As I mentioned before, today was my official long run day. I set out for 16 miles and actually completed all 16! Don’t get me wrong, I walked every now and then, but I finished the distance. I set my alarm for 7 and rolled out of bed at 7:30. Looking back, I probably should have shot for earlier since Dallas is warming up (today’s supposed to be 89!).
My stats from today’s run are not exact. As I finished the 16th mile, I turned my Nike Plus off to stop the workout and my ipod decided to completely restart! Thus, erasing all the mileage I just completed. At that point, I was so tired I almost burst into tears. I hate my ipod! So unreliable! Luckily, I was wearing my heart rate monitor so I have an idea of the exact time. Here are the stats (I think):
Marathon Training: Week 14
- Distance: 16.00 miles
- Pace: 8:25 min/sec (maybe a little more…? less?)
- Time: 2 hours 25 minutes (maybe..)
- Calories: 1, 114
Not too shabby! I’m just happy I got it done. I have a tendency to get really worked up about keeping a fast pace during my runs. I read an interesting article in this month’s Runner’s World that said, “you’re training to race, not racing to train.” Long distance runs are incredibly important when working up to a marathon, so I tried to keep the distance I was running in mind. Don’t get me wrong, I still checked my pace almost every minute because I’d love to run 16 miles at an 8:00 min/mile pace (and I’m crazy). But, especially since today was my first day back to long runs, I tried to concentrate on the distance.
During the run, I came across some challenges most long distance runners face. First up:
Runny Nose
Usually, I’m sniffing constantly during a run. I know a lot of runner’s just get rid of the runnyness by, this is gross, snot rockets (is there another term?). Basically, closing one nostril and shooting the, um, snot out of the other nose. I never do this during runs, or any other time in my life. I just feel like I’m being gross or not ladylike? I decided today I was sick of being ladylike so snot rockets here I come!
I tried them out a few times during the run and overall, they were more or less a success. I’m pretty sure some landed on my shirt, maybe my shoulder, but I have bigger problems to worry about during these runs.
If you’re a runner, how do you handle the runny nose situation?
Spitting
Yet another unladylike part of running. I’m not sure if I’m getting sick (please no!), or if it’s allergies, but I’ve been a little stuffed up the past few days. Spitting is another thing I usually try to stay away from because, well, it’s gross. Today, I reached a point where I was okay with spitting. I’m not sure what the proper technique is so I just throw it out there. Which is totally gross.
Today, it was okay since I was pretty much alone on the trail. During a race? Not so much. So we’ll see what happens….
Bugs
Bugs are a little out of your control. But they’re still super irritating! So far, Dallas hasn’t been overly buggy, but Chicago summers definitely were! I remember heading out for my 20 mile run when I was training for the Chicago Marathon a couple years back. It was kind of a humid, summer day so the bugs were out in full force. This time around, I had chose to run therefore train for the race by myself. The year before I trained with Team in Training. It’s definitely easier to train with other people!
Anyway, I was out on my brutal run and swear had ran into like, 200 bugs. I wear contacts so I could feel bugs hitting my eyes, but couldn’t mess with my eyes too much or I wouldn’t be able to see! When I finished the run, I was pretty sure I had swallowed at least 30 bugs. I walked in the apartment and asked Cliff if there were any bugs in my eyes. His response? “Oh my god! Yeah!”
Being completely exhausted at that point, I started sobbing. I checked my eyes and sure enough there were several black bugs in my eyes…gross! This really has nothing to do with runner’s etiquette, it’s just a gripe :).
Shirtless Running
As I mentioned before, Dallas has started to warm up. Around the 13 mile mark, I took my shirt off. I’ve never done that before! I know it’s not a big deal, (I’m obviously wearing a sports bra), but I still felt uncomfortable. The trail was mostly empty but every now and then someone would run, walk, or bike by. Every time they did I felt like throwing my shirt back on! You’d think I was running around naked.
I tried to remind myself that I am hot (literally, sweating, red face…really hot). There was only 1 water fountain on the trail (and I didn’t bring any), so I was also feeling very dehydrated. Although I didn’t want to offend anyone with my shirtless running, I also didn’t want to pass out from heat exhaustion. So, shirtless it was!
