Going long

Doing anything for a long time takes effort.  I find running for a long time more difficult than swimming or biking.  It just seems that parts and pieces begin to ache and not react the same after extended running. You can't adjust or slow. You can't coast or use and easier gear.  You just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other.   For me 10 miles is magical.  It seems that when I cross that point in my run my legs become those of another person.  They lose their strength and I tend to feel increased amounts of soreness.  I admit this worries me when I think about the fact that in an Ironman this does not even put me half way home not to mention the the bike portion and its wear prior to even beginning to run. 
As hard as the cool weather is trying to persist against the will of ever runner, biker and triathlete in Indiana, warmer air is becoming more frequent.  The training has been good and is pretty much outside for everything but my swims.  Water temps are still hovering in the 50's which is just too low.  Last year, open water swims were already under way with temps in the low 70's. Besides that, most the area was deluged with more than 5 inches of rain with greater amounts in certain areas.  Swimming open water would not be wise when the lakes resemble chocolate milk.  The other constant besides cool weather has been wind.  Every day is 15mph+.  This makes for much planning on your routes so as to either minimize its influence all together or to make sure that its at your back at the end.  There is not much more painful than physical exhaustion and a 25mph headwind to really kick ya.
Saturday was my day for a big run. IT was to be be last really long run before the mini marathon(13.1 miles). It would be my longest run so far.  The day was rather cool at 45 degrees and surprise, surprise quite breezy.  The temp was not all that bad for a run but with the breeze it just never felt very comfortable.  Contrary to the conditions, my run went really well.  I was rather anxious about the run due to its length and my affinity for having dead legs after 10 miles.  This was really gonna be a good indicator of how the mini may play out for me.  In the early stages I felt great.  The pace was at a really good rate for me and as importantly, my heart rate was low and steady.  I held caution as the miles ticked off.  My pace held, my HR kept good and the legs were solid.  8, 10, 12, Can I hit 13.1 and still have it?  I did.  Mind you I was tiring but the pace was still the same as well the legs were alive.  A big sigh of relief was exhaled.  Tick, tick the miles kept going.  My workouts are timed base not mileage based so I continued as prescribed for my 2 hours +.  When done, 15 miles was the reading.  The legs were withering as previously but I was so pleased to be at that mileage.  Now I face the next level of having11+ more to go and add on a bike before hand to make this thing happen.  But with any training process, its about the build and progression and not being able to do it all the first day.  For me, a milestone was reached.  I am still cautious about what will happen the day of the mini and in the Ironman but I feel better today than I did a week ago by a long shot.