Longest Run since March - 22 miles (and at 8,000 ft)!

Workout: 22 M around town

Yesterday, I didn't do a whole lot. I ran 11 miles in the morning then rested, watched movies, and ate lots of food and drank plenty of water to fuel my long run. I tried to mimic what I would do the day before my race. I also used mapmyrun.com to come up with the flattest 22 mile route that is not too boring and is primarily on roads.

Today, I sit on this rock at the Mammoth Rocks Music Festival listening to live rock bands; watching people dance freely and kids chase each other; and smelling kettle corn, tacos, BBQ, and sweets. This is my time to sit back and relax from a hard long run this morning. My run began at 6 am and lasted for 2 hr 25 min, which is 6:36 mile pace. I am not quite sure how this pace with an elevation gain of 800 ft and at and altitude of about 8,000 ft equates to running on a flat course at sea level, but I believe that it was a solid effort.

I ran an 11 mile route, starting and ending at the Crib. Then, I took a 5 min rest and drank water that I placed in front of the condo before doing my second 11 miles. This was my longest run since the LA Marathon in March and my ligaments felt tired on the last two miles. As I ran, I stayed motivated by telling myself that next week will be a week of rest - only 75 miles and no long run. I also thought of how I only have a couple more long runs to prepare myself for the race, so it is crucial that I run my best today. After my run, I ate breakfast, took a hot bath, and stretched. I enjoyed being out running along the bike trails, roads, and dirt trails; hearing coyotes and birds chirping; watching the sunrise and the spectacular views of the mountain tops and pine trees; saying "Good morning" to people who were walking their dogs, running, and biking. Even though it took over an hour yesterday to come up with this route, I am glad I did! Other runners told me that there is a relatively flat road that goes out for 7.5 miles; but, I think it would be a boring run because it is just on one straight road. When you run a long run, choose a place that is exciting for you whether it includes trees, a creek, dirt trails, or animals. The miles will fly by when you surround yourself in an environment that excites your senses and it will take some of the pressure off of you, allowing you to perform better. 

At the music festival, I enjoyed dark chocolates and chocolate covered almond biscottis (for a reduced price from the bakery because they were a day old) while sipping a Green Tea Latte from Starbucks and reading health magazines and drawing!

Now, as I sit on the trolley, the music is beginning to fade, the smells are turning from food to pine trees, and the cool air is softly weaving through my curls. All the while, I take in the starlit night and crescent moon as I search among the thousands of brilliant stars for the one that shines the brightest.