If you’re a runner, do you struggle with proper running etiquette? What does it mean to you?
During the 2 hours I had to myself, I also re-discovered a great power song! Eminem’s “Lose Yourself.” There’s something about it that’s incredibly motivating. If you need a new power song, try it out!
Nice pace! My nose always gets super drippy. I do a lot of wiping snot across my face LOL. During the summer it’s easily disguised as plain old sweat though. Yuck right 😉 I don’t think I could do the snot rockets. I have had to spit before – usually when swallowing a bug.
haha ya whatever. if I’m running long distances, I’m usually over not being gross or “looking good” so ya im sure mixed in with sweat is snot…pretty sexy!
I just discovered this song a few weeks ago and it is definitely on my workout playlist!
I also feel like I struggle with a little bit of running etiquette…it was snowing last Saturday where I live and I needed to get in my ten miler…so I went to the community center in my town and chose to run on the treadmill…however, there were signs EVERYWHERE that said, “30 minute limit for all cardio machines.” I felt really bad for taking up three times that many minutes, but there were still some open machines, so I thought it was okay!
I’ve done the exact same thing! First of all, congrats on getting through 10 miles on a treadmill, that’s rough! While I lived in chicago it was super crappy outside so our group run got canceled, so I ran 12 miles on the treadmill! I felt kinda bad too….but until a line started forming, I assumed I was ok! haha
Yay for an awesome run to start your weekend! I haven’t done a snot rocket, but I would if I really needed to. I definitely have runny nose and wipe it on my shirt sometimes. Or my hand and then my shirt. 🙂 So gross. I do spit – usually right when I stop running. I think it is the allergies! The bugs annoy the crap out of me, I can’t imagine how many I’ve eaten and inhaled. I rarely run without my shirt, but I think its necessary when it’s super hot on a long run. I do hot yoga with just a sports bra.
I LOLed when I read snot rocket. God – my dad used to do that and it was disgusting – and it was not even when he was running – ick!
That’s awesome on your long run btw!
haha ew! thats so funny! one of my friends (yes, a girl) does it all the time it’s so gross!! ya and not while running…just walking around. haha sick.
I’ve only taken my shirt off while running once, and I was uber uncomfortable about it. I know it’s no big deal – heck, I wear less in a bathing suit, but I felt like one of “those” girls!! 🙂
hah ya good point! my bathing suits are way skimpier….but i feel like im ‘showing off’ or something…not that there’s a lot to show off…ha but it’s just weird!
Good job on the run! I struggle with proper running etiquette. I am always so in the zone when I run that I don’t make eye contact usually with passerby and this is awkward when other runners try saying hi or waving. It’s weird because when I’m running my breathing is not audible so people will think I’m just out on an easy run but really I’m dying so when they say hi and expect me to reply I really can’t do more than grunt!
hah ya when runners run by me sometimes (depending on where I’m at in the run) ill say hi..other times im sure i look like i wanna die so i dont even bother. they probably wouldnt either based on the painful look on my face hah
Nice post! I’ve extracted the section on ‘running shirtless’ as a useful object lesson for inclusion on my blog, Running Shirtless.
Tell me what you think (feel free to agree vehemently with everything it stands for)!
Best
Thomas
yay thats awesome! thanks for featuring my little awkward experience on your blog!!
Sexual jokes aside I wouldn’t care even if women ran completely shirtless so no biggie about just running in a sports bra.
Excellent run! Keep up the good work.
thanks for the comment! i see women all the time in the gym, running, etc. in sports bra’s and i never feel uncomfortable (maybe jealous sometimes if they have rockin abs) so i know it’s not a big deal. its just a little weird at first i guess ha. thanks for the comment!
Thank you for your comments on running shirtless. I have been overweight for most of my adult life. This past year I dedicated myself to working out and eating right (as of this morning I hit the 30 lb loss mark!). Anyway, we have a trail by our house that I have been running on. It has been very hot here recently and the other day I built up the courage to take off my shirt. I decided that I had worked hard on my weight loss and figured that I deserved to be able to run in what makes me comfortable (I actually achieved my best time with my shirt off!). Thanks again!
thats awesome!! congrats to you on all that weight loss you must be so proud of yourself! u should definitely run around shirtless haha u worked hard!