11/5/11
14 miles / 2:01 / 8:39 avg pace
I’m a creature of routine. Every night before my long run I do the following (don’t mock me):
- check the hourly forecast on weather.com
- lay out my running clothes near my bed
- lay out my hair bands, headband, Body Glide, sunscreen, Aquaphor (winter only), and contacts in my bathroom
- lay out towels, ShotBloks, water bottle, and chocolate milk in the kitchen
- set my alarm for some ungodly early hour
This sounds involved but I’ve been doing it for so long now I can easily pull everything together in 5-10 minutes. Then I literally roll out of bed the next morning and go. I don’t have to think about anything nor do I forget anything.
Last night Matt and I watched a movie (Crazy, Stupid Love – it was good) and then a few episodes of House Hunters and I was feeling lazy and tired so I just went to bed – no long run prep. I also slept in since it was freezing out (the later I go running, the warmer it is!). After rolling out of bed at 7:30 (unheard of for me, I’m usually a few miles into my run by then), I slowly got ready and started running at 8:30.
I knew what was coming. And cursed myself for staying in bed so long. My stomach growled at mile 2. Crap. I don’t eat before any of my runs (read why here) and since I’m generally done running at 8:30 and about to eat breakfast, I never get hungry during a long run…even 22 miles. So not good. I ate 3 ShotBloks and felt a little bit better. Thankfully, I brought a few extra with me just in case.
Two and a half packs of ShotBloks later, I was done and booking it back to my car for some chocolate milk. I eat that many ShotBloks for a marathon! Too many for such a short distance. Ugh.
I also forgot to put on sunscreen and Body Glide. Damn chafing and sun damage!
Moral of the story: get your butt out of bed early and lay out everything ahead of time.
Do you have a long run routine? Do you find yourself sleeping in a bit more now that the weather is colder? I’m so guilty of this, especially since I’m not technically training for anything right now.
Best of luck to everyone running the NYC marathon tomorrow, especially Meggie, Kelly, Keri, Katie, and Susan!!!!!
Sounds very similar to my LR routine, but for the past year I’ve also been getting up at least an hour before the LR and eat a bagel w/ peanut butter, 1 cup of coffee and then clear the old digestive system. 🙂 Since I’ve started doing this I haven’t had the horrible GI issues mid-LR like I used to.
I need to get a 14 miler in! My longest since TCM has been 8. I’m feeling lazy!
I love the winter bc I can do my long runs at any time in the weekends and it isn’t too hot!!! 🙂 Don’t like the dark on every weekday run tho 🙁
I totally agree that it is better to get all of your things out the night before a long run. If I don’t, I inevitably forget something super important (like Body Glide!!) and my run isn’t nearly as enjoyable.
Good job getting it done. And I loved ‘Crazy, Stupid Love’!
My routine sounds very similar to yours, I am all about getting out of bed and out the door. If I wait too long though, I know I need to just get up, eat, wait awhile, and then run. I’m with you though, I prefer those early morning runs! Nice job today, even with all the hurdles!
Hmmm, my routine is also weird, but sort of the opposite of yours. I’ve been eating a light breakfast before my run, but eating nothing during. I might try it your way. I’m going to need to practice with fueling during anyway, especially because after next weekend they start getting really long again.
I’m more motivated to get out of bed early for long runs in the summer. Now that it’s colder, I’m happy to sit around for an extra hour or two before leaving so it can warm up a little. I lay out my clothes like that the night before pre-work morning runs too. I also obsessively check the weather. Both for picking out work clothes the night before and the hourly forecast to know what it will be for the 2 hours I’m gone during a long run.
I found myself full on ditching early morning runs now that I’m not training for now! But now with the new time change, I’m hoping that the sun will be up early enough for me to fit super early morning runs in before I head into the office!
Thanks for the shout-out, Kristy! Just saw it. 🙂 I also very rarely/never eat before runs, even long ones … another way in which we are running twins! 🙂