There's an expression that marathon runners use called "the wall", to describe the feeling that you get somewhere between mile 21 and 24. It's supposed to be brutal, and requires every ounce of energy not left in your body to get through it.

I have yet to experience the wall, as the longest distance that I've run (so far!) is 14 miles. But I might have gotten a taste of it, on Thursday night's run.

Thursday was a brutally hot day, and training partner @spadachris and I set off for a short five mile run after work. Five miles is considered an easy run now, and on a typical night might even feel like you're "cheating." But this was no typical night. 87 degrees. Extreme, over the top humidity. We weren't running with fluids (like we probably should have.)

At mile 3.5, my body was telling me to stop. It felt like I had to stop, like I couldn't possibly continue running. I desperately wanted to stop and walk. Even if just for a little. I told myself that this is what it's going to feel like on mile 21, and that I won't be able to stop on race day. This is my practice wall.

We forged on, completed our 5 miles without walking, and I'm wondering if this was anything near what I'll feel on marathon day. I'm sure that on the day after marathon, I'll laugh at the thought that my dehydrated, super-humid run in June was anything near "the wall". But for now, I'm using it as practice...