Yesterday was the day that I have been dreading since beginning training. The 20 miler.
Jamie and I joined forces again for this last really big run. We ran from 55th, right by the Boulder Res, to my parent's house in north Longmont. We accidently deviated from the original course slightly and ended up running 19 miles. Still pretty good, I would say.
We both felt great after...laughing and talking with the Costanza's (my funny nickname for my Mom and Dad, which is kind of bittersweet because I guess that makes me George). And we were starving! So we headed on over to one of my favorite places to dine in the 'Mont; the Red Zone. This brings me to the point of this post, the most confusing things about running long runs.
First of all, as I previously mentioned, our stomaches were screaming at us! And you'd think that after running for four hours and not eating for about eight hours, that a little burger and fries would hardly be enough (and some southwestern egg rolls). But it feels as though your body sort of rejects such hearty foods because it's in panic mode. You just pushed your body to it's absolute limit and it is trying to straighten itself out. So while your mind is getting really pumped up about this plate of food in front of you, your stomach is quickly sending the signals that it is not prepared to be engourged. And let me tell you, folks, this is bit of a bummer. Eating an obnoxious meal after a long run is the best way to celebrate what you just accomplished, but it's no fun when more than half of it gets packed up in a to-go box.
After you've just attemped and failed to stuff your face, you start to feel a wittle sleepy...
But you're freezing! Sweatshirt, walrus pants, down comforter, and socks all team up to try to help your body maintain a healthy temperature. But it cannot be done. For the next couple of days, body temperature fluctuates like a roller coaster.
So you're snuggled now. And you turn off the light and close your eyes, so happy that now you can sleep. But surprise! You body slaps you in the face with another dose of cold, cold reality. There is way too much happening inside of you for your old bag-of-bones to let you sleep! So now you toss and turn all night, feeling the soreness settle into your joints and muscles. It's kind of like waking up when you're still drunk, and you have the great pleasure of feeling the hangover gradually hit you as the morning creeps by. Never fun.
24 hours post-run, Jamie and I are both feeling ill. Flu symptoms, perhaps.
The fact of the matter is that the body goes into shock in multiple ways. So virtually every calorie that you consume post-run goes towards repairing the damage that you just incurred on every inch of your being. And because your body is working so hard in this department, your immune system is weakened.
How ironic that after pushing your body to perform at it's best and strongest, you feel the worst and weakest.
But it's all okay because that was one of the best long runs of all. Aside from the sick-ish feeling, my muscles and other parts don't feel as beat up as they used to after long runs. So that's tremendous progress.
This run was further proof of just how far we've come this summer. And that's a feeling that just can't be described.
Frank Costanza: My George isn't clever enough to hatch a scheme like this.
ReplyDeleteElaine: You got that right.
Frank Costanza: What the hell does that mean?
Elaine: That means whatever the hell you want it to mean.
Frank Costanza: You saying you want a piece of me?
[hits his chest]
Elaine: I could drop you like a bag of dirt.
Frank Costanza: [yelling] You want a piece of me? You got it!