Secrets to Running Farther

The following are secrets to running your longest distance ever. My longest distance before Thursday was 13.1 miles.  Here are some secrets to success on how I accomplished a run of 15 miles.

1. Don't actually run the entire distance.  I stopped at 13.23 miles.  That's where my car was.  I was tired.  I drove the remaining 1.75.  It was the fastest pace of the entire "run."
2. If you're attempting to run the longest distance of your life, make sure you map your route so you reach the "I just want this freaking run to end" portion of the run right when you pass your nice, comfortable car.
3. It's best to try your really long runs when you have a cold.  It produces great snot rockets.
4. Water is for wusses! (I'm in Vegas and we do funny things to the water before handing it out at races)
5. Whatever you do, drink very little water the entire day before a long run, especially if you're running in the afternoon and the temperature's higher than it's been in months.
6. Add lots and lots of hills.  There's no sense in doing the longest run of your life if you can't make it challenging.
7. Run at a fast pace.  I ran it over 30 seconds per mile slower than my half marathon from two weeks ago and over a minute slower than my 10-k pace and look where that got me--at my car with 1.75 miles to go.



You ever felt like this?

8. Make sure you have to drive your daughter and her friends across town within an hour of finishing your run.  That way you can get your body accustomed to making life and death decisions while being semi-delirious.

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Although I failed in my quest for 15 miles, I'm OK. Part of training is realizing what an idiot you are and correcting the idiocies before the actual race.  I've run two half marathons in 12 days, 2 more than I'd run in four years and the two fastest I've ever run.  I also threw in a pr 10-k in between along with an awesome head cold.  Technically, the marathon training program has yet to begin.  

I've plenty of work to do.