First Time Feeling

My long run this weekend was scheduled to be 16 miles.  I finished it, and I felt pretty good...I even told my husband that I felt like I could have gone around 3 more.  His response: "That's good, because you're going to have to go 10 more."  Thanks for bursting my bubble there, Patrick...

Regardless of his comment, completing 16 miles to me is sort of like a baseline.  You see, the very first marathon that I ran, 16 miles was the farthest training run that I completed leading up to the race.  Heck, 16 miles was the farthest that I had ever run...and then I attempted to run a marathon.  If that screams "MISTAKE!!!" to you, then you can take solace in the fact that you are smarter than my 20 year old self was back then.  Because I'm pretty sure I felt adequately trained for that race...I mean, how hard can it really be to run 10 miles farther than you've ever run??  (*insert completely deserved dumb blonde joke here*)

My (now) husband ran that race with me...and I'm truly surprised we made it through that Sunday in October as an intact couple.  I will always remember the following exchange that occurred between us at mile 23, on John Herrick Drive in front of the OSU Hospital when I felt like my legs were going to cramp to the point of paralysis and had (once again) stopped to walk.

Patrick: (trying to be encouraging) You can do this...almost there!  
Me: (not encouraged and not happy)  DO NOT SAY ONE MORE WORD TO ME FOR THE REST OF THIS FREAKING RACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   NOT. ONE. WORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In the end, we finished all 26.2 miles.  I even have picture evidence to prove it...with me holding two bagels and looking semi-pleased.  The next day however, I was most definitely not smiling as I attempted a long walk to archery class without being able to bend my legs.  I still remember the blue and yellow wind pants I was wearing and the horrible swishing noise they made as I penguin-waddled up one of the busiest routes on campus.  When I finally got to class, I was too sore to hold the bow...so the entire effort of walking there had been for naught.  Super.

But ever since that race, 16 miles has been my baseline number.  I finished the marathon once only running 16 miles, so theoretically I could do it again, right?  I mean, sure I was 20 then and this time around I will be 29, but I could still do it if I had to.  And so, 16 miles will continue to be my baseline.  A baseline of I'd-better-run-farther-than-that-so-I-don't-collapse-and-die-and/or-ruin-my-marriage-during-or-after-the-race.  And that, my friends, is a very important baseline to have...