With my previous longest run being 18 km, I decided to go for 20 km yesterday. I don't normally do long runs mid-week, but it felt like the right time for a wee rebellion.
I set off on the towpath along the canal, quickly finding a good rhythm. It wasn't long before I got to the bridge where I often join the main road for a 5 km loop. A short while later was the turn-off for my 7 km loop, and soon after that I passed under the bridge that is the turn off for my 10 km loop.
I was now on almost new territory. I'd walked here back in February, but never been running along this part of the path. By now things were going well, the new scenery gave me a bit of a boost, as did the swans and moor hens in the canal. It wasn't long until the path turned into a track that could be driven using a Land Rover. Around the same time, the canal got more and more full of weeds, and the locks started to look very disused (they are; that part of the canal is not navigatable). Eventually I got to the canal head, and by then the canal looked more like a rough field and the path like a track that even a Lotus Elise could have driven.
From here there was about a km along the main road. Loads of traffic, loads of noise and pollution. And as it is a very busy road and it was a relatively short stretch, I couldn't be bothered to cross over and run against the traffic only to have to cross back again soon. So I took my life in my hands, and tried to pretend that I had every right to be there, just like the cars.
That worked. I survived the ordeal and found my turn to a small village. My legs were beginning to get a bit heavier by now, and Ms Garmin beeped happily to indicate "9 down, only 11 to go". Only 11, huh? Thinking about time to go when I'm less than halfway is not very good, but I plodded on. Soon there was a sideroad to the sideroad. This was again virgin territory for me. I passed a small lake, a field with horses, a few huge houses and soon I also passed the halfway mark. 10 down, only 10 to go.
A family of phesants were out walking on the path; guess humans are not the only creatures that enjoy nature. What is it with pheasants and their unwillingness to fly? The mum and dad did their usual weird EEIIIIIKKKKKK!!!! screech and flew off, whereas the three youngsters legged it up the road. In the same direction I was running, so I bet they thought I was chasing them. We kept on like that for at least 100 meters, before they eventually decided to turn into the side and slip onto the field. Guess mum and dad has forgotten to tell them that they can fly.
At a farm where I had hoped to be able to get across to a road that would take me home, I was met by a handful of Private! Keep Out! No Public Right Of Way! signs. But I knew from the map this might happen, and there was a public path taking me along the field edges on a 2 km loop around the "friendly" farmer.
Back on the road again, I could see that I would get home before the 20 km was up. No good. My feet were tired by now. My hips were aching, and my knees were telling me that they thought I might have done enough for one day. No way was I going to have given myself all that hard work and then not complete what I set out to do. So I gingerly added another small loop around the village and canal to the route. Must admit that when I passed my house around the 17 km mark, it took a a fair bit of self discipline to keep going. But going I did.
Through the village to a friendly farmer on the other side where there is a public path down to the canal again. Along the canal, now finaly homebound. 18 km. 19 km. I could now see the bridge where I had intended to head back up to the main road, so there wouldn't be too far to walk home, but when I got to the bridge a quick calculation showed that I would hit the main road at around 19.8 km. 19.8 is not 20. So I plodded along towards the bridge where I had started the run. That would be about 800 meter more, so a total of around 20.6, and what's an extra 600 meter between friends, eh? Well, the split second Ms Garmin beeped for the 20km, I decided that 600 meter was a very long distance, and that I had already proven enough to myself.
So I hobbled the last 600 meters back to the start point. Then hobbled up to the road and hobbled home. I know Laura talks about brisk walks, but there was nothing brisk. My knees were aching. My Achilles tendon was aching. And my calves had started to seize up almost immediately I slowed down. After I got home and stretched, things felt a little better, but I did have a very "funny" way of walking for the rest of the day.
Today is better. I can walk normally as long as I take it slowly. I can even do stairs. And maybe even one of two steps on the stairs without sounding like a miserable kitten or a creaking floorboard.
So... 20 km, the longest I intend to run as a practise run before the half marathon next month. 2:16:45, with maybe 13 km of it being on grass and slightly uneven paths. So I think my goal of doing the HM in somewhere between 2:10 and 2:20 is achievable. It feels good to know that I can go the distance. Now it's just a matter of keeping in shape without over training, so I'll probabaly do the remaining long runs as 10 km "race speed" runs with one more 20km event just for "fun".
map (I think): connect.garmin.com/page/act...
Happy running all! 
Is running blindness/brain freeze a thing?
The "not a half marathon" run
The joy of running
W5R3 20 minute run. Tick. Humble pie. Tick.
The Final Countdown................Week 9 Run 1
