Through Rain and Sweat

Mission accomplished. Our first (and only?) twenty-mile training run is in the books. We signed up for and completed the Bear Water Run this past Saturday. The run took us around White Bear Lake two times, with a good mixture of hills. It was a touch muggy and rained for a portion of the run, but for the most part, the weather conditions were optimal for running.

In regards to the run, it was the same story as most of my other long training runs. Everything hurt at one time or another and it was another game of mind over matter. This will be the farthest we run until the marathon and I am excited to scale back the training runs until the big day.

Up until Saturday morning, I was convinced that I wasn't going to be able to finish the run. My left knee had been in pain all week and didn't seem to get much better. I went to visit a chiropractor and she taught me about muscles in my legs that I didn't know existed. She almost saw a grown man cry but my legs were very, very loose after our session. I have to say it did wonders. I had some dull knee pain through mile 12, but after that, it felt better than it had all week. I can't explain it and it doesn't make any sense why it would feel better AFTER 12 miles of running, but it did. There has been zero pain following the run and I am pretty pumped about that.

I wrote earlier that I expect to be catered to following long races. The folks that set up the Bear Water Run know what they are doing. Once you cross the finish line, there is water and Gatorade within steps. They also had a nice spread of bagels, fruit, and coffee. I also tried a jalapeno pickle-sickle (jalalpeno-pickle flavored Icee) which was as bad as one would assume.

My favorite quote from the run was produced by my wife. We were around mile 18 and the dialogue went something like this:

Steve: "Do you want to chat?"
Kelly: "Not really."
Steve: "Do you mind if just talk, you can listen?"
Kelly: "I am too tired to listen." She was serious.

Thanks to Dennis and Jean for showing up and supporting us. I will make sure to add those photos to my modeling portfolio....Nothing hotter than rain and sweat-soaked clothes clinging to this girlish figure.

Three weeks until show time.