Previous long runs for Marathon Training:
- One Way Ticket to Double Digitland (10.0 miles)
- Eleven with the Ladies (11.0 miles)
- A Hellish Half Marathon (13.1 miles)
- Fabulous Fourteen (14.0 miles)
- Sweaty Sixteen (16.0 miles)
- Screamin’ Seventeen (17.0 miles)
- Energizing Eighteen (18.0 miles)
- Easier Eighteen (18.0 miles)
- Terrific Twenty (20.0 miles)
- Solo Seventeen (17.0 miles)
I survived my VERY, VERY LONG 22.0 mile run
Megan and I finished the race in 3:57:30 for an average pace of 10:45. I am really proud of us because – truthfully – we bought woke up with QUITE the headaches following last night’s debauchery. Seriously, I don’t know WHAT I was thinking by going out the day before a long run – it was the worst decision of my life! Never done that before, and I will NEVER do it again. Umm. Basically, do as I say, not as I do. 
Before we left, I had two pieces of toast with peanut butter.
I packed three packets of Goo (for about 300 calories) in my SpiBelt and drove to Megan’s place.
Our 22.0 mile run literally took us ALL over Orlando – we actually ran through 4 or 5 different neighborhoods and didn’t repeat any mileage. It was ONE BIG LOOP. That was definitely a good thing because Megan and I both talked about quitting MULTIPLE times during the run. In fact, I noticed that we were both SO volatile in our emotions – one moment, I felt great. And the next, I wanted to curl up into a ball and sleep on the side of the road.
Here’s the breakdown:
- Mile 1 – 4: OMG. My head is throbbing. I am never drinking beer again.
- Mile 5 – 6: Wow! I suddenly feel SO MUCH BETTER.
- Mile 7: I really need to use the bathroom!!! BADLY!
- Mile 9: Do we REALLY have 13 more miles to go? Freak out.
- Mile 11: Halfway there! Yippee. I feel great.
- Mile 13: Only 9 miles to run! Realization that being happy about only have 9 miles left in my run makes me literally insane.
- Mile 15: I hate my life. I am never drinking beer again.
- Mile 18: Start heading back to the car; feel relieved.
- Mile 20.01: NEW PERSONAL DISTANCE RECORD!! YAY!
- Mile 21: My knees hurt. My face hurts. My back hurts. My armpits are chafing!
- Mile 22: Done! And so relieved.
We took several walking breaks (which is why our overall pace – 10:45 – was slower than normal) and also run into 7-11 on three separate occasions to use the bathroom and refill our water.
I am SO proud of us! Never in my entire life did I think that I would be running 22.0 miles in one go.
Proof:
Epic.
We were SOOO hungry after the run. I definitely need a lot more than 300 calories during a long run like that! We bolted into the supermarket right away, and I made myself a lovely French bread and cream cheese sandwich on the hood of my car. I ate most of the loaf on the ride home!
Hit the spot!
And when I came home, I made this entire box of pasta:
Which I ate with 1/2 container of baked plain tofu and cream sauce.
Wonderful post-run combo of carbs and protein! Definitely recommend this flavor.
I am off to nap – obviously I am very tired. But I’m happy and feel like if I can run 22.0 miles under these conditions, I am MORE than ready for the marathon. I know I will do great, and I’m really hoping for a good time. Whew!
Twitter
Operation Beautiful
Congrats on finishing when feeling…ur…not your best
I can barely run a 5k! Hope to be able to run a half marathon by the end of 2010, wish me luck!
Nice Job on the run! Very impressive that you overcame the headache and completed the distance. You should be very proud of yourself!
you make me want to lace up my shoes and run right now! Great job!
Great job!!
Congrats! You’ll knock that marathon dead
congrats caitlin!!
that butternut squash looks delish with tofu and cream sauce!
get some rest, you deserve it!
jenna
Wow! That is an amazing distance!
Congratulations! You guys make me itch to run. Can’t wait until I’m all healed from my c-section! You’re truly an inspiration.
YYYYYYYESSSS!!!
Yay! I’m so inspired by you to train for a marathon. Thanks for the amazing blog:)
CONGRATULATIONS!! I was waiting for this post all morning!
I’m glad you made it through the run, even if you were a bit hungover after a fun night — getting through the bad runs will give you the mental toughness to break through any walls you hit during the race!
Nice work!!!
I cannot believe you ran like that after drinking the day before, wow. Were you hungover? I don’t take shots because they mess me up so bad but wow quite impressed.
Congrats Caitlin! If you can run 22 miles with a hangover you are DEFINITELY ready to rock that marathon!
congrats on the run you two!!! Especially after the fun you had last night
WOW. That is SOOo so mind boggling to me. Congrats- thats HUGE!
I love the car-hood sammy
Congrats on your run!!I would have eaten that entire loaf of bread…just saying:-) cc
im working on that! LOL
way to go! I’m sure that 22 mile run cured your hangover by the end.
congrats!!
I need a nap just reading about it! Great job!
congrats caitlin! 22 miles is such an accomplishment!
I’m impressed! Awesome job!
