Death By Chocolate (Happy Halloween!)

OK, Death By Chocolate isn't really what this post is about. I just thought that it was cute that Death by Chocolate was the flavor of the day at the Frozen Custard Shoppe I passed this morning. (It was all fun and games until they brought out...the chocolate....mwah, ha, ha.)

If I haven't mentioned yet, I've been using a running training program from The Complete Book of Running for Women by Claire Kowalchik. Today, on Halloween, was my first 12 MILE RUN. [Insert "Psycho Screeching Violin" here]

And it was COLD and WINDY.

I mapped out a 6 mile loop that started and ended at my house. Then I could run in and get a drink, go to the bathroom, etc after the first 6 miles.

The first mile was cold! The second mile was awful. It's always awful because I run the first mile too fast, because it's cold!

The third mile is usually better, but today it wasn't because the wind was blowing right at me and I was still cold! The fourth mile took me by the lake, where the wind was blowing right off the lake, and it was cold.

The fifth mile was much better. The wind was behind me. The sixth was OK too. It was still windy, but not as bad. Then I got home. The first 6 miles took me 1:08:41. (11:27 pace)

I got inside the house and it felt so toasty warm. I got a quick drink, used the bathroom, and ran out again before I could talk myself into staying inside!

I ran the loop in reverse this time. The seventh mile went OK. The eighth was WINDY. The ninth was back by lake - COLD!

The tenth mile was tough. It was a long gradual incline and I was getting exhausted. I got a second wind on the eleventh mile. I hit a turn around spot, so it was a long gradual decline. :)

The last part of the eleventh was flat, however, and very windy. The twelfth mile turned a corner, and then went slightly uphill. The wind was blowing sideways, so it wasn't as bad as head on, but I was pretty tired by that point.

I ran the second loop in 1:07:01 (11:10 pace) for a total 12 mile time of 2:15:42 (11:19 average pace). I am so proud of running the whole way. 12 MILES people! That's one mile less than a half marathon. I am stoked. Exhausted, but stoked. My hands were so numb afterward I could hardly make my son's breakfast. I wore thin knit gloves while running, but I think the wind went right through them.

My heart rate monitor says I burned 1841 calories...sooooo.....can I have a Snickers bar now? :)

Happy Halloween!!