18 Miles on Sunday

I have got to admit . . .I have not been a very devoted writer lately. I ran 18 miles on Sunday morning. I left at 5:55AM and returned at around 8:55AM. Almost 3 hours on my feet! After 20 minutes of ice, a banana, another Gatorade and laying on the hard ground while my kids stretched my legs . . .life was back to normal. It was, as it is every time I run, life altering. I ran through Heritage Days (where grownups dress up and pretend they are living in the 1800's!) . . .the smell of woodsmoke and dew. I feel pretty confident about 26.2 now. After about mile 13 I once again kind of went into a trance. I had 20 ounces of water/nuun and filled up again at mile 10. It was not enough. I need to make sure that I fill up around mile 8, 16 and 20 something. I had GUs at mile 5.5, 10 and 14. It was steamy on Sunday morning and I could feel the heat trying to escape my body. Yesterday was "spa" day at the YMCA so I stretched and sat in the sauna. Today I ran 4.3 miles - -hard. The first 1/4 mile my left ankle (high up) was a little cranky. Feels like a little tendonitis. I ran strong the whole time. I am going to whoop this test.