So I didn't get to run long yesterday and was really bummed as I wanted/needed to get a long run in this weekend. Therefore I thought I should try to do one today. Thought about running the Lighthouse Run route and set off about 8am to do so. Thought this might be a little difficult--to try to run a 10 mile run, for the first time, by myself. Got a little nervous and scared, but thought I'd try.

Got to the parking garage by the towers (after hiding a water bottle on Michigan Blvd), got my MP3 ready and set off. Ran the first 2 miles or so, got some water, then kept going. At about 4 miles I was stuggling a bit and thought this was going to be a problem. Somehow I got distracted for a bit, thinking about work things I think, and the next thing I knew I had run another half mile and was feeling pretty good again. Ran around the lighthouse loop and Bill came and found me at about 6.2. He was just checking up on me, brought G2 and water to make sure I was OK. It was nice to have a 30 second break, and I had been secretly hoping he would come find me somewhere along the way (just to give me something to look forward to). Continued on.....

As I got back towards the Main Street bridge, I hit the 10 mile mark. I was getting tired, but still felt pretty OK. Thought I'd try for a little farther. Thought about heading towards the reverse Colonial route, but changed and just ran east along the backside of M&I and the condos, rounded by Chancery and came back towards Main. Continued south on Main and kept going. As I got to about 10.7, I was starting to get tired and my knee was starting to yell at me. Decided to turn around at GTC and head back on Lake. As I approached the parking garage, I was only at about 11.7 or so, and I thought I better try for a nice even 12. Had to run past the garage to State and back again, but got the full 12 miles in.

This was a big jump from 9.1, my longest run yet. But overall I felt pretty good. I know I slowed quite a bit the last few miles, but overall it wasn't too bad.

Ran 12 miles flat in 1:55:51 (with 2 really short water stops and a G2 stop with Bill, plus a tying shoe stop) equating to an overall pace of 9:39/mile. My 3.1 mile splits were: 28:56 (9:20), 29:26 (9:29), 30:12 (9:44), and the last 2.7 was 27:15 (10:06). Not too bad for my first time and for being alone--so nobody to push me.