30 on 30: 20 mile training run
link to detailed run information
20 mile run yesterday was a little nerve racking. I woke up knowing I had to do it but not sure what was going to happen. I planned on running the route that I knew would take me to my final destination on my birthday.
I had part of the mapped out run when I did my 16 mile run but did not go the distance exactly because I didn’t have someone to pick me up. This time I did. I woke up around 730-745 am and had a bowl of cereal for my pre workout nutrition. I am always a little nervous about having too much food and not having a bathroom on the way.
So I looked up on google maps about my final destination and backtracked to where it would be 20 mile distance. It showed that I would be getting to somewhere near fashion valley. So I wrote down on paper where I needed to go and used that for my reference instead of my phone.
As it was nearing my time to leave for the run which was 9am. I prepared my gatorade and was thinking about what I was going to use as fuel. I was out of gels and needed something to replenish the lost salts and needed calories to get into my system over this long run. I made myself a P90X Recovery drink and added some Carbo-Pro for some added calories. The only problem is when I started that I forgot the drink at home.
So I was running and the weather this morning was great. It was cool and it was overcast. I kinda jumped the gun too early and started running before my garmin 310xt could figure my location. So I had to stop and wait till the satellites picked up. I was probably at 1/4 mile away.
I continued and had to fiddle with my heart rate monitor strap because it was bothering me. I felt that my heart was giving me cramps or was I starting off too quickly, I wasn’t sure.
I got to a good start and I was averaging 10-11 min/mile pace. I had my backup full of gatorade with my phone and wallet to make sure I had what I needed. At around mile 7-8, I decided to go to am/pm on black mountain road to get some fuel. I was lucky to get some muscle milk which would help a little bit. It was expensive though but whatever I needed it.
So I continued to run and I knew I was approaching a sketchy area. It was Kearny Villa Road. It didn’t have a sidewalk and the cars that drove there go 65 miles an hour. It seemed like I was running along the freeway that was two lanes. It started at mile 8. I got to the right hand side and it was pretty much a bike lane. This stretch of the run lasted till mile 12. It was warmer here and it was just bare. I wish I was running in a neighborhood. The good thing is that it was flat. I was averaging 9-11 min/mile pace. Running along Kearny Villa Road I noticed that there were some memorials along the road that made me think about what I was doing.
When I finally got to a safer area I was feeling better. I was in a business park and finally got to around mile 12.5 and found a bicycle warehouse. I was in luck. I found some gels and bought 4 of them. I used one immediately and felt good. I ran more on Kearny Villa and the road finished at Aero Driver for me. I then got onto Linda Vista Road.
Another 3 miles on Linda Vista and it took me to Ulric St. which would take me down to Fashion Valley. This started off flat and then to a steep downhill which I took easily. I made a call to my friend to pick me up at this time. I was well into 3 miles at this point to finishing. When I finally got to Friars Road, I mentally thought I was done and slowed my pace down. The hill down on Ulric was windless. It was warm and I was sweating more than I was during the whole run. I finally got to fashion and turned left onto Fashion Valley road and finally made my way to my friend. I finished it off with probably a little less than I would like with 19.66 miles finished.
My legs were ok. I just felt tired and glad I was done. My knees are bothering me but I think thats ok.
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