The ice bath cometh, after 20 miles

I experienced what I have been reading about on May 1 -- that mental preparation to a challenging run is key. Case in point, I went to bed believing I was not going to be able to run on Saturday because it was supposed to be storming. However, I still had a pasta dinner because the forecast had changed so many times in the last 3 days, that I was going to prepare---just in case (plus I love pasta). When I checked the forecast once again at 10:30 or 11 PM, it was supposed to start raining around 4 AM and continue all morning. So I stayed up entirely too late (almost 1 AM).

When I woke up at nearly 8 AM because the dogs had to be let out, I was shocked that not only was it not raining, but it had not been raining. It was misty, however, and rain was threatening. Forecast was rain around 1 PM, so I thought if I could at least get 15 miles in, I would good. So I ate some leftover spaghetti, some eggs that Tarrus cooked, got my fuel belt ready (no icey bottles this week), my gels, and packed up. I got my body glide in all the right nooks and crannies (no chafing this week--yeah!!), and headed out the door.

I was feeling great after 10 miles, and thought the 3rd lap around the mountain would really start going downhill. But I practiced what I'd been told in a group run a few days prior to this about shuffling...shortening your stride to reduce the impact on your knees and legs. It worked because I only really starting feeling the pain in the 4th lap, and even then, it wasn't as bad as my 18 miler. Better than that, the rain held off (actually until Monday, just in time to mess up traffic--forecast was really off). I believe that the hills at Stone Mountain are actually better for me than the relatively flat course but uneven, edge-of-the-road pavement at Brookhaven. Plus Stone mountain has bathrooms and drinking fountains along the course, which is necessary when you are out there 4+ hours.

The cold water bath this time didn't help as much as previously, though I think that is because my trainer Shaka made me do legs on Wednesday and they were already sore from that. She killed with the lunges and squat/lunge combo, but her training is paying off, so I'm sticking with it. Plus she knows a lot of the cute guys at the gym! (ha, Tarrus, you reading this? I didn't think so!)