There it is my first 8 mile run of this year, I'm kinda proud of that one too as it was a very enjoyable run and I felt good the whole way. When I started yesterday it was 28 degrees so I started in a pair of running pants but at the half way point I was pretty warm so I took them off and ran back in my shorts (Yes I mean running shorts not my underwear) which was nice at 30'ish degrees with the sun shining shorts were very comfortable to run in. Yesterday was also my first run of the year with my Camelbak on which allowed me to stow the pants for the run home. A couple of things I have found for long runs are:
1.) Hydrate along the way  and the Camelbak makes that possible, I do not wait until I'm thirsty to drink I just take a sip often probably as often as every couple of minutes with a target of finishing all of my water just before the end of my run, yesterdays target was 1 bottle of water. If you have never run with a Camelbak its not too bad grated its not as good as carrying nothing but I have tried just carrying a bottle and a fanny pack both of which just stress me out but the Camelbak doesn't and after a few time of running with it you barely even realize your wearing it. It is also real handy to carry your junk in I generally carry GU, gum, my phone, an ID and my keys if I'm not running from the house.
2.) GU is my other secret if you will and I just follow their directions and hit one 15 min prior to the run and one about every 4 miles there after, (the instructions say every 45 min but that works out to somewhere between 4 and 5 miles so I just do it every 4.
Last year when I first started running any distance I had trouble getting through 5 miles and hydrating along the way was the key to fixing that problem the next mileage I had trouble with was getting through 8 miles and GU solved that one. Now who knows what the next hurdle will be and what will be the fix for it but as I train for the Ascent I am sure I will find them as I know what it takes to get me through a 2 and half hour workout but part of my strategy for the Ascent will be to train for it as though it was a full marathon in distance as my goal will be to finish it in 4 and a half hours or less which is where I think I would be for a full marathon. One thing I think  I learned last year during the Mini was that I hit some of the Gatorade stops along the way and I felt much better than I did during my training runs, that may have been the adrenaline from the event but I do think the electrolytes along the way couldn't have hurt so as I train I plan to incorporate it into my routine.
Well tonight I have my first meeting with Trained in Terre Haute and as such I'm looking forward to getting the training program and meeting some of the people I will be training with.