14 miles in the rain equals 18 ?

The mile markings and the instructions could have made it 18, but I did better this time, and only did 14.5 instead. Oh these miscommunications...

From the start today morning, I wasn't feeling great and when I got to the start line, it wasn't raining and the temperature was comfortable so I just started running without the jacket. I started running with the 18 milers, so went around the lake merced in San Francisco, and ran on Sunset blvd all the way to the Golden Gate park. Usually, first 6-8 miles are no big deal, but today, they were so hard. For some reason, I just wasn't up to running at my usual pace. So, I just kept drinking water, kept stopping when I felt like. The rain was not coming down hard but it was a constant drizzle. It was much better than the hot woodside sun. On a regular day, I would have enjoyed this part but today was different. After about 6 miles, the first water stop at the entrance of Golden Gate Park was a much welcome relief.

We were told that after the second water stop at traverse and JFK, 14 milers were supposed to go a little bit out and back, and the 18 milers were supposed to run in the pan handle. I kept on running and asked some runners who were coming back, and they said, ya, the "turnaround" was about half a mile. After about 1 mile, still no sign of turn around. Then I see a group of our runners and someone shouting if you think you are running 10 then you are running 14, and if you think you are running 14 then you are running 18. Great. This is not what I was expecting. I felt pretty angry and demoralized, but now that I was close to the turnaround, I had to see it and then plan to cut back the distance.

Just then a coach/mentor came by running with the group of fast runners. He said, he would run back and after reaching the second water stop, we can call the coach and ask how much I have already run. If I have run enough, someone will come and pick me up. Phew. What a relief!! I pretty much ran all the way back, and finished strong in 2 hrs 55 mins. There were other mentors who gave us a ride back and on the way we picked up other 3 runners who had run much more than they were supposed to. If the markings were correct, I would have loved to run down JFK and ran next to the ocean beach. Well, that would have to wait for some other day.

I think the distances are getting to a point where I can't just show up and start running. I need to get a little more serious and actually make an effort to recover completely. If you have suggestions, please do send them along. Its 12 miles more, which right now feels almost impossible.

Fund raising wise also, I am much far from the target. Almost a month remaining and still at 37%. Time to change gears..