Unknown Territory

An appropriate excerpt from this week's Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon newsletter:

By now many of your long runs may be personal records. If this was your first marathon training program you may have been running farther than you've ever run week after week.

You've been an explorer in unknown territory. You've boldly gone where you've never gone before, and you've not only survived but you've gotten stronger. You have become what you set out to be. A long distance athlete.

I realized a few weeks ago that each of my subsequent long runs would be my "longest run ever!" It started with 21.2, then 24, then 27 and most recently, 30. Next up: 33. There's a great deal of satisfaction and accomplishment in achieving these new milestones...but there can be some unexpected surprises too.

I've been fortunate so far and haven't discovered too many new woes with the increased distance. I did, however, get my first blister since starting to wear Running Room socks over a year ago. I also have some new chafing on my chest along my bra line - one more place to use BodyGlide in the future. See? It's all a learning experience.

But I really can't complain; my body is holding up well so far.

The next couple weeks will be a little helter-skelter because we're heading to the cottage for a week starting this Friday. I'll be shortening my long run this weekend to something in the 15-20K range, and aiming for several quality shorter runs this week before we leave and next week while we're away. I can't wait to go for a run and jump straight in the lake!