3 Days + 26 Miles = Insomnia

Yesterday marked the completion of a marathon stretched over 3 days. I know it's nothing like running 26.2 miles in one shot, but it was, for me, a lot of mileage.

The final 1.5 miles of yesterday's 12.5 mile run were the roughest miles yet. I'll take that as a good sign. It was kind of nice (in an unpleasant way) to feel challenged and to be forced to push myself a bit. So far, all of my training runs have been fun and fairly easy. I think those rough last 1.5 miles can only be viewed as progress.

However, I was restless and irritable all day after the run. After spending about an hour floating and stretching in Provincetown harbor, I went to watch the Red Sox play the Orioles at The Squealing Pig. Unfortunately, I found the ambiance offensive and unbearable and was forced to retreat. This is not normal. I typically love The Pig. I think it was that last mile. Couldn't get to sleep either. Resltess legs maybe? Elevated heart beat. I'm assuming this is par for the course.

The good news is that I'm feeling great this morning. I'm pretty sure that 8 hours of sleep is the most valuable training tool available. After finally falling asleep around 2am, I slept deeply until 9:00. Upon getting out of bed, my legs felt refreshed. I even had the urge to go for a quick run. However, I'm strictly prohibited from running on Mondays. Maybe a bike ride.

Speaking of bikes, I'm in the market for a new (used) road bike. Can't decide between a classic steel frame (Bianchi, Masi, Colnago) or a newer composite frame (Aluminum with Carbon). In any case, I think the road bike will come in handy on Mondays during training. If anyone happens to be reading and has any advice, I'd be open to it.

Oh, and another cool technology tool for runners: mapmyrun.com. This web site includes all sorts of tools, training logs, etc. However, for me, the most interesting feature is the mapping tool. It uses the Google Maps API to create and share running/biking/recreational maps. See below for a map of yesterday's run.