it wasn't pretty...

In anticipation of my upcoming back to back half marathons I wanted to get back to back long runs in this weekend.  And I did!  It wasn't pretty...but it is done.  Whew.

On Saturday, I still wasn't sure about the weather so I stuck around Wakefield for 9mi.  But I already told you about that.  Yesterday, I had hoped to get in 16 more miles.  Unfortunately, I was not prepared for how TIRED I was going to feel after the 9mi the day before and only managed 14.  I think this is the first time ever that I've put two long runs back to back.  It's good to know how I might feel...but in the moment, around mile 10 yesterday, I was not happy to be doing this.

I ran a beautiful route on a beautiful day:  from my friends' house in Peabody, through downtown Salem, along 114 into Marblehead, taking a right onto Ocean Dr.  This road leads to Devereux Beach (where I like to go in the summer) and around Marblehead Neck.  An amazing little stretch of land with ginormous houses.  Also, from here you can see the Boston skyline and the planes lining up to land at Logan.  It's pretty cool.

I started having trouble around mile 7 or so.  I was tired and hungry.  When you're hungry, Gu just doesn't cut it.  But, I pressed on from Marblehead back into Salem, muttering "I'm still moving forward..." over and over.  Hey, it kept me going - whatever works, right?!  I made it back to Peabody to two hills that didn't seem that big when I was going down them...but mountainous now that I was on my way back to the car.  Those two hills and another mile were standing between me and my car.  I have to say, I walked up the first one, but then put my head down and finished out the last hill and the last mile.  My pride will never, ever let me walk the last mile.  Ever.  (Just thinking that this might come back to bite me at some point....let me amend:  I *try* to never, ever walk the last mile.  There.  That's better.)

After a long, tough run, there's nothing I want more than a burger and a beer.  And that's just what I got.  Some friends and I met at Cambridge Brewing Co in Kendall Sq for dinner - and it was de.li.cious.  Go there, it's good!

I am still really tired today...not sure if that's due to the 23mi I ran this weekend or to the fact that it's Monday.  Let's be honest, probably both.