Amazing job on that run!!! You’re making me nervous I won’t be prepared for the race!
Congrats on your 22 mile run! Very impressive!
Awesome job! You & Megan are AMAZING!!
Wow! Congrats Caitlin you are a rockstar! Way to go!!!!
You are so prepared for this marathon! I’m excited for you!
Great job!
The pasta looks wonderful.
congrats on such a long, long run! you’re flippin’ amazing!
I was kind of wondering what you were thinking doing shots the day before your long run, but I didn’t want to scare you! Glad it went well. You will rock this race.
Congrats on your EPIC run!!!! That is amazing!!
Congratulations! 22 miles is amazing!!
A hangover 22 miles! You two did and incredible job! I cannot imagine running one mile with a hangover but it’s good that your head wasn’t hurting the whole time!
I cannot wait to read your marathon post!
Caitlin -
Congrats on the 22 mile run. You deserve lots of carbs and a long epsom salt bath.
My first Boston Marathon I wore a laminate bracelet with the name of a person next to each mile – so each mile was dedicated to someone. Each mile I thought about that person and it REALLY helped. By mile 24 I really needed that boost and thinking about something different each mile helped them pass by fast.
Not sure if that would help you but just a thought.
Best,
Katie
http://katiechangesforkatie.blogspot.com/
wow mentally I have to do my long runs on the weekend, I am so impressed you did this on a week day!! I am going to meet up with Graduate Megan when we are in orlando over Christmas if you are around!
congrats! i can not believe you rocked that after drinking the day before! those post race meals look so yummy
That is so amazing and inspiring! How did you do that wearing a skirt/skort?
its really comfy – i got it from target.
Wow, good going!
May I ask, what are you using there to monitor your distance / timing?
Garmin Forerunner 305 watch
Yay for you!!! That’s amazing!
Congrats on the looong run! Totally true – you are 100% ready to run that marathon. Doesn’t it feel great to know you put in all that hard training and YOU DID IT RIGHT!! It will pay off. Now time to taper.
hahhaha I love your “what i was thinking” mileage breakdown. Hilarious! I’m so impressed by both of you
woot woot! Awesome job!
Thats awesome! Reading about your 22 miler, really makes me nervous for mine! But, your blog is really an inspiration, so thank you! Even though I am totally jealous of your location. I am in Nebraska and today had to run on ice/snow. Very jealous indeed
hi caitlin! just wanted to say congrats. i read every day but rarely comment. you prob don’t remember but you are the one who alerted me to windows live writer a year ago (lol) and it is the best thing i have ever done as far as blogging goes.
i will always have you to thank for that!
i ran my first marathon this past fall and if there is one thing i wished i had done beforehand– run a 22 miler. running 20 a couple of times just didn’t prepare me the way i wanted to be prepared. so congrats and you are right on track
ooo im glad to hear you love live writer as much as i do!
I have never ran 1 mile let alone 22 miles. I did the Avon walk for breast cancer April 2009 which is a total of 39.5 miles (26.2 on day 1 and 13.3 on day 2). I am doing a bike ride on April of 2010 for 180 miles… I am hoping I can run a marathon the following year!?!
HOORAY!! I’ve been keeping an eye out for your post all morning – you girls are both such an inspiration
Do you plan on running the marathon together, or just seeing how you are feeling when the day comes?
Btw, that ravioli looks delish!!
we might run together – we aren’t sure.
Gahhh!!!! Caitlin, I do not know how you do it, but you’re amazing. After a night of debauchery I barely want to walk, let alone run. Let alone run 22 MILES!!! A. Freaking. Mazing.
Holly run!! you girls rock !
Great job! See you survived. If anything now when you do the marathon, with no drinking the night before and plenty of sleep you should feel even better!
Just because you are training for a marathon it doesn’t mean you have to stop living life they way you normally would. You just have to plan accordingly or take it easy when you have other stuff come up. I usually do my long runs on Sundays, as the hubby and I usually go out Friday nights. Saturday night I try to lay low, but that doesn’t always happen…. and that is life. Just need to try to find some balance, no different than anything else.
Great job and rest up!
Congrats! That’s an amazing accomplishment. I recently found out I’m borderline diabetic (thanks to a 10 pounds newly married weight gain). Seeing you run 22 miles makes me realize I can definitely lose these 10 pounds and get out of the borderline diabetic range. Awesome girl!
Congrats! That’s an amazing accomplishment. I recently found out I’m borderline diabetic (thanks to a 10 pounds newly married weight gain). Seeing you run 22 miles makes me realize I can definitely lose these 10 pounds and get out of the borderline diabetic range. Awesome girl!
im so sorry!! you can get better! i know it.
CONGRATS!!! Yeah, I learned the hard way myself to “never” drink or eat to badly the day or night before a long run as it affects you so much…….though sometimes it happens and you guys had a great reason to celebrate! =)
wow you are so inspiring! even after your injury you still kept determined and trained so hard
youll do AMAZING on your marathon!!!
ps only you could run 22 miles while hung over haha
Congrats! I can’t even fathom running 22 miles!
