Day 92 – 22 Miles: Got out of church and hit the road at 1:09PM. It was a beautiful day in the mid sixties when I left the house. It was the first time I have run with an i-pod. If figured 21 miles might get a little boring with out anyone to talk to. I was nice runing in just shorts and a T-shirt. All of our other ling runs have been in temperatures less than 50 degrees and most of them less than 40. I was starting out with a sore throat (refer to last post, talking like a pirate)
The first 5 1/2 miles were not bad, but toward the end I did start to feel a bit hot. After some water I was read to keep moving on. At the recommendation of a more experienced runner, I passed up my gel pack and would wait until the 10 mile stop for that. At about 9 miles I was really regretting that decision. Again, about 4 miles into this loop, the heat started to get to me a bit and I was feeing pretty weak. I made it to the water stop, re hydrated and took 2 gels. I felt OK starting out but about half way through my third 5 1/2 mile loop, I started to feel congestion in my chest, and a cramp in my kidney area. This was a little early in the run to start to struggle.
I made it through to my last water stop. I was pretty much spent and I was not sure I was going to make it. I wish I had someone to push me a bit. Just about that time, the i-pod paid off. I song came on that reminded me that I was not alone and that my struggle was not mine alone. (see Mountain of God post) Well, I shoved off. The going was slow and I had to walk about 4 times, but I comleted the 22 miles.
In the end I was thinking, how could I make it another 5 miles? If I had to rely completely on my own will and my own ability, I think there would be know was. But fortunatley this is not the case.