First 20 Miler at Mammoth
Workout: 20 M at Shady Rest Park
I challenged myself to a 20 miler at high altitude on the trails and it was definitely not easy! I stopped to catch my breath a few times. There were lots of trails and no signs so it was a bit hard to decide on which direction to run when I came to forks on the trails; maybe someday I will get to know the trails better. I ran up never ending sand dunes going up the mountain, which was not fun because I don't like running up hill and the sand made my feet sink so I couldn't run fast. I could have turned back and ran a different way, but I was curious to know what views I would see at the top. During the toughest moments I think about my upcoming race and how this run is going to prepare me and also I think of my competition and that if I keep pushing and training the best I can, then I should be ready to run against anyone. My legs felt heavy and tired going uphill. When I run downhill or on flat surface, I naturally pick up speed and it is more enjoyable because my legs feel much less fatigued. For my next long run, I am going to search on Strava or MapMyRun and find a flatter route that is on paved surface like a bike path so that I can practice running at a faster speed for the marathon. It is always a good idea to practice running at similar conditions as race day to be better prepared. Below is a graph of my speed and elevation during my run from Strava.com.
Feel free to comment and ask any questions about preparing for a long run or running in general :)
I challenged myself to a 20 miler at high altitude on the trails and it was definitely not easy! I stopped to catch my breath a few times. There were lots of trails and no signs so it was a bit hard to decide on which direction to run when I came to forks on the trails; maybe someday I will get to know the trails better. I ran up never ending sand dunes going up the mountain, which was not fun because I don't like running up hill and the sand made my feet sink so I couldn't run fast. I could have turned back and ran a different way, but I was curious to know what views I would see at the top. During the toughest moments I think about my upcoming race and how this run is going to prepare me and also I think of my competition and that if I keep pushing and training the best I can, then I should be ready to run against anyone. My legs felt heavy and tired going uphill. When I run downhill or on flat surface, I naturally pick up speed and it is more enjoyable because my legs feel much less fatigued. For my next long run, I am going to search on Strava or MapMyRun and find a flatter route that is on paved surface like a bike path so that I can practice running at a faster speed for the marathon. It is always a good idea to practice running at similar conditions as race day to be better prepared. Below is a graph of my speed and elevation during my run from Strava.com.
Feel free to comment and ask any questions about preparing for a long run or running in general :)
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