August 23 - SWEET SIXTEEN!

After nursing that shoe-trying-on-injury, today I was back in the game and completed 16 miles on the Nike Marathon course in SF. Ran with Jen the whole time - but were close to Robin and Beth much of the time, too.

Up at 4:15 am to eat an early breakfast, foam rolled the quads, IT band, and calves then stretched. While I didn't mention it to anybody - I was really nervous about running today. No cross training during the week OR the week before - only did track on Tuesday. I was nervous about the knee and ankle. I was nervous about the miles. I feared potential debilitating pain. Jeez people, 16 miles is a long distance!

We started at Lake Merced at 7:15am, ran along the zoo and up Highway 1 to the Windmills. Through Golden Gate Park and saw the Bison - up to the DeYoung Museum and beyond. Back tracked a bit then ran along Martin Luther King back up to Highway 1. And despite my fears, I felt pretty darn good up to this point. Really good until just before Sloat Ave, about 6 miles (?) left, then it all became a head game and a "get these legs moving" game. Breathing was easy, the legs were jell-o. Jen and I weren't talking as much - she was pushing me with words of encouragement and I convinced myself all would be good once I saw the Lake. I need to find a new head game. I regret that I wasn't thinking of a tragedy surrounding my friend's life -THAT would have carried me through. I feel guilty they didn't come to mind.

We made it - made to order breakfast burritos with BACON waiting to be served, GREAT stretching, relaxing with the team before heading home to an ice-bath and a nap. Tired. Tired. Really, really tired.

I did it. We did it. We ran 16 miles today.