Last long run before CIM

Today was my last long training run before CIM which is in two weeks. Running for 20 miles gave me a lot of time to reflect on this past year and what a year it has been. When I started my run this morning I wasn't planning on running 20 today but my legs were feeling good and I thought why not. My first loop of 7 miles was pretty solid. I was holding a nice steady pace around 9:00-9:15 min. pace. The rolling hills were no obstacle for me.

As I started my second loop of 7 miles I started to laugh a little. It just dawned on me that this was the exact same training run I did last year for CIM. I guess I am truly a creature runner of habit. The second loop I was holding 9:15-9:30 min per mile. That is still faster then last year. This loop I felt the hills and had to put in a good solid effort to get up them. But I pushed on.

The third loop was only 6 miles I told myself. 6 miles I run that almost every day. I broke it down which helped me mentally. I pushed myself to run to a fixed object and then when I reached my goal I said just a little further until I was finished.

I am glad that I didn't have any repeats like last weeks disastrous 18 miler. That is probably due to the fact that I took yesterday off. Which for me is unheard of. Two days off in one week. I am glad I did though as yesterday was special Meme day with my nephew Lil Man.

I worked Wednesday night and when I got home Lil Man was ready to spend some quality time with me. It all started with chocolate milk, that is our thing. Then we headed to Target so that he could play with Toddler toys. Usually I am pretty good at saying No to any new toys, but yesterday he walked out with a new toy. This new toy had Mater from Cars and had a loop and launch ramp to Mater could fly. It is actually a pretty cool toy and kept entertained for the rest of the morning.

When we returned home he played with his new toy and enjoyed his pop corn. He played with it outside while I played fetch with Traildog. Traildog also received a new toy, it was a Frisbee. We played for an hour and then it was time for lunch, only the best for   my Lil man. Chicken nuggets!!!! He asked for them and who am I to say no on special meme day.

It was a great day yesterday but I was tired as I had just been up for 24 hours. I crashed on my bed around 3:00 p.m. and awoke around 7:00 p.m. where I stayed up for a few hours and then returned to bed still exhausted.

This morning before my run I had an appointment with Dr. Chu from Elite Spinal and Sports Care. I am healing but still have the occasional shooting pain. Usually when I am trying to open up the trailer door or when I am pulling huge pallets of freight at work. He worked on my chest wall this time focused on the right side. My right side was extremely tender and while he was working on me it was very painful uncomfortable  and I wanted to squirm off the table. But I know that with this treatment in the long run I wont be in as much pain.

Looking forward to my taper for CIM. But not looking forward to the craziness of black Friday.