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Dieciocho

That means 18 for you non-Spanish speakers out there:) I ran 18 miles today and I didn't even die. Sure, I came close a few times and my feet sounded like hammers on the pavement by the end but I finished---in freaking 2:46:00---which is a 9:16 mile average! This goes down in history as both the longest run I've ever done and probably the fastest, too.

I found a new running partner named Krista who is basically a badass. She's the crazy one who ran two half marathons and a full last spring and is planning on another full and half this fall. She also hasn't run more than 8 miles all summer and managed to bang out 18 like it was nothing. Me on the other hand? I've been training all summer long like it is my job and I was struggling on this run.

We stopped 4 times to stretch, drink, and eat and we stopped the clock on those breaks---which may or may not be cheating? I forced us to walk a half of a mile at 15 to regain composure but other than that it was pretty flipping fabulous to complete such a daunting run. It was full of lots of good conversation which I'm finding helps a whole lot on the longer runs. Who knew? :)

And now, dear readers, I feel that you need a dose of harsh reality: Running isn't all puppy dogs and rainbows. In fact, it's nearly impossible to be a foot model while training for a marathon as evidenced by my hideous feet right now. I have developed some wicked blisters on the tips of my toes [weird! and kind of freaky] that deserve their moment in the spotlight.

Here are my feet right after a run. Please look closely at my third toes on each foot. And yes, that is a tattoo on my big toe--it fades out after a run, but it's a star with an arrow going through it:

So then on Rightie there is this monster:

I'm pretty sure it's a bad thing when the blister goes underneath my toenail, right? I've heard horror stories about runners losing their toenails and I don't want that to be me! It hurts like a little biyatch, too.

Then Leftie is sporting this sucker:

This one has gone down a bit and is now more of a callous but it's still painful. It's just not as frightening as Rightie's new addition.

I'm sure these bad boys have something to do with my new shoes but also... once you start running for nearly three hours something has to give, right? I just hope they don't get much worse or I might have to get brave with a needle [I love that stuff, you know]. I thought the other runners out there might appreciate the dirty details of training:)

So now the rest of my weekend is fabulously full: I'm off all day today since I worked on Sunday. Today I get a massage that I've been putting off for far too long. Then we are going to the Brewers game tonight and I cannot wait for the sausage races and a nice cold beer. Tomorrow we are going to Madison for a wedding all day long [squeeee!] and then Sunday Nate is leaving me for Minnesota where he'll visit a friend until Tuesday. Lots of pictures to follow for sure and I promise no more blister pictures [for now at least].

20 comments:

  1. Yowza!!!!
    But... hooray for 18 and a badass time! And a running partner.
    But the feet... yikes! I never got a blister like those, but I did have a toenail fall off. Not fun.

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  3. Lol, I read Kritta's blog and I crack up every time, so I am sure running with her is crazy awesome and hilarious.

    Good job on the 18 miles!

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  4. Congrats on 18!!!

    About those lovely toes, I'd recommend checking out BodyGlide: http://www.bodyglide.com/

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  5. ACK!! Paint those toenails girl!!!

    But in all seriousness, congrats on the 18 miles. That's freaking awesome.

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  6. Kristal~I knew that would freak you out! No time for painted toenails while training, my dear. Especially if I'm going to lose one of them!

    Kate- I didn't know that lube stuff was for your feet, too. Hmmmmm....

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  7. I usually get blisters like that when the toe box is too short, i.e. go for 1/2 size bigger in running shoes. It completely helps. Kudos to you for banging it out! I'm completely jealous that you get to go to a Brewers game. We were trying to squeeze one in when we fly to Madison for J's cousin's wedding in two weeks, but we just couldn't swing it.
    Have a great time!

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  8. 18 miles?! I'm seriously in awe.

    I really hate hate hate running. I could hang out on an elliptical for hours at the highest ramp level and resistance, but put me on a treadmill for more than 5 minutes and I'm a goner!

    And Bryan hates feet even more than I hate running. So because husbands are for torturing, I'll leave the picture of your toe up on the computer for him to see when he gets home!

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  9. Ouchie! Keep up the great work on your training. Your doing awesome!

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  10. Woah! 18 miles??? Good for you lady!!

    Umm...there is always time for painted toe nails, if not a full out pedi. I bet it would make those blisters hurt less if you had pretty pink nails on your tosies :)

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  11. Woah! 18 miles??? Good for you lady!!

    Umm...there is always time for painted toe nails, if not a full out pedi. I bet it would make those blisters hurt less if you had pretty pink nails on your tosies :)

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  12. I'm so super jealous of you two! It'd be great to meet one of you IRL, but then to have you two meet! Craziness, glad to hear you kicked el dieciocho's pompi! :)

    Those toenails are hot.

    I second the body glide . . . or not to freak you out, when I was a broke college student, to break in my soccer cleats I'd just put vaseline on my feet, before socks. Worked like a charm. Of course you're not a broke college student and neither am I anymore though lol.

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  13. I know that I have mentioned it before, but my brother is a cross country runner. Last summer, he got a blister and his nail came off :( I really hope it doesn't happen to you! But...congrats on the run!!!

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  14. congratulations to you on the 18 miler!

    i'm seriously gagging at those pictures!

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  15. Ummm..ow!

    But congrats on the 18 miles! This is something to be very very proud of!

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  16. another tip... some people use the "lube" but putting baby powder in your socks works too! Just dump a bunch in your sock and put on your shoe, and it will help with the blisters. :)

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  17. Yikes! Those blisters look very painful. I'm impressed that you still mananged to kick out 18 miles at a fantatic pace, nonetheless. If it makes you feel any better, I just got my first pedi since March the other day. My toenails were in bad shape.

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  18. Yay, us. :)

    You did fabulous, my dear!

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  19. j--seriously. . . don't you know how much i hate feet? to see your toes upfront was not the thing i needed this monday morning!

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  20. Yeeeooowwwwwww! Exactly why I do not run..... :)

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