My longest run! 13.9 miles

My husband and I knew we wanted to do a long run this weekend, and after checking the weather Friday night, we decided to make it on Sunday.  At that point, Sunday was supposed to be 41+ degrees, and Saturday was predicted to be 30ish degrees and chance of snow.  So on Saturday, we drove to Quantico Marine Base to pick up Disney World tickets for our Princess Half Marathon.  Luckily, we are able to get greatly discounted tickets since Chris is retired AF.  How very cool it was going to the BX and Commissary.  I always loved living on base and miss it now.  It was a little walk on memory lane.  As we left Quantico, it began to snow.

When we woke up today, it was snowing.  Oh Frostbite!  Old Man Winter decided to play a trick on us, and it snowed almost all day today.  So I mentally had to really get myself in the mood to run.  I wanted to run, but I didn't want to be cold (I am always cold), didn't want to have to bundle up, didn't want a constantly runny nose and chapped lips, and didn't want snowflakes in my eyes.  After bundling up (sigh) and deciding to wear sunglasses to keep the snowflakes out of my eyes, we headed out.  I had forgotten to charge both my watches, so I was hoping they would last during the run.  Chris headed towards 231 and I headed towards 522.  The route to 522 is steeper and more challenging, so I wanted to get that leg done first.  For the first 1.5 miles, my toes were freezing.  I had on socks and my Vibrams FF, but I guess I should have worn my Smart Wool socks to keep the moisture wicking away.  I did pretty well all the way to the Boston Store and 522, with the funniest thing happening about 1 mile before the store.  I had previously removed all my Christmas songs from my Nano, or so I thought.  At one point, "Let it Snow" came on and I just had to literally laugh out loud because it was really snowing at that point.

Down to Boston Store is about 4.25 miles, So turning back and heading towards our road made it about 8.45 miles.  When I was a few tenths from our road, I saw Chris walking towards me.  I was walking also at that time since it is the BIG hill that is tough for me.  When I got to him, he asked me for my handheld water bottle and then jogged to the end of our road where I put extra water bottle.  What a sweetheart.  He didn't want me to waste time refilling the bottle!  He told me, "You are doing great!  Keep going!" and headed home while I headed towards 231.  My original goal had been 15 miles--the total distance to each end of Slate Mills and back home--but this changed after a couple of hours of being constantly snowed on and running through cold puddles and snow and ice.  

My Garmin watch stopped at 9.42 miles and my New Balance watched stopped tracking my pace and miles at 10.8 miles.  Luckily, the NB watch continued to track the time and did so all the way home.  I decided to turn around at the church instead of going all the way to the end of the road.  About 1/2 a mile later, my knees began hurting, I kept telling myself that they didn't hurt and to just keep going.  But then I started to worry about damaging them, and decided it wasn't worth it, and started to walk.  I walked for a bit and then ran again.  My knees didn't hurt immediately, but began a bit later.  I walked again.  I definitely walked more than I wanted on the way home.  But that is ok.  By the time I had finished, Chris and I did the math and figured out that I had almost run 14 miles.  I was thrilled...and sore...and tired...and thrilled.  My socks were soaked, my glasses were wet, and I was exhausted.

The worst things about this run?  Having to wear something over my mouth which then fogged up my sunglasses constantly.  Having wet and cold feet.  Having to wipe my runny nose and reapply chapstick.  Having to remove one mitten to clean my glasses, or wipe my nose, or put on chapstick.  

The best things about this run?  I know I can do 13.1 miles now.  I wasn't sure of this before, but I am now.  I didn't feel horrible, instead, for much of the run, I felt pretty good.  I didn't have to go to the bathroom urgently making me feel horrible the last bit.   I did it!