You Just Never Know

So, my training so far has been going so well...like, scary well.  Almost every run has felt great and every week I feel like I'm accomplishing what I set out to do.  I guess it was only a matter of time before a run came along to remind me that anything can happen, and it won't all be sunshine and roses.

Today I was up bright and early for my scheduled long run of 12 miles.  We own two houses (we don't WANT to own two houses...long story), and they just happen to be 11.5 miles apart.  Last night, I parked my car at our "old" house and stocked the fridge with post-run chocolate milk and gatorade.  My husband drove me back to the "new" house, which would be the starting point of my run this morning.  The plan was to run to the old house, add .5 miles somewhere, and get the 12 miles done.  What I failed to remember, however, was our "new house" is in a valley.  Our "old" house is also in a valley.  In between the two valleys is a small mountain range you have to cross (OK...I exaggerate only slightly calling it a mountain range...today it felt like the Himalayas).  I also failed to notice that the first 4 miles would be a gradual climb in elevation and the second 4 miles would be a very NOT gradual climb in elevation.

I felt pretty good the first 4 miles.  However, my right leg (hamstring?) was starting to give me a little pain by the end.  Starting the steep second 4 miles, it really started talking to me...so much so that miles 7 and 8 were half-running, half-walking. I have not had to stop and walk on a run, yet, this training period (other than potty breaks)...I can't even tell you how mentally punishing this was.  I was at the point in the run where it would be longer to turn around and go home, but it was soooo tempting.  I just kept trying to relax, let the music motivate me, and to remember the downhill coming up. 

I FINALLY crested the hill, started downhill and....woo-hoo!!!....oh, it felt good.

I was envisioning making up some of that lost time from when I was walking when, suddenly...a horrible ache started in my right side.  Not just a "side stitch", but a pain so fierce I was actually starting to wonder if I had appendicitis or something.  All the stopping and stretching in the world was not making it better.  So the last 3.5 miles were also run/walk mixes...and forget about making up the .5 to get to 12 miles.  I got to the "old" house and collapsed on the living room floor.  I cannot remember feeling so awful after a run (if I can even call it a run).

Of course, this plays with your mind.  You start thinking things like, "How will I ever run a marathon if I can't even run half the distance?" and other self-defeating thoughts.  But, now that I've had a chance to recover, I think I did one major thing wrong.  I know incorporating hills into your training is good, but maybe not so much on the long runs (not this extreme...anyway).  It's hard enough to get the distance done (speaking for myself) without throwing 8 miles uphill into the mix. 

The beautiful thing about running is that all runs are different.  The ugly thing about running is that all runs are different.  We never know what we are going to encounter after stepping out the door.  We can be mentally and physically prepared, but that's not going to ensure that all goes well.  All we can do is try to enjoy ourselves, learn from every good run and every bad run, and - above all - keep stepping out that door!