The big 21

Besides race day, another day that I have been looking forward to since I started training was Saturday's run. I ran the longest distance that I will run before the race - 21 miles. The run went really well. I tested another form of energy/carb supplements. Sarah and Eric gave me a pack of jellies to try. They are like fruit snacks that deliver the carbs. They tasted good, but I think I still have a chunk of one in my lung. I'm not good at having my mouth full when I'm trying to breath through my mouth too. I will definitely stick with the gel.

The weather was nice and the humidity was low. We got an early start. The goal for all of my long endurance runs has been a 10:40 to 11:10 pace. I usually try to pay attention to my watch and make sure that I'm not running too fast at the beginning or too slow at the end. On my 19 mile run 2 weeks ago my average pace was 10:49. However, on the 21 mile run, I really didn't watch my pace very closely and my average pace ended up being 10:20. I don't feel like I over-exerted myself. Part of having a successful run for me also means keeping check on my attitude. If I start getting down, I know that I'm probably getting close to needing an energy gel. I felt pretty good through the run, but I still can't imagine doing 5 more miles! The race is 6 weeks from today!!

We bought my race shoes today. I still have to find out how many miles to put on them before they are considered "broken in" for the race. We went back to Pacesetters because we received a lot of help and information there before. I ended up buying the same pair of shoes that I have been training with. I considered finding a totally new pair because my arches were burning some during last part of the 21 miles. Also, my knees were pretty tired and it felt like I needed more cushioning between the ground and my foot. However, we came to the conclusion that the shoes are probably doing everything that they can do, it is just the fact that I'm running so many miles at one time.

Hope everyone enjoys their Labor Day Weekend!