Learnings from my 28 mile run

Well, my right knee is still hurting from my first ever run over 26 miles but I learned many good pieces of information that I will use on my Ultra in July.

1) I need to bring two pairs of socks a day for my run. After 17 miles they were soaked from sweat and starting to irritate my feet. Once I changed them, my feet were comfortable for the duration of the 28 miles, which I never expected. I expected blisters from road running that many miles.

2) My RaceReady shirt may not work for that long of a run. I will have to see if my chest toughens up in the next month.

3) I actually felt quite good the next morning. Good enough to work all day laying stone in my new wall in the front yard. My only problem is the tendon in my knee, and I'll just have to nurse that back to health. That is encouraging as far as my conditioning strategy goes.

4) I was much sorer the day after the day after. I guess that means that if I keep running every day on the ultra then I won't notice it until the day after the day after I stop? Yea right!

5) I lost 3-4 pounds in one day of running which means nutrition is going to play a huge part in my success or failure on the trail. I can't afford to do that on the trail so I am going to have to find a way to take in more nutrition and more calories. I think I'll start researching how riders in the Tour de France approach it. The big difference is that they get to sleep in a hotel each night and eat meals prepared in a full kitchen.

6) I need to start running more continuous days each week and make sure that even on the off days I do close to an hour on the bike or elliptical. I'm under 2 months and its now crunch time.

7) I also need to start buying my gear. I have a lot to acquire and time will run short very quickly.

8) My next test will be crucial. I plan to go away for a weekend and stay near the Appalachian Trail in MA for 2 days. One day I will head out and run 12-13 miles north, turn around and come back for the night to get in about 25 miles and the next day I will head 12-13 miles south and come back so that I can then see how I do with posting two 25 mile days in a row in the mountains on dirt trails. That will be in late June... wish me luck!