Venti!

I finally did a 20 mile training run.  My time (including my water stops/walks) was 3:59:40 (which is about four seconds slower than Sarah Palin's fastest marathon time - argh!), but I am pretty please with my time. 

Today was my longest run since doing a marathon almost two years ago.

It was a great morning - about 65 degrees and not much wind. 

The first 18 miles were relatively uneventful.  The only issue I had was at about the 6 mile mark - I ate a Gu and I stuck the package in my mouth and when I pulled it out I cut the inside of my mouth with the wrapper.  It was unpleasant, but it hurts worse now (after a day of sticking my tongue on it) than it did during my run.  For the first 18 miles, I felt almost no discomfort - just a little soreness starting to settle into some of my muscles.  

At about mile 18 I started to get pretty warm and I was in an area with no shade.  I did a little walking just to keep myself from getting too tired, but every time I'd walk a little, my muscles would tighten up.  It actually felt better to slow jog, so that's what I did.  

I actually stopped my watch at exactly 20 miles - I wasn't running any further.  

I walked the half mile back to Rogue.  I got there AFTER all the people who were running 22 miles were on their way home (some of them were probably already home).

Here is a picture of Graby playing outside today.  It's starting to get pretty hot again (sigh) in the afternoon, so we had to limit our outside time.