The Home Stretch

We are lead to believe that all miles are the same distance. Somewhere north of 5,000 feet south of 6,000. Your car, a map, google earth, other reliable sources of distance related information. They lie. All of them.

Distance is always an important topic for runners. For myself, I am primarily interested in distance for 2 reasons. First, because I need to know how far to tell the guys at the Taco Joint that I ran that day as they hand me my free beverage. Second, because I need to know what to say at the various points in conversation over the next week whenI subtly/blatantly slip it into the conversation.

Oddly enough, however, distance is apparently a tad bit of a grey area when it comes to actually hitting the pavement. For example, Luke's Locker tells me that I am supposed to run "12 miles" on Saturday...but at the end of the "12 mile" runs, I have, in fact, run 12.6 miles. POINT SIX! If you dare to broach this topic with a member of the Luke's training team, they will simply stare at you and reply that the course is measured in "Luke's Miles." As previously mentioned on this blog, I believe measuring distance in Luke's Miles must be akin to measuring temperature in Kelvin. I have been told once that on the day of our actual marathon, the mileage we run will be greater than 26.2 and we should get used to pushing just a little further. (Side Note: To be clear...that's "a little further" than 26.2 miles.)

One lesson I have also learned is to try and run relatively straight, because weaving back and forth can add up to 10% additional distance. Fair point, duly noted, please tell all roadblocks to kindly step aside.

Perhaps the most amazing distance phenomenon, however, is the last mile of the run. Somehow, when you are not looking, little running elves stretch out the course so that it is twice, possibly even nineteen times as long. This applies whether you are running 4 miles, 9 miles, double digits or numbers that rhyme with mate-teen. It's a fact. Verifiable not by science, but by any runner who has ever run ever.

For those lucky souls training at White Rock Lake (and running the lake in a clockwise direction), this means that the stretch from the footbridge (shown in the picture above) to the bath house is somehow 2 to 19 miles long. Sure...your tape measures, odometers, pedometers, and other -ometers will tell you it's a mile. They lie.

I guess that is why it is all the better when you cross through the gate at the top of the hill. Your Garmin watch is evidence to the world that you ran their so called mileage...but everybody waiting on the other side of that gate knows exactly how far you really ran.

Timmy

Days Left - 69

Total Distance Run - 181.16 miles

Running in the Rain

Today was a big day for Dallas and for me. Today was the day that cooler heads prevailed, literally. After many broken promises, a cold front fought its way through and managed to bring a little rain with it...

I opened my door this morning at 6:15 and it was pouring down rain. I was thrilled. I have only run in the rain a handfull of times, but every time I do I become quite convinced that I am the most dedicated runner in the city of Dallas and perhaps the state. Today was no exception.

My goal for the day was to run the Sperry loop, which is an approximately 4.5 mile "loop" (of pain) that Luke's makes us run every Saturday. Last Saturday was my first experience with the aforementioned loop and it bested me. The first half of the loop is essentially a slow uphill climb...not sure it ever goes back downhill...the lake must somehow tilt upwards, because I don't remember ever having the pleasure of going downhill. This morning, however, me and the rain kicked the Sperry loop's...um...cul de sac?

It was only sprinkling when I started, but about halfway through the skies decided to commit and I frankly don't remember ever being that wet when I was not submerged in something. It was fantastic. While I am quite sure no one actually noticed me, I imagined the comments from the drivers as they passed me...something appropriate like "Oh! Look at that attractive and fit young man. He is a bastion of dedication to be respected and envied. I should stop and ask his name so that I will know what the name my children and my children's children."

Needless to say, I made it back to my car in just over an hour, having conquered the Sperry loop and totally and absolutely soaked to the core. Best. Run. Ever.

Timmy

Day Left - 74

Total Distance Run - 168.57 miles

Hip is hurting. Boo.

Saturday - 15.90 miles (some walking, but I'm counting it)! Monday - 2.84 miles. Leg pain = 3 out of 10.

Lessons (Part 1)

I have learned a number of things about preparing for and actually running a long run, and I thought I would share them...you can thank me later, should you ever take up running, and your welcome (in case we aren't speaking to each other when you later take up running...no excuse for being impolite).

1. Sweat and Paper = Oil and Water - Much like milk and graham crackers, the combination seems harmless but the results look disgusting. While running our Saturday long runs we have to carry directions with us to make sure we stay on course. The other option is to memorize the directions, but after about the 10th "turn left/right on _____" you just can't keep it all together. There are a number of methods for keeping the directions dry: (1 ) lamination - an excellent option of the scrapbook set, but totally inconvenient for normal people, (2) baggie - poor man's lamination...fancy people use a snack size bag, and (3) bond paper - much like a brawny paper towel, it's thicker so it takes longer for the absorption to totally ruin the paper. To be fair, I am speaking a little bit out of turn, since I have never actually had to carry directions. But I have seen the results. Not pretty.

2. Friction Non-Fiction - Basically, if it moves, it is capable of bleeding. Name an exterior part of the body. Yes, that chafes. How do you fix it...well, you smear it with something or cover it with something. Problem is, sometimes the covering just irritates something else. Let's say that you are developing a patch on you right arm where your arm hits your shirt while you run...let's say you then put a bandaid on that arm...arm is fixed, but your side is in for a brand new round of fun. My only fix to the slather myself in body glide (which is the second cousin to petroleum jelly, but in stick form). You feel weird doing it, but your nipples will thank you later.

Timmy

Days Left - 78

Total Distance Run - 145.12

2.95 miles. Also 2.95 gallons of sweat.

2.79 miles.