I ran how far?

The distance keeps going up. Today was 18 miles--my longest run ever. Only 8.2 miles short of what I'll be doing October 4. I felt pretty good on the run, mainly because today was seasonably cool (49 degrees when I left!). I also found a Gu flavor I like--Orange! It still tastes weird, but not nearly as weird as all the other flavors.

TC Marathon Countdown: 34 days

50 days and counting!

Today marks the 50 days until the marathon point. I finished my longest run to date (16 miles) and it was a toasty one this morning. The marathon organizers ran a water stop at Lake Calhoun where they gave out water, Powerade, and Gu. I thought it would be about 8 miles from my apartment. Turns out, it was more like 9, so I had to improvise my return route to cut a little distance.

I have also concluded that energy gels are weird. The texture is rather unexpected, and the taste isn't that great. The flavors they had were chocolate, espresso, strawberry banana, and vanilla bean. Vanilla bean looked like the least objectionable, so that's what I tried. I picked up some other flavors from the store today, so I can see if any of them turn out to be better. All in all, I did notice a boost in my energy, even if it was short-lived.

TC Marathon Countdown: 50 days

Liberation

Dear Nike+iPod,

I want a divorce. We've been together for 10 months and 240 miles. But it's over. Things started off grand for us. You helped me get back into running. You told me how far I went each day and when to turn around. You even brought Lance Armstrong and Paula Radcliffe along with us on occasion.

But it's over. You see, I'm tired of the voices in my head. I don't enjoy having more wires wrapped around me than there are in Radio Shack. My arm is sick of the armband. My pace is all messed up. And I've missed one of the best things about running outdoors--the outdoors.

You should also know that I've found someone new--a "friend with benefits" if you will. It's name is Nike+Sportband. Yes, it's your cousin. I'm sorry, but it's just so much more compact. It tells me everything thing I need to know, and nothing I don't. To any outsider, it's just a watch, but to me, it means freedom.

I wish you well. I hope you find someone new.

Sincerely,

Matt

TC Marathon Countdown: 60 days

Milestone

This post is a little late, but on Sunday I completed a major milestone in my training: I'm halfway through the training program. Less than 9 weeks to go now.

TC Marathon Countdown: 61 days