All better.

Last Saturday, I ran my first 20-miler in several months.

It did not go well.

I ended up getting up about an hour later than I had planned. Because I ended up getting up an hour later, it was hot by mid-run. And the chafing. Oh, the chafing, y'all... (More about that later. I'm sure you can't wait.)

It took me more than FOUR HOURS to run that 20 miles. I was despondent. I really would like to beat my Dallas time in my next marathon. I really would like to get close to 4:30.

So I approached this morning's 20-miler with trepidation. I was scared. What if my lax attitude toward training this time around was going to fail me? What if it was too much too late?

This morning's run was not without its issues:

1. I planned to get up at 4 a.m. to get started. When 4 rolled around, I really needed 30 more minutes. So I didn't get up until 4:30.

2. Somewhere around mile 11 or so, my Garmin crapped out. This really shook me because I get a lot of validation from the data that I get from that watch. Luckily, I knew what time it was when I started the run, and I had my iPod so I'd know what time I ended. I still didn't have that ease of just looking at my watch to see my pace, though.

(I spent the rest of the run pondering which Garmin I'd buy to replace it. Got inside afterward only to realize that it ran out of charge!)

In the end, I ran my 20 miles in 3:16! That's a pace of 9.8 minutes per mile, sustained for 20 miles.

I can run six miles in less than an hour. If I can get to the 20th mile in the marathon with a little bit left in the tank, I could feasibly finish well ahead of my 4:30 hopes!

Today's going to be a great day.

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I am not the brightest bulb in the pack, y'all. I'm not.

For MONTHS, after my long runs, I'd peel off my sweaty clothes and jump in the shower, only to be met by the most horrible stinging pain from the middle of my back and at my waist. I'd briefly wonder what that could possibly be, and then move on. A couple of times, I reached back to see if I could feel what was on my back, and I'd feel something scaly. I figured it was a rash or something, and moved on.

One day, I was in a dressing room with Katie, trying on clothes, and Katie said, "Mama! What is that on your back??"

The room was filled with mirrors and I was able to get an angle to see that my lower back was basically shredded. That scaly skin I was feeling? It was scrapes like you'd get if you skin your knee.

My sports bras and shorts/running skirts were cutting up my back whenever I ran more than 12 miles.

I bought some BodyGlide this past week and used it for the first time this morning.

OMG. That stuff is a MIRACLE. No chafing, anywhere! I got in the shower and no stinging! No tiny drops of blood on the back of my shirt!

I may have to buy stock in the company...