20-Mile Long Run

I ran my first 20-miler of this training cycle today.  And I'm not at all concerned about the stats from that run, because they don't really matter.*

What matters is that the company I shared today was awesome. Simply awesome. I have run many 20-milers in my running life. Some have been tortuous, some have been cut short from tweakiness, some have been just OK.  But I simply cannot remember one in which I not only did the full 20 miles, but enjoyed EVERY step of the way.

Marci, Kris & Mel after two loops. 

I am so blessed to have so many friends to share my running with.  I met up with my favorite girls Kris, Mel and Marci today for our run around White Rock Lake. I originally met them through Twitter, but I believe they have become bona-fide In-Real-Life friends nows. The three of them are training for the Chicago Marathon on 10-10-10, and none had ever run that far before today.  It was a sincere pleasure to be there with them as they crossed that milestone in preparation for their marathon journey.

We had a lot of laughs, outrageous conversation, a few songs, and some pain and frustration along the way - all par for the course in a 20-mile run. They truly made the miles fly by.  This was a long run to remember, and one that I am sure I will recall when things get tough the next time out, as they inevitably do.  I will remember Marci's toughness, Kris's upbeat attitude even as she faced shin pain & self-doubt, and Mel's machine-like speed.

After 20 miles. Yeah, we're hot, sweaty, but smiling & AWESOME all the same!

*But for the record, we did 20 miles in 4:20 moving time. Lots of breaks at the car to refresh, refuel & re-fill our liquids.