My 20 mile long run this morning was rough 🙁
I had to pee at mile 6…
my stomach started hurting around mile 8…
the “random” on my phone is not random at all and played Incubus so many times I finally stopped running dug my phone out and deleted the song all together…
I picked a bad route and ended up having to go uphill for too long around mile 16 (read” walk)…
and I totally psyched myself out half way through when I made the decision this wasn’t a good run.
When I realized I was going to end up run/walking the last 4 miles or so I contemplated just cutting it short and going home, but I thought that would be worse for my moral so I kept at it. It wasn’t fun, it took a long time, but I finished.
Before the run I fueled up with a bagel, AB and coffee. 
I took this gel with me. It was really good! I would definitely get it again. 
After the run I stopped at CVS for a bag of ice. I love it and hate it at the same time.
I made the best smoothie for breakfast! It’s a Peanut butter Banana Green Monster and I’m in love with this new combination.
In the mix:
– ice
– spinach
– chia seeds
– 1/4c peanut flour
– frozen banana
– 1.5 c Almond Milk
– xantham gum
Toppings: A lot of granola and cereals added as I was eating it 🙂
I didn’t feel full so I ate this bar too. Now I’m too full. I should have just waited a few minutes for my food to catch up with my body 🙁
The one thing I am happy to report about my long run today is – it’s my last long run for this marathon training schedule! Well, it’s my last long training run – I still have that whole 26.2 miles to do.
Despite today’s bad run I learned a lot in this training period. Running provides many life lessons that are helpful in real life.
Life Lessons I learned from Long Runs…
1. Sometimes all the stars align and you have the best day/run ever 🙂
But other times you crash and burn hard. You need to learn how to deal with both.
2. Running out of gas is the worst. Fuel well. Fuel often.
3. True friends stick with you for the long haul 🙂 
I loved running with fellow bloggers in Chicago! 
4. It’s okay to hate something that’s good for you. I moved away from MD because I wanted to avoid the cold. Now I’m taking ice baths? Irony. 
5. Sometimes you need to ask for help and that’s okay. Like the time Ben came and saved the day by picking me up on a super bad run (see “crash and burn” from #1).
6. Sometimes you have to suffer for your craft. 
But, chicks dig scars. Which is only a bonus if you’re into that sort of thing. 
7. Pray. Pray hard so you don’t have to make deals with the devil.
8. There’s no such thing as “All down hill from here” unless you live at the bottom of a hill and had to run 3 miles uphill first.
9. Sometimes a “thumbs up” or “Good morning” from a stranger can completely change your day (or run) for the better 🙂 Pass it on!
10. Just when you think you want to give up, you dig down deep and find a way to finish what you started. You kinda have to since you’re 26.2 miles from your car now…
I am so sick of my “shuffle”! It’s wonky I think. It plays the same songs, I swear. I have to skip a lot of the songs, which is distracting on runs!
you know what I love – that “long run” is subjective. And that according to my training plan, in the next few weeks I will find myself running longer distances than ever before (long distances that you, no doubt, would consider short runs).
If i said i wasnt a tad bit terrified I would be telling lies.
I know I can do it. I know that running a 15K will just be the start. I know that I am thankful for posts like this, and bloggers like you who show me that it IS possible. And enjoyable. and life changing. and worth it.
Isn’t it funny how people don’t want their music to actually be “random”?
They want completely different songs each time. Because with true randomness, you’ll get repetitive streaks. I’m the same way! I want totally different kinds of songs.
Congrats on a great run! 20 miles (no matter how hard) is a HUGE accomplishment!!! 🙂 🙂
So today on my run for the first time I got beeped at. It was by an old man. I felt so violated/ecstatic. Yay!/Ew.
Number five! It’s so hard to ask for help, no matter the situation. Congrats on finishing the run! Yay!!!!
I really admire you for how far you can go and how far you can push yourself. It’s pretty impressive. And thanks for sharing all those lessons you learned! 🙂
I was thinking about you this morning on my 7 miler and how i hoped you were doing well! despite the fact you didn’t feel well, you still did absolutely great! i don’t know i would have been able to push through it. i wanted to walk 1/2 my 7 today…stupid IT band…made my leg go almost numb (is this weird? not right? i’ve never had this injury before)…
alas, great job monica! and that smoothie looks great!
Love the tips! You made it through 20 miles and that’s the most important thing. I have 16 tomorrow, and I’m trying to get excited for it. this mini heat wave is killing me though- I want fall!!
Tip #9 is my favorite! It’s so true. I ran past a lady one time and she said, “Keep going! You’re doing great!” (Or something close to that.) I thanked her because it totally made me feel like continuing (I usually feel like giving up at any given moment!).
love this post! glad you made it through the run. it’s only going to make you tougher 🙂
and having to pee so early in a long run was the story of my last marathon training! sooooooooooo annoying!
Even though it was a bad run for you, I really admire how far you can go/push yourself.
Thanks for the report! I had the worst long run today too – only I gave up…I feel super cruddy about it too – I am drownding my sorrows in Pumkin Spiced Lattes. I want to go back out and try again tonight/tomorrow morning.
I thought running had taught me a few lessons…then I started marathon training. I’ve been schooled! 18 weeks of training has a way a teaching you so much about your body and your mind. I have my last long training run tomorrow…26.2 is just around the corner!
All of those are so true. Getting through all of the bad runs (mentally and physically) is what really prepares you for a marathon.
I had a smoothie bowl when I finished my 18 mile run this morning. Soooo good. Cold nutrients are the best kind of nutrients after a loooong and hot run.
Good tips. I am glad you made it through your run today, even though it may have been torture 🙂