Week 13 - 18 miles? No sweat

Well, maybe a little bit of sweat.

I ran 18 miles today. That's the second longest run I'll do in preparation for my marathon. I felt pretty strong and I ran a negative split. That means I ran the second half faster than than the first.

I took two Powerbar Gels during the run along with some Gleukos sports drink and water. I felt sufficiently fueled but I still need to work on the mechanics of refueling. I tried squeezing out the gel with one hand while holding a drink in the other and continuing to run. Let's just say it wasn't effective. I think I'll take walk breaks when I take the gels during the marathon.

All along this journey I have been worried about whether my right knee would hold up to the training. It's been fine. Instead it's my ankle that continues to bother me. I took extra care to stretch it before the run but it is still sore. Next week is another stepback week and, once again, it's a welcome break. Still, the long run will be 14 miles (more than I had ever run a few short weeks ago).