A little extra mileage

The 20-mile training session was successful. In fact it was so successful that it turned out the route actually was 20.63 miles. Excuse me?!

Now you have already had the chance to read my comments on “additional” mileage. In this case, the .63 miles was more "extra" than expected. The trainer's route, calculated on Map My Run, showed 20.57 so I had already accepted the notion of added mileage when I started off at 6:32 AM Saturday morning on Lake Paran Road in North Bennington.

And before I go any further - many thanks to my Number 1 supporter - my husband - who drove me to Bennington (leaving the house at 5:45 AM).

It turned out that on this particular morning my body was not fully cooperating. Pitstops were a necessity and I decided that this training session was really going to be about finishing, not about my time.

As far as long walks go, it was uneventful. That's a good thing.

After realizing that I was more than half way through, and in familiar territory - leaving the Stewart's in Arlington, I began to reassess my time scenario. Did I really have ONLY 8 more miles to go (translating into almost 2 hours)?

The last section, from center Arlington to Manchester, was one I had walked earlier in the Winter, but I had not really paid attention to its actual distance. While mulling this over entering Dunham Rd. my friend Harriet from the Half Marathon group pulled over to say hello and check to see if I needed water or snack. I was all set and thanked her for the concern.

Off I went not wanting to linger (I had already sgiven up 3-4 minutes for an elderly gentleman who early in my walk – on 7A in Shaftsbury – had asked for directions to Manchester. I told him to turn around and go back North).

I called a friend in NYC and my husband to make the time pass quicker. Walking solo has its disadvantages (like having no one alongside to talk to) and its advantages (I can sing along to my iPod and not offend anyone).

At the foot of a short, insulting little hill prior to arriving on River Road at the Sunderland Garage I asked my husband to just keep talking on the phone so I could concentrate on the incline. Phew. Arriving at the top of this hill meant 4 miles to go!

Piece of proverbial cake. 16 miles down and 4 to go.

My watch said 10:47. My original goal was to finish around 11:30 – but that was when I was thinking 20 miles exactly. Now I realized I had not anticipated that I would need an additional 7 minutes for the .57. So 11:45 was the new target. One hour or less to complete the last 4 miles.

After 2.5 miles I arrived on the section of River Road that is used for the Komen VT Race for the Cure 5K (I know this section of road like the back of my hand after participating in this event for some 15 years). I was beginning to feel there was, "light at the end of the tunnel" um, I mean road!

Let me back track for a minute. In March my sister talked me through the last 1.5 miles of my first 20-mile training session. That had worked well, so now I called her and said, “I have 1.5 miles to go!” We chatted happily as I passed through the familiar terrain. No last drinks or snacks needed. I passed the Equinox Falconry where a guide was leading a demonstration and a falcon swooped across the road – more than once - landing in various trees before taking off over and over again. A little bell tinkling announced his whereabouts. Magnificent bird.

Back to the walking. Ah - Hildene Meadows - the finish - in sight. Time to refocus. I said to my sister, "I need to finish like I mean it."

I arrived at 11:43 AM. I announced to no one in sight, but to my sis on the phone, "Done. Done. Done."Watch check - 5 hours and 11 minutes. It may not seem important to you, but that time includes pitstops and giving directions. Turns out this was a good session!

I thanked my sister and we hung up. I roamed slowly about the parking area where others from the group had parked their cars early in the morning before carpooling to the start. I stretched my legs, slowly. I was giddy at being finished.

Then I noticed movement coming from downfield. The first of the runners was coming in. Time for photo ops of finishers. Time to begin celebrating together.

18 of us altogether – trainer included. Some more weary than others. Sharing road stories over a potluck picnic. And then the news from one friend (who has technology that calculates the actual distance traveled) that the route was 20.63 miles.What? More extra mileage? That means I have now trained my furthest distance ever!

Oh, but wait, there are 5.6 miles left to conquer on Race day – May 20.

Now there's something to think about!