Running Long - on the Treadmill . . . And Turkey Hill Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream!!!

I was so excited (I get that way before my long runs). I had a great event lined up for this morning with my running group "Mom's Run This Town." 3 people were going to meet me on the Mount Vernon Trail at 5:30 to run until 6:30. Then we would get back to the start to pick up the second leg-at least one more person who would run 12-15 more miles with me. 

Then it snowed . . . and temps plummeted to the single digits. The trail, the sidewalks, the sides of the road, all covered in a sheet of ice. There was truly no where to run safely. So, off to the gym (that place I go to maybe once a month on average but it is so worth it for these instances).

I started my morning at 6:45 at Starbucks for a Gingerbread Latte. A froufrou coffee drink is part of my long run ritual. The shopping center parking lot was a sheet of black (and some white) ice. But I made it in and out.

Then on to Golds, where happily, their snow plow company had done a bang up job.

Once on the treadmill, the mental games began. I was nervous. Could I REALLY get through 16-18 miles on a treadmill by myself?!? (Somewhere in my head, I knew I was actually going to do 20 miles but I tried not to admit it to myself yet.)

I started at a 9:40 pace with a 2.0 incline. I have read that using that incline helps compensate for the treadmill being slightly easier than road running. I cued up the second half of The Hunger Games on my IPad and away I went.

At mile 4, I switched to a 9:30 pace and continued that until mile 15, taking gels at mile 5, 10, and 15. Always with water!

When that movie was over, I switched to Into The Wild. Then, at mile 15 I switched to music and alternated my pace between 9:30 and 8:00 because the music and runners high gave me a "pick me up." I knew I had this then. I would do 20 miles and love it!

At mile 18.5 I started to feel a cramp in the top of my right foot, so I lowered the incline to 1.0 and slowed down to a 10 min mile. No help. 

I paused the treadmill and retied my shoe looser, shaking out my foot. BETTER!

Back on the treadmill- pace up to 9:15. Then up to a 7:56 minute mile for one final mile at 19 miles and then DONE! 20 miles complete!

189:10 (9.27 minute mile average)

I did it! I doubted it could be done but I did it and am relieved to know that no weather can keep me from my training :)

I had to walk for about 10 minutes afterwards. I stopped for a sec and felt a little woozy. Walking is always recommended post long run because the muscle movement of walking helps pump the blood and prevent blood pooling and dizziness.

Properly cooled down, I headed for home. I wa feeling happy and goofy though and couldn't resist the urge to announce to the recruiters in the gym office that I just ran 20 miles on the treadmill. High fives all around - then home to my ice cream recovery.

Today's treat was Turkey Hill Homemade Vanilla mixed with Plain Greek yogurt in about a 2:1 ice cream:yogurt ratio.

The Greek yogurt adds healthy protein and live active cultures. Also, when the two are soft and stirred together, the ice cream gets a delicious icy consistency much like when it is added to root beer. Also, there seems like there is more ice cream!!! It's delicious. Try it!!!

The vanilla ice cream itself was . . . Fine. Not the best and not the worst. (I highly recommend Talenti Vanilla- by the way.)

But mixed with the yogurt it was delish!

Recovery done right once again.