Ran To Marathon!

Today for track and field practice we had to do a long run. But, not just any long run where you tie your laces and head out the door and will be back in 2 hours from constant steady running. No, we did a workout in our long run. Before today my longest run I had done was 17 mile. I had been doing them all winter on the first or second day of the week. But, today we did 18 miles. Usually when you go out on a run, you will start and stop in the same place, either done by an out and back or loops. Today our run was on the same road and it stretched for 18 miles in one direction... south. We started at Park Center on SUNY Cortland's campus and headed down

rt. 11 towards a small town between Cortland and Binghamton called Marathon.

Just to mention by the way, this town is the town of a Kid who just yesterday went sub 4 minutes in the mile for Binghamton University at the Penn State National Invitational.

Anyways, We ran out about 2.5 miles to meet our coach in a college van where we could change our shoes into our road racers. We took some water and dropped any clothes that we no longer needed. It is still cold out though, about 20-25 degrees at this point. Matt Knott, a freshmen on the team, took off his clothes down to short shorts and a t-shirt. This was crazy because I ran the whole run in tights, 3 layers of shirts, thick winter gloves, and a winter hat.

Anyways, me and him ran the first 3 miles together with the first mile being really kinda flat so we hit 5:05, then we had a big climb on the second mile so it was slow at 5:30, then the last mile was downhill so we hit another 5:05. Then we met up with our coach in the van again at that 5.5 mile mark to change back our shoes and grab a drink if we had to so we can do a steady 7 mile run. Matt Knott put his jacket back on.

By the time we got done with the 7 miles, it had become a tad warmer again pushin 30 degrees. So for the next 3 mile lactate Matt Knott decided to take off his shirt so that all he had on were his shoes and his short shorts! He was CRAZY! He was acting like he was running in the middle of the summer. Mean while I am still dressed like I started the run. It must have been wierd to see me next to him running by passing cars. Finally, him and Josh Henry our assistant coach took off in the first mile because I was feeling a tad tight, where they were around a couple second ahead of me while I hit the mile at 5:15. Then I started feeling smooth and relaxed so I caught up to them dropping a 5 flat 2nd mile. Then we finished it in with a 5:10 last mile.

We had a great workout, especially Matt Knott, sept for his crazy wardrobe! We then ran another 1.25 miles out and back where our coach was at the gas station in Marathon, and he drove us back to Cortland on the highway. This was a great day but I will definately be feeling it The next couple of days.