The Longest Run (So Far)

Ran 22 miles yesterday.

I've been training for the Chicago marathon for the past 14 weeks or so. I've intentionally avoided mentioning it here, because many would-be marathoners I've known seem to contract a strain of newparentitis. Newparentitis is that weird neurological disorder whereby new parents can only talk about their spawn: what it ate, what it regurgitated, what it pooped, how it pooped, how inspiring the poop was, etc. In that same vein, many marathon-runners-in-training seem to steer all conversations towards running, marathon training or how their knees feel like they are about to explode.

The root cause is the same: trying to stop a newborn baby from accidentally killing itself and running 50+ miles a week are both major time committments that take you away from the things that a normal human should be doing. Like, say, sleeping. This makes you into a less-than-stellar conversation partner.

This was the climax of the training I'm doing. From now until the marathon (October 10th), the mileage decreases every week until you finally stop running entirely several days before the race. I didn't get a real sense of accomplishment from having finished the run, but the thought of it being downhill from here until the race was very, very pleasant.

Be on the lookout for another self-indulgent post after the 10th.