The Running Commentary: Day 66: EIGHTEEN MILES???

We are getting to be legit runners. We run in snow. We run in rain. We run EIGHTEEN MILES!!!

Today, Kendra, Jenna, Ben, & I all gathered in the early afternoon for our weekly "long run". We've begun to dread the weekends because these long runs are no longer all that fun (but then again, were they ever fun??). Regardless, we stick to our training schedule and keep running these crazy amounts of miles!

We were hoping to plant a vehicle at one end and then run only one-way, but due to Goldie's unfortunate starter issues, we had to come up with alternate plans. We started in York City at mile marker 20 on the Rail Trail, ran 9 miles south to mile marker 11 (just past Seven Valleys, for you locals), stopped to stretch (and try our new "Gu" for energy!), and then ran all the way back (Kendra & I inserted two additional stretch breaks in the last 5 miles).

It was a little cloudy/misty starting off (and we actually postponed the run maybe like 30 minutes because of the rain), but then it turned out to be a GORGEOUS sunny day!!

However, if my memory serves me correctly, this was a painful run for all of us - even JENNA, THE RUNNING GODDESS (and you know it's bad then!)!! I got a blister because of my new shoes... it hurt, but it's a pretty sweet blister!

Anyway, Ben & Jenna went a little bit faster than Kendra & I on the last 9 miles, but then they broke up (ha!) and Ben finished in like 3 hours and 6 minutes or something (CRAZY BOY!). Jenna came in a little bit after him, but it was the first run that she seemed to NOT enjoy. Kendra & I came in at 3 hours and 23 minutes. We all were certainly glad to be done.

We celebrated at an Italian restaurant afterward - mmm, CARBS!!

Check out the video for more about our 18 miler! Oh, and by the way... people say that if you can run 18 miles, you can run a marathon, so this was a pretty monumental run for us!!