20 miles: check!

ok, so it wasn't exactly how i envisioned it, but i did complete 20 miles o' fun yesterday. i had planned to do 14 miles on trails/roads in duke forest with the running group i've been going with, and then josh was going to join me for 6 more.

the 14-miler actually went really well - i felt strong and didn't even mind the hills at the end (which suck). however, josh's leg started acting up (probably some kind of muscle strain - so sad!) and instead of doing the last 6 miles with him, i had to finish alone. and because i couldn't take the idea of running on the cross country course (hello, 6 more miles of hills? the marathon ITSELF will be flat!), i got in the car and finished up in the gym. on the treadmill.

josh says it counts, so nobody tell me that it doesn't. because i need to confidently believe that i ran 20 miles (which means just SIX MORE 2 weeks from now!). i didn't hit 'the wall' (and i kept waiting for it, too!), but i'm sure i will during the real race. i had a gel at mile 9 and again at mile 14 (and ugh, i HATE those things when they are warm - nasty) and i think that helped, so i'll definitely plan on doing the same for the marathon, although i'll plan on taking an additional one at mile 20!

weekly mileage: 50.5. and now it's time to taper!

oh yeah - i ordered shoes on line, the new balance 754. the 753 (my old shoe) was being phased out to the point where i couldn't find it in my size, so i figured i'd go with this new model which is supposed to be similar. i'm excited to try them out - tomorrow.