18 big ones

So it's official, I have run 18 miles continuously.

On Sunday we completed our longest run to date, and despite feeling the remanents of a cold, and not sleeping well the night before, I managed to finish all 18 miles in 2 hours 42 minutes. I felt pretty terrible during the first half of the run, but once we hit the George Washington around mile 9, I started feeling much more comfortable and the rest of the run went much more smoothly. Perhaps it was the 5 minute climb uphill at the Cloisters around mile 8 during which I couldn't really feel my legs and felt as if I were running in place... Perhaps I just needed to sweat out some of my sickness... Or it's possible I just became totally numb after the first half.

Our course started at 72nd and Riverside, and we ran up the West Side Highway, under the GWB, up into the Cloisters (see horrible experience above), across the GWB and back again, and then back down to 72nd Street... tack on a few laps around a track and we had 18.

I'm kind of on a top ten kick right now, so here's your weekly top 10 of the 18:

10. Our run starting at 8:30 AM rather than 6:15 AM.
9. The various forms of city roadkill along the West Side Highway biking/running path.
8. The Fairway loading dock workers cheering us on.
7. Managing to run with a water bottle in one hand and an wad of kleenex in the other.
6. Trying out "Body Glide" for the first time. (I chafe no more! too much? too soon?)
5. Reaching the top of the Cloisters MOUNTAIN.
4. All the TFK runners converging at the GWB.
3. The delicous PB & J sandwiches post-run, what a great idea!
2. Crossing the GWB on foot (I must say, it seems a lot shorter via car)
1. The finish.

Oh, and nothing tops off a great run like an EAGLES VICTORY!! 1-0. D-Mac is back.