Running the long run

Today is my long run. The most important run of the week. The distance is a bit shy of 15 miles or 24 km.

It was a gorgeous morning. Check out the sun rise and a few snaps of the fog filling the dips in the landscape, captured using my phone.

Pan & scan with the rising sun (mute your audio for a more pleasant view:-)

I ran at a very easy pace - mostly. Since the temperature was very nice I didn't even take a swig at the bottle until after 7-1/2 or 8 miles. There were many people on the road today. Walkers mostly, and then a few cyclists. The two cyclists who look like Lance Armstrong were back. One of them had a female partner today. I could hear their chatter from half a mile away across the silence of the morning which was otherwise only briefly interrupted by passing vehicles. 

Smell of fresh air was invigorating. There are a few stretches of open land along the way with grass reaching the curbside. I like to run my hands down those overgrown grass just along the curb.  Feels so nice. I focused on my breathing keeping it just below the point at which it would get deep. A long easy run is a great place to pay attention to the running form. Straight head, straight back, slight forward lean to the upper body, foot landing on the ground right below the center of gravity - below the hips, and knees slightly bent to absorb the shocks better,  Relaxed shoulders, neck and arms. Not slouched, just relaxed. Good form allows the body to relax and use energy efficiently so you can go long without getting tired.  Make sure the foot doesn't land ahead of you. A foot that lands ahead of you works like a brake reducing your forward speed and giving an unnecessary shock to your foot and knee. This can also cause injury. Always land below your hips. Push off the back foot, and drive your hips forward so the forefoot strikes the ground just below the hips.

The mantra is -

"Drive off the back foot, drive up the knee

Drive forward the glutes, drive down the arms"

Up the hills my breathing was getting a bit deeper, but then I would listen on the heart to make sure it is not beating too fast -  keeping things in check by turning the dial up and down controlling my speed. By the 10th mile the sun was fairly high and rather strong. By now, I was beginning to take a gulp from my bottles every half mile or so - first from one and then from the other, regularly alternating.  I am usually worried that my two bottles won't last 15 miles. So I was happy that I started using my drinks later than usual. It still doesn't mean that they will last, though, as I may have to drink more if it gets hotter.

After about 11-1/2 miles there is a lot of up hill. The sun was burning high and I didn't care too much about running easy now.  My lungs and heart were beginning to shift to high gear on their own to keep the body cool. This was the last lap anyway, and so I switched as well. When the body demands a shift it is better to act consciously so you are still in control. We've all seen some folks who have their arms and legs flying all over the place. They are wasting a lot of energy. Stay in control and you'll run much better - fast or slow.  I switched to a faster breathing rate. Breath in for two steps, breath out for two steps.  "In.. in.. out.. out..". "In.. in.. out.. out.. in.. in.. out.. out.."  I didn't much care how deep I was breathing now. It was still rhythmic and in control.  

There was an old couple singing and walking up a hill. They must be well over 80. They were walking very slow. The gentleman had a walking stick for support. It looked like he really needed it. I wondered if they plan to walk all the way up. I wish I could do that at their age. As I passed them, I glanced on the side. They looked happy, singing together a song from their childhood, or something. The sun was hot, so I was running from one tree shade to the next when possible.  I read somewhere that it can be up to 20 F (11 C) cooler under the shades. I don't know if that is accurate, but it is definitely much cooler in shade. I wish there were more trees along the way. My bottles were empty around mile 14, but that was ok. I would make it.  

The last mile is the hardest as it is a long climb except for a flat stretch of a 10th or two tenths of a mile.  There is no conversational or easy level of effort here. My breathing will be heaviest, heart beating at its fastest, and usually sun also at its hottest! I sill keep the rhythm of "in.. in.. out.. out.." between my breathing rate and steps. Head up, back straight, slightly leaning into the hill. Every foot strike still falling under my hips. I can't think much of anything else on this stretch, except to keep pushing forward.  Came across a gentleman on the last climb who was going the opposite way.  Puffing and panting, I managed to wave at him and found half a breath to say hi.  He smiled broadly and said, "This way is easy." pointing his downhill direction. I could barely respond to the humor.

That last mile is always hard, whether I run 6 miles, 10 miles or 15 miles. Perhaps I'll never find that stretch easy... Should I really care, as long as I can find it in me to run that mile every time I am up against it?  May be that effort is like a toll I need to pay for passing.