut off by anyone, though there are plenty of annoying bikers who just stop on the towpath and don't even look when they're starting to get going again. But anyways, I went from mile marker 17 down to 27 and then turned back and finished my 8 miles and gave myself 2 miles to walk as a cool down. And it seems to have helped to have the long walk since I'm not quite as sore as usual. I was getting pretty worn down the last 3 miles, but it helped to think that it would take me a couple hours to get back if I decided to walk it.

So just under 4 weeks left to go. This coming week will be my last full week as I start cutting back on week 14, for which my "long run" will be the Buckeye Half Marathon in Cuyahoga Falls, OH.