I'm officially on the final stretch of training for the Missoula Marathon, having topped out with a 20-mile run this week. And it was quite a wild run.
First, while crossing over the North Hills, I saw that the bitterroots are beginning to bloom (I need to get back up there with my camera). In the residential part of the Rattlesnake Valley, I came across a few deer during their morning munching.
Then, just a mile up the main trail in the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area and eight miles into my run, I rounded a bend and found myself looking at a large bear about 100 feet away - and it was looking back at me.
In the end it wasn't all that big of a deal. I stopped, yelled and clapped at it, it stepped off the path, and I turned around and ran up a different trail. Sure, there's an initial adrenaline rush, but I've encountered bears while hiking before and know the protocols. Mostly, I was thrown off by having to change my route and refigure my mileage - and having to yell "Hey, bear!" - on the run.
As far as the marathon training is concerned, it's going great. I've been able to keep a steady pace on my long runs, and the recovery has gone well.
People have asked me several questions about my big double-digit days: Do I get tired? Not while running; afterward my legs feel like they've had a good workout. Sore? Not really after adjusting to the distance; that's the point of going slow and stretching. That's a lot of energy expended - what about food and water? I take some energy gummies and a hydration pack with me, and yes, it does mean carrying a few extra pounds. What about the final 6.2 miles? My trainer-friend says most marathoners only get up to 20 or 22 miles before the event and think of the last stretch as just another 10K.
I've got a couple of runs in the high teens left, then I taper off until the big day, Sunday, July 12. I'm looking forward to crossing the finish line.
