18 miles is NOT EASY!

But I did it anyways. As I was packing earlier this week to come to my moms I debated bringing my hydrations belt and body glide. I thought there was a slim chance to get an 18 mile run in unknown territory. Though Portland is known for their running trails! I should have just brought them because Wednesday night came along and I wasn't ready to leave to go home yet. With a full weekend of T-Ball, Easter Egg Hunts and movies planned; spending 3 hours running wouldn't fit in. Either I leave Thursday and run Friday morning at home and coordinate childcare or a do my 18 miler while my mom watches the kids. The only problem with that is that I needed to find a long of trail to keep my interest. I hate running in new places for my long runs...just a mental thing which I have talked about before. This morning I decided it would be great to just get my long run done and spend another day with my mom. Plus not having to coordinate childcare for the time was perfect. Luckily my mom has a handheld water bottle that I could use...even though I didn't want to hold water for that long...it was better than nothing. You have to have water for a 3+ hour run!

Around Mile 4 I think...so pretty!

 I researched online a trail that my mom told me about and read reviews as much as I could. It's the Leif Erikson Drive. It an 11 mile trail run that is out and back which had mile marker every quarter mile. My mom has run it before and thought I could do it. I have always wanted to try trail running, just never thought it would be for my first 18 miler. I don't get to do out and backs and figured it would be nice. 9 out...9 back...how hard could it be??? Yah...RiGHT! It's hard.

Found the trail head and started my run...oops... forgot my water...run back to the car...ok we are ready. First 4 miles felt great and were uphill...the first mile was a pretty steady climb. It reminded me of the first 4 miles of Mercer Island... curvy roads. I was running through the forest and it was breathtaking. I thought I need to do more runs like this. No cars, no roads....just nature! I loved it. At mile 5.5 the trail got a little confusing with 4 ways to go and no direction started up a steep trail and quickly realized it wasn't right. Thought maybe I should turn around and head back...maybe it meant it was 11 miles total out and back. Then I found the trail and kept going. After mile 7 it got really muddy. Have you run in muddy areas...a little tricky? My shoes got dirty and wet...not fun...but oh well. Got to mile 9 and had to go a little further since my mile wasn't matching up with the trails markers. I was tired but feeling ok. My hip had started bugging me around mile 6 and once I turned around it started hurting more. I felt like there was a lot of inclines in the first 9, but as I was running back....didn't feel that way as much...shooooot! I was looking forward to those downhills. I still had 8.75 miles to run and I was tired! Trail running wasn't as fun at that moment. These are the time when I feel stuck and am glad that I am not close to my house or a street for that matter because I surely would have called it good at 10 miles or so and gone home. But I had no choice but to work my way back. I kept thinking how I should have just turned around at 5.5 miles and that would have been great and I wouldn't be stuck up here with my sore hip. Started questioning again if I could or should be running a FULL, maybe I should try and PR the HALF. Shooootttt I already told so many people that I was doing a FULL marathon...why do I do that! That's why I train though...to work through those mental times. I walked more then I had planned but didn't know what else to do...Mentally I was DONE! Still had to get down so I just kept running and walking until I finally made it all...the...way...DOWN! I was so happy to see my car. I sat in my car and guzzled my Gatorade so quickly...I love Gatorade after a long, tough run.

Muddy shoes and pants...this in place of my typical face picture...wasn't feeling it

 today!I was so glad to be done. Trail running is fun, but maybe not for an 18 mile run... for my first trail run! Lessons are ALWAYS learned on LONG RUN DAYS! I praise God that I have legs to run! At the same time I ask God why I can't be a better runner...but I realize I run for ME! It doesn't matter my times or speed...I run to be healthy, to stay sane, to inspire my kids and to do something I never thought I could do!

I really hate to sound negative...sometime I feel like I do a lot of that on here. I'm a high disclosure kind of gal...I have to share as many thoughts as I can remember! You are runners and I know I can vent and you might understand where I'm at. I like to be positive but sometimes you just have to be honest...I love running....I hate running....I love running...I hate running!!!!

It's nice to have my weekend ahead of me and my long run behind me!

4.1.10 Stats:

Miles: 18

Pace: 11:16

Time: 3:23

Calories: 2849...LOVE IT!