20 Miles - Physical and Mental Test

Today the schedule called for 20 miles and the forecast called for hot.  It was dark for the first 8 miles and no one at my pace was running 20 miles. 

But I was ready for 20 miles - as ready as you can be.  I bought new songs and made a new playlist on my ipod with all upbeat songs.  I ate a big lunch,small dinner on Friday, and pre run breakfast at 3 am Saturday .  I had 3 gu's , a bag of chomps, and my water bottle.

The first ten miles were good. Not great, not fast, but good.  Around mile 15 it got hard.  The sun was warming up the road, and there were less runners on the course.  I missed part of the route and had to improvise.  

But I just kept going.  I kept running even when it was so hard and I wanted to quit and walk, I kept running.  Even when I got back to the start and still needed 3 tenths of a mile to make it 20 , I kept running.  Even when everything hurt -feet legs, hips, back. There was not a dry area of my clothes, and I just kept running.  

That was the key.  I just kept running and praying, and did not stop.  Eventually my watch read 20 MILES.  That's when I stopped.  Run done. Mind stronger, body exhausted.