DOUBLE DIGITS!!!!

Running in the Canyon of Gold, (my backyard), more commonly known as the Superstition Wilderness.

I am so dang lucky.  Really, I am.  Look what I have just out my front door!  Here is a little picture of me on a run from last year.  This is a trail I have grown to know well and love.

Yesterday I ran my first 10 mile run of this training!  I am 4 weeks into it now and took advantage of the big storm that had passed and was able to do my run in canyons with cool breezes and washes still damp from running just days or hours before.

I was surprised how easy this 10 mile run was.  I guess this is why you follow the training schedule.  I had built up the muscle and the stamina and really could have gone farther if I wanted to.  I still continue to need to walk during intervals to keep the heart rate where it's supposed to be, but that is happening less and less.  I am not at the 12 minute mile pace I trained for last year, but don't expect to get there until it cools off significantly more.

By the way.  I have lost 8 pounds.  Right at the 2 pounds per week goal, so things are right on schedule.

If you are ready for double digit mileage, it is time to start thinking about hydration and supplements.  Seems like you can do anything under 10 miles, but when you start going 10 and more, you really need to be smart about what is going on with your body.  I finally got a Camelback for carrying fluids.  They make one for women that is comfortable and can carry 2 liters without weighing you down.  I fill it with 1/2 Gatorade and 1/2 water.  

Thanks to great advice from my eTrainer Friend and my Bicycle Racing Doctor buddy, I also take a GU gel every hour or every 5 miles.  GU is packed with electrolytes and glucose - both of which you deplete when you venture into long distance runs.  One thing you don't want is to get dizzy and pass out because you become hypoglycemic.  I almost did that and now I don't mess around anymore.  It would be a drag to end up unconscious in some of the places I run.  GU has been my savior.  Important to note, you must drink fluids when taking a GU.  If not, the GU gel will sit in a lump in your stomach and make you feel not very good.  So drink a bit, swallow the GU and drink some more.  It is amazing how it perks you up to finish your run.  You can get GU or other brands of the same thing at Sport Stores, Health food Stores or Running stores.

There is another trick I learned from my above mentioned buddies - After long runs, ice your joints!  I think I mentioned before that every time you run, you create micro injuries to your joints and muscles and tendons and ligaments.  So, if you follow up a big run with icepacks to the hips, knees, ankles and toes you would be surprised how good it feels!  I like to get on the couch and rotate my icepacks and read the paper.  Ice is a natural anti inflammatory and pain killer.  And continued use of it will help to keep your joints from injury.  I never experienced any joint injury last year and I am going to keep using ice to help keep healthy this year.  Also - it feels good!

10 miles + hydration + GU + ice = feeling great!  And = Looking forward to 12!!!!