How I ran 30 miles

Hello hello.

It's been a rough week for the running community and humanity in general.  I found this quote that really hit home, and I hope everyone can continue to view the world this way.

So.  Let's recap last Tuesday.


Yup, it happened.



I turned THIRTY.



I'm still in denial.

But!  I ran 30 miles, which is one of my biggest accomplishments ever.  EVER!  It was pretty tough, more so mentally than physically (though let's be honest, by mile 25 I was pretty hungry tired). 

I'm gonna recap the day (with very few pictures because uhhh my phone is a piece and I certainly wasn't running with my point and shoot) and maybe one day you'll want to run 30 miles too! :)

WAKE UP: 4:30am.

I slept pretty awfully the night before.  I was really nervous.

What I ate:  A Chocolate Brownie Clif bar and half a banana.  (Ps, I ALWAYS eat a Clif bar before my long run.  They are a great source of energy and I can usually last til mile 12 or 13 before I get hungry again- and me not being hungry is kind of an anomaly)  I also drank a big glass of water.

RUN:  4:45am I ran the half mile to my dad's gym, and met him there and brought a giant squeeze bottle with blue Gatorade.  I ran 7 miles on the treadmill, then the half mile back home.  (8 miles so far!)

Bathroom break!

RUN:  6:15am I ran my favorite 10 mile loop in town, carrying my giant Gatorade bottle and jammin' to Mumford and Sons, Taylor Swift, old school Dashboard Confessional, and Maroon 5.  (18 miles!)

EAT:  Once I got back home I took another bathroom break, refilled my Gatorade bottle (with more blue Gatorade!) and ate a LOT of dill Triscuits.  I immediately regretted that decision.  Those things are delicious but HEAVY in yo' tummy.

RUN: 8:05am Ran 4 miles and my IT band and hip on my left side were getting pret-ty tight.  So I looped on over to my favorite neighborhood treadmill and stretched and started the last leg *harharhar* of my journey. (22 miles so far!)

RUN STRETCH RUN STRETCH RUN

8 miles later...

Along with some needed encouragement...

30 miles = complete :)

I went through my usual post long run shenanigans, with an added bonus nap (yes!) and haircut/shopping extravaganza with my sister (double yes!). 

It was definitely a hard, hard run, but so rewarding.  I'm very grateful for all the encouragement from my friends and family, because without them, I couldn't have done it.

And who knows.... maybe next year I can do 31 ;)
(yeah, probably not)


Question:  

What's the furthest you've ever run?!

What did you have for dessert for your latest birthday??

-Carrot cake cheesecake.  It was unreal.