Thursday, April 23, 2009

It's my birthday gift to me!


Last year for my birthday run I simply woke up and decided that I could run 28 miles. Well, after only running 18 of those 28 miles (and walking the rest), I decided to train a bit this year to make sure that I could finish the whole thing in a more dignified manner. Since February, I've been running between 13-20 miles almost every Saturday to get in some longer distances. Most of them felt pretty good, except for the 46-degree 19-miler that rained on me the entire time and I ended up stopping at some guy's house to borrow his cell phone and call Amy to come pick me up because I was freezing and had no more energy to run the last 5 miles home.

For my birthday run, Amy helped out by giving me drinks and some apple slices around mile 16 and 24. They were much needed and much appreciated breaks. She also took a couple pictures from the car.


But my favorite was my 31-miler. I left around noon and told Amy I'd be home in 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Well, 4 1/2 hours later, I finally made it back home. Silly Amy was starting to wonder what happened to me and if I was going to be coming home. But I felt great and ran the entire time (except for a 5 minute potty/drink break an hour and a half into it).

My birthday run wasn't as nice as my 31-miler the previous week. Some friends said that it was because I had just run 31 miles and then turned around a week later and tried 29. I just thought that it was because I ran the first 18 miles at 8 minute pace instead of 8:30 pace (which makes a big difference).

3 comments:

Carrie said...

This is Robby,
Nuts, Matt! Truly, Amazingly Crazy!! That is Awesome, I'm very impressed with your times. Keeping up an 8 Mile Pace for that long is Incredible. So What's up Next? Next year you should get a Double Jogger and push both your Boys for the 30Miles! You know get them exposed to long distance, endurance running at a young age, what do you think? :) Anyway, Happy Birthday, and Good Job!!!

Carl & Rosemarie Brauning said...

CONGRATS!!! (I didn't realize your birthday already passed! I will make you a cake ok?) I'm so proud of you! SO, for your birthday I have a funny story (Aren't they all funny?) I was looking at the slidehow to the right of the pics of you and Amy and a baby, and I thought to myself...OH MY GOARSCH!!! They had the baby and I didn't even know about it? Why didn't anyone tell me?! And then I realized...those pictures are of Zach. Ha, ha, Rose. Ha, ha. Ha, ha Matt, Ha Ha... Happy Birthday!!!

Carrie said...

I think this is the coolest tradition ever. Don't think I'll be running 28 this year with a 3 week old baby though. I can't wait to read about you in Runner's World when you're running 60 on your 60th. You rock!