16 Mile LSD Walk

This morning was the perfect morning to sleep in, so I did, a little. My alarm went off at 6:30, and I promptly pushed the snooze button, which I usually do a couple of times before I get out of bed. I finally got up at 7 and ate 2 scrambled eggs on a Flatout light Italian flatbread with 1 slice of provolone cheese and drank a couple of glasses of water.

I gave myself the option of walking anywhere from 12 to 16 miles, since it has only been 2 weeks since my 50k trail race. I read something this morning that I thought about when I was thinking to myself at about 12 miles, ok, I can stop if I want to now. Well, I felt good, so why stop? What I read was… doing long distance events and training for them is 95% mental. Your head will tell you to stop because your legs hurt… well, your legs should hurt a little when you have walked 15, 20, 26.2, 31, 60, 62, 100 miles. That is no reason to stop. Or, your head will tell you to stop because you are tired, or because you have an upset stomach. Oh well. Still no reason to stop. How about this one… I fell down. So What! Get up, dust off, and keep going! By the way, it was perfect walking weather. The temp was around 65 when I started out, there was a decent breeze blowing and it was totally overcast. The dampness in the air does make you sweat more and wicking fabric laughs in the face of 100% humidity, but that's what body glide is for.

Anyway, I am trying to train for a specific pace at my next marathon, the Desert Classic in Surprise Arizona, outside of Phoenix. I want to finish in 5:30, which equals a 12:36 mpm walking pace. That means that the LSD (long slow distance) walk should be anywhere from 1 to 1 ½ minutes per mile slower than target race pace.

My first 14 miles averaged 13:48 mpm and this includes a 2 minute stop to refill the water bottle and use the potty at my house. Thank God for flush toilets, soap and hot water! LOL! I wanted to see if I still had something left in the tank, so mile 15 was 12:51 mpm. That felt pretty good. Mile 16 was a cool down mile at 14:37 mpm.

I stretched really well when I got home and then had the recovery drink which is a double shot of espresso with 8 oz. skim milk, oh, and I ate two biscotti.

So, I walked 16 miles in 3:40:29. I have no blisters and am only a little sore. I took a shower and now I am getting ready to go to a Christmas party with a dear friend.