M.O.R.E.: 20 Mile Talk

Sunday, October 25, 2009

20 Mile Talk

Today was the day we had to run our 20 mile training run, and in light of last weeks disaster of a 15 miler, we decided it would be good to start at 6am, and try to beat the heat. We started at Peet's, took the Bridgeport Trail, crossed Bouquet and ran down Soledad to Sand Cyn and back. 20 miles is a long way, and lot's of things popped into our minds during that time. Since we are friends, and girls, of course we talk about all those random thoughts, and in case you might think that 20 miles would be really boring, here is a sampling of those thoughts.

6am is really early, 6am is really dark, 6am is really cool (aah!)
We've only run 1.8 miles, how are we going to make 20?
Thank goodness for clean bathrooms, I have to pee again!
Is riding a bike with a harness for your dog, animal abuse?
What is with the outfits, that the bikers wear?
What is with the bikers, in general?
Why don't I have a better running outfit (I just thought this one)
GU is good, Advil is great!
Would a shot of Patron, halfway through a long run help?
We LOVE the grocery store, we LOVE the bowling alley, and really LOVE cold Gatorade!
Hey if someone saw us running now, they would never know we've already run 17 miles
If someone saw us now they would wonder why our legs are barely moving!
My knee hurts
Hey my knee doesn't hurt anymore!
We really want a steak!
Does anyone eat at Chi-Chi's anymore?
Does Phydeaux need a playmate?
It is nice to have the wind at our backs
A 9:27 pace after 18+ miles, is pretty good
When is this run going to be over?
Wow, the run is over?

Pretty good for three old ladies (sorry Marathon Mom). I guess this may prove we are pretty boring. We did also talk about the usual kids, husbands, jobs, and pets, but as you can see, we had a lot of time to consider other things. We all felt so much better than last week, so we sat in Peet's and had coffee and our Egg McMuffins and basked in our accomplishment. Glad it's over, and so glad it went so well! Did someone mention a 22 miler, I'll pretend I didn't hear it.

4 comments:

marathon mom said...: Here are some of our other thoughts:

*Those guys look like drug dealers.
*Those two guys on the bikes look like drug buyers going to meet the drug dealers.
*Wow there's a lot of liquor stores on this side of town.
*Maybe we should take up cycling after our knees give out?
*If that's what happens to your thighs after cycling, maybe not.
*I REALLY have to go to the bathroom.
*Maybe we should just run another 6 miles and call it a marathon?

I am so amazed by how much better we felt this week compared to our last run. I really did feel like I could run another 6 miles. In fact, I felt so good that I ended up driving all the way to San Bernadino by myself to see my son's second game and then shuttling back two more soccer boys to the S.F. Valley and then home. Funny enough, I asked one of the boys why his mom wasn't around all weekend for the games and as it turned out, she was up in Sacramento running a marathon (CIM) from Folsom to Sac. I finally got home in time to make myself and my sons that steak dinner. All in a mom's day!
*; October 25, 2009 at 7:37 PM
cm said...: We did talk about many things during this 20 miles ! It was what got me through it. I am really glad we all seemed to survive this run much better than the last ! I am really proud of all of us !Though I do look forward to this next weekends shorter run. Thanks for pulling me through today. C; October 25, 2009 at 8:58 PM
Patty said...: Wow, can't believe you drove to your son's game, must have been that runner's high. I really laid low and tried to nap but could not do it. How much caffeine is in that GU anyway. I never could have finished a run like this without my friends, I am proud of all of us.; October 26, 2009 at 7:00 AM
SD said...: lol @ shot of patron! that hit my funny bone :); November 3, 2009 at 8:39 PM

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Favorite Trails

South Fork 3.1: Start from dirt parking lot on Magic Mtn Pkway and run to the loop at Wiley Bridge and return the same way.

Tesoro 3.25: Start in Albertson parking lot and take sidewalk/trail until it ends and then enter the water tower road to the top two towers where the ends. Return the same way.

Chesebrough 3.25/4.60: From Chesebrough Park, N. to Copperhill, So. on Bike Trail, turn around at Decoro, back up trail to power lines to bridge at park. Turn around at Heritage will give you 4.6 miles.

Chesebrough 3.5: Chesebrough Park down to McBean, south to Northpark Dr., the paseo trailhead. Take the paseo to Helmers and back. Very hilly.

Bridgeport 4.0: Fairly flat, run toward Lowes and under Bouquet bridge to RiverPark community until you reach the closed gates and return. For a hilly run, go north into Helmers and run up the paseo switchbacks into Northpark where the paseo ends and return the same way.

Chesebrough 4.0: N. to Copperhill to west side of river trail, run S. on Bike Trail past Decoro bridge, across Decoro to the east side of river trail, up back to power lines trail, back to park.

Chesebrough 4.0: From park down power line trail to Heritage Park and back same way.

Bridgeport 4.0: From School, cross McBean via bridge or street and head into industrial center on Ave. Scott Bridge and enter bike trail going south toward the train bridge. Turn around at train bridge and return same way or cross the bridge and head toward Peet's after crossing train bridge and back onto the Lowes Trail.

Heritage 4.0: From park, run up bike trail to Decoro, over McBean Bridge into Helmers, and into Bridgeport through lake trail back to park. Can be done in reverse. Moderately hilly.

Chesebrough 4.25: Chesebrough north to Copperhill, left to Albertson side of bike trail. Run south on trail to Decoro and cross over bridge and head north all the way to Copperhill on east side of river trail and back to the park the same way as started.

Cheese/Decoro/Helmers 4.25: From the park, down dirt trail to bike path, south to Decoro. Leave bike path at Decoro and cross paseo bridge at McBean. Stay on paseo up hill towards Helmers. Run up water tower trail once then continue on to switchbacks and paseos back to park.

Heritage/Bridgeport 3.3: Heritage Park south to McBean Bridge @ Panera. Cross and head toward Lowes bike trail and head east toward Bridgeport Park. Halfway mark is at park bathroom, head back by entering trail along the lake and back onto the bridge.

Lowes 4.25: Lowe's parking lot to McBean, cross the bridge and to South Fork. At Valencia Bridge, enter trail behind Hart Baseball diamonds. Continue on trail to Bouquet and across the bridge on the east side and back under the bridge again towards Lowes.

Peet's & Decoro 5.2: Peet's Coffee to train bridge path; to Decoro and across bridge; back down McBean side of bike trail back to Peete's.

Peet's & Wiley 6.0: Start at Peet's Coffee and head east toward South Fork trail and past the Wiley Bridge. Keep running another 200 yards to where the trail forks left and right. Turn back same way.

Peet's & Copperhill 6.0: From Peet's to bike trail heading north to Copperhill and back.

Albertson 7.0: From the Albertson parking lot on Copperhill, enter the westside bike trail and head south until the train bridge. Return the same way.

Peet's 8.5: Run to Copperhill on east side of river trail and return via train bridge on other side.

Lowes 10: Start in the Lowes parking lot. Enter the bike trail heading west. At McBean, cross the bridge and head east toward SouthFork trail. Continue on trail until you come to the Wiley bridge and head back the same way.

McBean 14: This route can be done from anywhere along the trail route. Starting from McDonald's across the post office, run to the end of the South Fork trail and return the same way, cross the McBean bridge and run on the Lowes trail until you hit Bridgeport Elementary and then cross Newhall Ranch via the bridge or street and run back towards McBean. Continue north on McBean until you hit Copperhill. At Copperhill, cross McBean and enter San Francisquito bike trail and run south on the trail until you are back at McDonalds.