29miles!!

This is the furthest I've done in one go and on the back of my biggest milage week, so il take that big time! That means im up to 115 miles in 6 days - not too much for the pros maybe but for me thats an achievement. That means I can have a rest day tomorrow to end the week off or at most just do something low impact none running.

Today wasn't with out it's challenges mind, I dont know if it was all the miles I've done in the week or that I was just tired, end of story but it was hard work. I took my cliff bars and cliff shots with me, this time I ate the cliff shots two squares at a time but more or less every 15mins after the first hour and they were much easier on the stomach so thats a positive. However when I chose to eat I decided to eat and walk - I didnt like this at all, it seemed to just put me off my rhythm and I found it was taking me a while to get going again. So what I'm going to try and practice is eating whilst still jogging or shuffling as it was by the end!

The run was going well and I thought this may as well be the day I do at least 26 miles but then almost instantly I just felt fatigued - my hamstrings were killing and I was starting to jib a bit and to make it worst I was passing the house at mile 21. Disaster I knew deep down I would stop when I got to the house and as it happened I got home and just sat on the wall, gutted by my failure and my lack of drive to get the job done! This was not on...so I got up and hobbled away from the house, by this point I really needed food and my mind was all over the place - My usual wave and smile at neighbours turned in to nothing but tunnel vision at the tarmac ahead. I called in the shop just down the road and got a maltloaf, ate the whole thing, washed it down with some water and instantly I felt more on the ball and even my pace started to increase, I was back up to 7.10 min mile at one point and I felt 'ok'. A little later and I was done home 29 miles and immensely chuffed but unlike the big marathon events there was no one cheering and no pats on the back just the od hello as a neigbours saw me and one actually said, no joke....'I'm buggerd after giving that grass a cut'
Me: 'Ye, hard work innit'

I actually dont feel to bad at all now, but the goals done so no running tomorrow and I'm happy with today as I found some serious mental strength that I didnt know I had to get that job done. Only problem is I really dont know where another 20 miles will come from!!

By the way if you like fruit and nutts but always eat to big a portions try www.graze.com - I find it a great way to get healthy calories down me and it's really good to take to work.