If you are a runner you already know what I am talking about when you see: 3.1 (5K), 6.2 (10K), and 13.1 (half marathon). But 17? How does 17 fit into the picture? Well, 17 is my current milage for the Chicago Marathon training this October. As anyone who has ever ran or trained for a marathon would say, why are you running 17 miles when the marathon is months away? My answer would be, I am listening to my body and training for me while still being able to enjoy the summer. A couple years ago I was training for a marathon and I was over training by running 5 days a week. In addition, I tended to increased my milage by over 10% a week which is NOT recommended. Not only did this regiment make training difficult (personally, socially, mentally, and physically) but it also landed me in physical therapy by the end of it all. Now that I am back at the training game I have learned to not only listen to my body but to maintain a balance between my training schedule and my social life. I now increase my milage every other week for my long runs. This way I can not only have a day or two off during the week but a weekend off where the pressure of having a "long run" subsides.
Sunday mornings = long run and mine began at 5am. I made myself a peanut butter sandwich, stretched, and gathered my essentials...Water and GU!
On this particular run I searched high and low for my "runners high" and could not find it. It was a struggle. I knew physically I could run the 17 miles but on this particular day it just didn't click. Even though it was not my best run I am proud that I didn't stop and finished what I set out to do.
The best part about running the 17 miles, no matter how horrible it went, was the aftermath of a well deserved BRUNCH at LuLuBells Pancake House on Southport.
Brunch began with:
Biscuits N' Gravy
Followed by Corned Beef Hash
French Toast
Fruity Fit Crepe
And finally, the Farmer Omelet.
All this food was not just for me! I had a partner in crime. That partner in crime knew the owner of LuLuBells who then just kept brining us food "just to try". To say the least, I did not leave there hungry and was able to take plenty of the food home!
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