Uphill all the way.

I google everything.  Don't we all?  But for some reason it didn't occur to me until yesterday that I should google for advice on how to prepare for a marathon 1 month after a marathon.  So I was winging it.  I ran 8 miles one week after the Little Rock Marathon, and then on Sunday, I ran 17.  (More on that later.)  Yesterday I decided to google, finally, how to prepare for multiple marathons.  That's when I found that I probably could have gotten by with 6 mile "long" runs during this month.  Oh well. I rested yesterday and am resting today.  Tomorrow, weather willing, I will go for a short run.

This need to do two more marathons is part stubbornness, part crazy, part attention-seeking behavior.  Whatever it is, let's just hope it works out.  I've registered for the Andrew Jackson Marathon on March 31 and the Hogeye Marathon on April 15.

Sunday's 17 miles...I set out wanting 18 with at least 16 (because I didn't really know what I was doing.  I thought I needed all those miles to make sure I could run the marathon in two weeks.)  The weather was warm and I didn't get out until 10.  I'm used to the winter weather when the only requirement was to get done before dark.  I also decided I needed a hill, so I took the turn to head up to Ft. Roots.  It was quiet and pretty up there and I got a good picture from about 3/4 of the way up.  It was a tough climb and my foot started to hurt again.  The run down didn't help much.

I went on down towards the river walk and turned around.  It started to get hot.  I looked forward to the water fountain at the skate park, and it did not disappoint.  Cool water in a wide, strong stream--I gulped some and refilled my water bottle.  I also took a bathroom break and then went back towards Burns Park.

Back at my car, I drank some gatorade and opened a pack of Gu.  My phone rang, a 1-800 number, and for some dumb reason I decided to answer it.  I wasn't paying attention and dumped half the gu pack on my phone and into my spibelt.  Sticky, gross, yuck--I ditched the phone and belt in my car and continued up the trail towards the Big Dam Bridge.

At this point I was over 11 miles and the last part of this run was grueling.  It was hot, I was tired.  I walked up part of the hill on the bridge, cursed the dry water fountain on the other side, and turned to come back.  I walked more.  I haven't had a run like that since last summer, one where I just could not keep going without walk breaks.  For the last mile, I counted steps up to 100 and then started over, walking 100 steps for every 300 I ran.  It was hot but my fatigue was worse, and the pain in my foot.  I finally stopped for good at 17 miles and hobbled back to my car.

The rest of the day I was barely awake.  I had a few beers and some lunch at Papito's with J and stumbled around Kroger with her.  I got in bed at 6:30 and dozed, falling asleep for good early and not stirring until morning.  I needed the rest.