run_feetup_editAs one would expect, with marathon training comes long runs. And I mean loooong runs. Runs so long that even right before you start them you aren’t actually positive you will be able to finish. Runs so long that you have to eat actual food during the run so your body doesn’t totally shut down on you. Runs so long that my boyfriend could sleep in, make a full scrambled eggs and bacon breakfast, do a few loads of laundry and change the oil in his car all while I am STILL running. Theoretically, anyway…

But the funny thing about long runs is that as the training progresses, your concept of what a “long run” is changes over time. When I started the program, I would have probably told you an hour was a long run. Then that became two hours, then two and a half hours.

The other day when I was running with the team someone actually said, “Well our next long run is ONLY three hours.” To which we all happily nodded in agreement before the realization sunk in that we are all sick. Really, really sick.

The UofC Marathon Training Program is structured so that you build up your endurance slowly, with the Saturday runs alternating between a longer and a shorter run, with the times of both progressively increasing every few weeks. The program started in March and by April our longest run was 75 minutes. By June, we were running a half-marathon. The first time I ran for three hours, it was almost the end of July. Training up until that point was tough but comfortable. Difficult, but not painful.

But when it came to running 3 hours, then 3:20, and 3:40, I seemed to hit my wall. By the end of each run I was struggling. Struggling with my knees, feet, ankles or any other various body parts that decided they were just too tired that day. When I told my coach this she said, “Well if it was easy, everyone would do it.” Touché Colleen, touché.

But she then gave me a few new exercises to work on my joints and some expert recovery tips, because she’s the best.

Our most recent long run was last Saturday. It also happened to be the longest run we will do before the actual marathon. We were scheduled to run four hours or 39km, whichever came first. Since I knew there was no way I would be able to run 39km in four hours, I knew that four hours would be my goal.

When we woke up the morning of the run, it was pouring rain and forecast for the morning showed only more to come. Since I haven’t actually had to run in the rain yet, I wasn’t totally prepared but I picked the warmest and most-waterproof of my non-waterproof running gear, collected myself and set off for the Glenmore reservoir. After all, the team runs rain or shine.

The first hour was a little miserable but once your clothes are soaked through and you can’t actually get any more wet, somehow the rain starts to concern you less and less. As with all of our long runs, our coaches were stationed along the route in cars or on bikes ready to give you water, food or a pep talk when needed. Often, the pep talk is the most important part.

The plan was to run two full loops of the reservoir and after the first, despite the rain, I felt great. I pushed through to hour three and amazingly still felt great. The knee pain that usually takes over at about 2:45 was absent. The foot pain that usually shows up at 3:15 missed the memo that we were running that day. And when I passed Coach Colleen with 10 minutes left and I was offered a ride to the coffee shop, I turned it down.

I woke up last Saturday feeling pretty darn sour about having to run in the rain and without teammates who were expecting me to be there that morning, there is a good chance I wouldn’t have gone. And in that case I would have missed one of the strongest and most satisfying runs I have done all year.

You just never know what day will be your best day, especially if you don’t go.

P.S. As you can probably tell by the sun and blue sky, the photo with this blog was NOT taken last Saturday. While worrying about the rain I forgot to take one. This photo is from a previous long run and is of me, spending a few minutes with my feet in the air, which aids in recovery after putting in those long miles.