Great job–love the commentary breakdown of the run, too! I have said, “I hate my life, never drinking beer again” on more than one occasion!! You are not alone, sister
http://www.firednfabulous.blogspot.com/
yay! way to go Caitlin and Megan!
What an awesome effort! You ladies are going to BLITZ the marathon
sheesh, you’re a superhero…not kidding. Both of you. I totally just added megan to my google reader.
Love the mile breakdown. I giggled. I know those feelings!
Congrats! You are my hero!!!! You will rock this marathon, you are amazing!!!!
Wow! 22 miles is amazing!
Do you do anything else throughout the day after running that much? I feel like I would be too pooped to do anything!
nope.. i am a giant waste of life on long run days. i have walked the dogs once?
That’s fantastic- go you!!
As I read last night’s blog, I thought, “This isn’t going to be good.” But you did it! Whohoo!!!
You’re AMAZING! I remember training for my first marathon and after doing the 22 miler I felt like such a rockstar! I was amazed that I had come so far! You are going to kick butt at your marathon…WOO HOO!
SO proud of you!
Congrats chica!
Congrats on your run! You are above and beyond ready for Disney! I only did 20 as my long distance in any of my marathons. I was wondering what brand the knee sleeves you wear were and where i could get them. I just had knee surgery and will be getting back to running next month and my knee brace is pretty bulky, so i’m looking for somthing like yours, smaller, comfortable and supportive.
check this out
http://www.healthytippingpoint.dreamhosters.com/2009/09/knee-pain.html
great job on your run!!! you are gonna kill it at disney!
“Mile 15: I hate my life”
hahah…oh my gawwwwd I can only imagine!!!!!!!!! You two are superstars!!!!!!!! Rock on. Its in the bag. Enjoy your tapering! yehaww.
Girl, you whomped that run! And you did it with beers the night before and a sandwich on the hood of your car after–classic. You’re SO ready now
Congrats on the long run! That is so awesome!
THAT’S INCREDIBLE! Seriously, I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say you rock.
holy cow 22 miles is so AWESOME. I am still working on running 3 without stopping. It’s frustrating….I have asthma so I feel like my body can go eeeasily but my chest tightens up so bad. Grrr I am determined to run 3 and continue on. GOOD JOB!!!!
once 22 is done, 26.2 will be no prob!
You go get em tiger!
This might be weird to say, but I’m super proud of you. You will rock the 26 I know it!
Damn straight you’re ready for this marathon!! I am SO impressed/proud!! Are you bringing your weekly mileage down now? If so it should (hopefully) be smooth sailing till the marathon. Just, um, no more beer before long runs, mmkay?
im dropping down to 18 mpw and below.
so proud of you! you are SO READY!
You are a machine! WTG!!! Simply amazing!!! You both are going to rock the marathon and look forward to seeing your smiling face on that day
Rock on girl. well done. one bene of running 22 miles is getting to eat as much as you want after.
and during! my coaches all said to consume 100 to 200 calories per hour for anything over 90 minutes. so i take one gel and one bottle of gatorade with one bottle of water per hour i’m out there. you must hydrate enough during and immediately following a run that long to save yourself some misery later on tonight.
recover well!
Wow, Caitlin! Congrats! I love my Garmin, don’t you? You’re an inspiration, you’re MORE than ready for marathoning!
Congrats Caitlin!! 22 miles is certainly a feat!! You and Megan are so ready for Disney. Love your french baguette meal on your car. Awesome!
omg that’s an amazing accomplishment!!!! 22 miles is probably more than i run in one week
not that i’m comparing but it makes me want to set goals for myself too! love the delicious eats – definitely a perk of running so much!
wow congratulations. I can’t even imagine doing this. I’m just beginning to run and 2 1/2 miles is basically what I’m at right now.
I love the mileage recap, hilarious!!! You are quite the inspiration…in so many ways! I really can’t wait to start training for another run. I have always worked out a lot but just became a runner a little over a year ago. I trained and ran my first 1/2 marathon 8 months later. If you would have asked me 2yrs ago if I’d ever run more than a 5k I would have laughed SO hard…amazing what you can set your mind [+ body] to do!!
Congratulations, Caitlin! That is so awesome and you are my running inspiration! Because of reading your blog, I have kept at my running long enough to go 11 miles last Monday, which is my longest run ever! Thanks for sharing your journeys with us through your blog!
Congratulations, and that’s insane! 22 miles! Go girl!
Wow! You are so getting me excited for my Paris marathon training!! The official training starts next week for me!!
Isn’t having a training partner great? I don’t know what I would do if I had to do all my long runs by myself!
I gave up running 6 months ago due to injury and although I think I could start on a small scale again without a problem I haven’t. reading your recent posts are really inspiring me to get back in to it.
congrats on your long run :0) x
I love the impromptu bread on top of the car! You are going to finish that marathon, no problem
I can’t wait to get started on my half training in the New Year!
Congratulations. I was considering getting the same watch? How do you like it? Is it heavy or bulky to run with?
its big but the bigness is a good thing because you can read the face and use the buttons more easily.
Wow you made me tired just reading that post! Amazing job