Longest run of 2022

COVID-19, “The Rona Era”

The mileage for Saturday’s long run from my running coach was between 13.1-14 miles. Last Saturday, I ran 11 miles. I haven’t run 13.1 since October of 2021 in the Portland Half Marathon in Portland, Oregon for state #47. Normally, the only time I would ran 13.1 miles is in a different state. I know for the next seven weeks, my mileage will probably go beyond 13.1 to prepare to run 26.2.

I want to stay healthy and be mindful of my knee and pelvic floor issues. Running early in the morning on the Boston Marathon route is a benefit to me. Since I run slower, I can take my time and get to the course before all the runners show up. Plus I can gauge an idea of what my true marathon time might be.

This morning I woke up at 5a.m. did some deep stretching, took two aleve, had some coffee, and peanut butter on rye bread. I packed water, energy jelly beans, a kind bar, and some gum to go on my fuel belt when I ran.

I arrived at the Mile 20 marker at 6:30a.m. I was hoping to get there by 6 a.m. I’ll try for a better time next time. I started my run up heartbreak hill towards Boston college. Instead of going through the college, I ran along the outside of campus gates towards the Chestnut hill Reservoir. From the Reservoir I continued my regular route towards Newton Center and Waban.

Today, I didn’t see a lot of runners out, at first. The 6:30-8:00a.m. time for running was quiet. I didn’t see many fuel tables set up with volunteers or community groups set up either. What is always reliable was the table set up by the firefighters at the firehouse. They had water, gatorade, and pretzels set up.

Before I ran to the firehouse, I was motivated to run. Once I passed the Newton-Wellsely Hospital, a female runner passed by me in her BAA jacket. I decided to let her be my pacer and follower her. I don’t think she had a clue what I was doing. I really don’t think she paid my ass any attention. From the stretch from the Hospital to the firehouse, I had a pacer.

At that point, when I saw her, I was running around the 9 mile mark. Up until that point my body felt good and strong. My knee wasn’t giving me a lot of problems. The pain was still there but it wasn’t so pronounced. I could feel a throbbing in my left lower calve. Kind of like a headache but a calve ache.

I knew to stop and walk 2-3minutes which helped. my game to myself was to drink water and eat something at every 3 mile marker. I had 4 markers and some change. That helped too.

I was surprised how well I could go up the inclines. I think I am building muscle memory.

Around this time, 9 miles, I started to see more people out on the route. The volunteers and community organizations were either setting up their fuels tables or they were already set up.

Looking at the bodies of runners, everyone had a stereotypical runner’s body shape. I saw the group of long, thin, legged white me running. White women with their pony tails and tall thin bodies.

There was a sprinkle of some body diversity and racial diversity. I think sprinkle might mean a drop. To my joy and surprise, I ran into, literally, two women from Black Girls Run on the course, Carla and Olivia. I was running in the direction towards Mile Marker 20 and they were running in the opposite direction. When I saw them from afar, I was happy to see two brown faces. Then I heard Hey Tiff. I looked then realized who they were. We both stopped and had to turn off our running trackers- that was a hot mess.

Once that was done, we hugged, smiled, and wanted to know what we were doing on the course. Olivia will be running Boston, Carla was there as a running buddy, and they didn’t know I might run. They just started and ran two miles. I was at 10.50 miles and had another 5k to go. Their goal was to run 14 miles today, and that was now going to be my goal too.

We hugged again, said be strong, and ran in our proper directions. When I reached Mile marker 20, I thought that would be a half marathon. But no, I was around the 12 mile mark and had to push another mile to get to 13, then turn around for 14.

That meant I had to run up heartbreak hill again. That was crap. But I did it. Slowly but I did it. More runners, groups of runners appeared on this part of the route. I ran towards Boston College and turned around.

On my turn around to go back to Mile marker 20, I saw another black women who said, keep it going girl. I smiled and gave her a thumbs up.

When I reached 14 miles, I walked the rest. I didn’t want to over run this morning.

Overall it was good. The first 7 miles I felt strong, then the next 7 had some mixed reviews. Still testing the waters.