No eighteen mile run :(

For the first time, I was unable to make one of the long runs. After the last run of eight miles, my left hip was really sore. It was feeling a little better by Wednesday, so I thought I'd try a short half-hour run, and ended up making it really, really sore. I stayed off it all the rest of the week, hoping to be well enough for the long run on Sunday, but it still felt too painful to try to run for eighteen miles. I considered walking the whole course, or just running part way, but I knew if I showed up at all, I was going to end up running. Very reluctantly, I decided to stay home and let it rest.

I've done my midweek runs this week, and while I still have some aches in my hip, I think I'll be fine to do this week's run, especially since it's a shorter recovery run of nine miles. This has been a setback, but I'm determined not to let it prevent me from completing my training and running in the Honolulu Marathon.

Eight miles

Before our run this week, we all joined hands in a big circle while our coach said a few words about this week's attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, offering condolences to anyone who'd lost family or friends. He told us that as marathoners running to help people with AIDS, we are Strong, Caring, and Healing people, which is what the country needs now. Then, after a moment of silence, we set out for our eight-mile run. It's been a difficult and unhappy week, so I was glad to have a shorter run.

Our route was up the Great Highway past the Cliff House, along a trail by the golf course to the Palace of the Legion of Honor and back, through Sutro Heights Park, then down the Great Highway along the ocean side. It was supposed to be a recovery run, but between some serious hills and running through sand, it was tough for a short run! But it was a good run, and I'm glad to be another week further along toward my goal.

Sixteen miles

Sweet sixteen! This week's run went really well. In fact, I felt better after this run than I have after any of the other long runs so far. Was it the quart of Gatorade I drank the day before the run? The reasonably good night's sleep I got that night? Is my body finally adjusting to running long distances? Or was it just chance—a really good day? Whatever, I'm feeling very recharged and enthused about my training, especially after such a rough long run last time.

Seven miles

Today, we ran seven miles. It was one of our recovery runs, and it seemed to zip by in a quick hour and forty-five minutes. We ran through Golden Gate Park in the fog, and the worst problem I had was that my glasses kept fogging up.

Last week was a milestone—fourteen miles, over half a marathon! We ran down the Great Highway a mile or so and back, then up Martin Luther King Drive to Sunset, all the way down Sunset to Lake Merced, around Lake Merced and back. Whew! While I felt pretty good during the run, I went home afterwards and collapsed, stiff and exhausted and sick to my stomach, and didn't stir from my bed until early evening. This week I heard a lot of other people say that 14 was really hard for them, so I feel a bit better about having such a difficult day. Misery loves company! Next week, 16 miles—we'll see how that goes!

My fundraising is also just about at the halfway mark. Time to start sending reminders to everyone who meant to donate, but just hasn't quite gotten around to it yet.... But I'm really thrilled that so many people have been willing to help so far.