Thumbs Up and Way to Go!

This morning I woke up at 5:15am to meet Moms Run the Town for our Virtual 5k race this morning EXCEPT I was running 12 miles. I had planned on keeping track of my 5k time and then adding on another 9 miles.  We meet in the Final Kick parking lot and headed into First Landing State Park to run the trails.

I got about 100 feet from my car. Guess what I heard? Beep. Beep. Beep. My Garmin quit working again. I’m officially back to having a broken watch. I quickly pulled out my phone to turn on Endomondo. I tucked it back into my Camelbak, and I was off. I ran into the park to the main entrance. As always, I had to use the bathroom. I made a quick bathroom break and check my phone to see if I was close to a 5k yet. Guess what else wasn’t working today? The satellite on my endomondo. Because I was running trails, it couldn’t keep satellite connection.  No satellite connection = No accurate mileage.

Plan A – Garmin. Broken

Plan B – Endomondo. Broken

On to Plan C. Before we left the parking lot, a few of the other runners mentioned that they were running 12 miles today also (Last long run before the Rock n Roll Half!). One of the ladies knows the park really well. She said it was just about 6 miles to the 64th Street Parking Lot.

Plan C – Turn around at parking lot. Fingers crossed I run close to 12 miles.

The first 2 – 3 miles were brutal. My right leg kept cramping up. This seems to be a new trend for me. With or without the leg cramps, I knew I was keeping a good pace. I had only walked once. My running almost felt like running prior to pregnancy. I actually surprised myself with how quickly and easily I arrived at the 64th Street Parking lot. 1 hour 11 minutes. I barely walked. At the time, I thought there was no way I had just run 6 miles. Now sitting on my comfy couch, I think it might have been close to 6 miles. 1 hour 11 minutes is about a 12 minute mile. As good as I felt and as strong as my running felt, I think I might have.

After I turned around, I continued to feel great. I was taking very short walk breaks. My legs felt good. My body wasn’t tired. Even though everything was going better than it has on any prior run, I started to doubt my actual distance. I don’t like not knowing. I like numbers. I wanted to know how far I had run.

I kept on running right back to the main entrance. I used the bathroom again. I asked a couple I had seen running the trail if they knew the mileage to the 64th Street parking lot. They told me 4 miles. From running this path before, I felt pretty confident that it was 2 miles from my car to the main entrance. If it was 4 miles from the main entrance to the parking lot that adds up to 6. Double that (there and back) and I’ve run 12 miles.

Did I believe the numbers? Nope! On to Plan D.

Plan D – Run a timed run.  Even though endomondo wasn’t working for distance, it was keeping track of my time. At this point. I was at 2:05. Worst case scenario, I knew it would take me 2:45 minutes to run 12 miles. I would run 2 hours and 45 minutes.

(Before I continue to bore you more with non stop number workings of my brain, let me tell you – Today was not a worst case scenario for running. It was, hands down, my best run of any distance since getting pregnant.)

Since I felt confident that it was about 2 miles back to my car at this point, I decided to run another half-mile to mile back into the park. I then turned around again and headed back to my car. I got back to my car at 2:45:32. How’s that for timing?

So long story not so short, I think I ran 12 miles today. I’ve googled the trail. According to the Sierra Club, my path was a 12 mile loop.  If that’s the case, I actually ran closer to 13 miles today.  Did I mention I really don’t like not knowing my numbers.

Minus my uncertainty (and insecurity) about not knowing distance, I had an amazing run today. What made it even better is that I think I finally looked pregnant while out running. I got so many thumbs up and Way to Gos from everyone who ran by me. It was so encouraging. At one point, I stopped to eat a GU and a guy run up to check on me to make sure the baby and I were okay.

I absolutely love running while pregnant. I know it makes me enjoy my pregnancy more. I know it makes me appreciate my ability to run.  I am so thankful that I am still able to put on my running shoes and tackle a long run on my weekends.

2 more weeks until the Rock n Roll Half-Marathon!

Post run, I meet my family at the beach! I could really get used to these types of weekends.