Nineteen (and nine) miles saturday

We do "long runs" on Saturdays in preparation for our upcoming marathon and half marathon. This past one was nineteen miles for me and nine for Jane. We lived to tell about it.

Fortunately we got out fairly early (though it's never as early as we intend). At 7:30am it was a mild mid-50sF, and wasn't crazy hot even when I got done around 11 (mid-70s). That can make such a difference.

I wore my white Brooks Ghost 14, size 9. I'm pretty sure I've decided on these for the actual marathon, so I likely won't wear them too many more times before then. They are not as cushioned as my other current shoes (New Balance 880s, and two pair of Brooks Glycerin 19s), so my feet don't swim quite so much in them. That helps with blisters (for me anyway).

I was happy enough with 3 1/2 hours. I should probably have tried to take a little longer. They say these long runs aren't about speed, but trying to spend time on your feet. So when I do twenty miles, they suggest taking as long as the marathon will take me. I expect it to be somewhere around 4 1/2 hours again, and I'm just not sure I want to take that long for a training run. If I can stretch it to four hours that may have to suffice.

About the only problem I had was my feet were getting sore, but I had no blisters and my legs don't feel too bad. I made myself go up and down the basement steps a number of times the rest of the day just to make sure.

Lately I've been taking baths in epsom salt, baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and about ten drops of lavender essential oil after my long runs. I soak for about twenty minutes. I don't know if it helps, but I don't think it hurts.

This week's long run is only twelve, then next week is the twenty, then I start to taper, doing twelve, then eight, and then the marathon. I'm ready for the taper now.

I talked to a friend on Sunday who had been training for a thing called the "triple crown." It's a 10k, half marathon, and 4-mile run all back to back. He said he was doing a long training run and just decided he was tired of it, so he's not going to do it now. I was like, "Yeah, that happens." I get tired of it too... But what else am I going to do? Plus, there's nothing like a race day!