The Long Run

4am on Monday morning and I can't sleep. Once again, I paid the price for drinking a late night cup of tea.

Here are some of the things I've learned about myself regarding long runs.

- I've learned that however comfortable my running shoes when I start, by mile 15, it feels like I'm running in clogs
- I've learned that there's no such thing as a pain-free 2 hour run
- I've learned that the long run is the one I dread the most during the week
- I've learned that the long run is the one I look forward to the most during the week
- I've learned that the long run leaves me physically exhausted but mentally exhilirated
- I've learned what it is to crave ice even while running in winter
- I've learned that it takes about 2 hours after a long run before I'm able to stop walking like a zombie
- I've learned that when you tell friends you're about to go on a 16 mile run, they don't believe you
- I've learned that the same hills double in difficulty after about 12 miles
- I've learned that after about 15 miles, doing basic arithmetic in your head is as foreign a concept as advanced string theory
- I've learned that a hot shower after a cold run is something worth defying medical opinion over

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