how to not train for a marathon

this year, when i started up my distance running, i went at it half-assed. I ran 3 or 4 times per week but nothing more than 6 miles. there was speedwork once or twice a week which was probably the toughest part of regimen. i then took on the indy half-marathon and was rather surprised that i could jump from 6 miles to 13.1 with almost no difference in my pace. fast forward 8 weeks. i'm now running regularly 8 miles at a shot with a similar speedwork pattern. so yesterday i figure that i can just jump to 15, no problem. it's only 2 miles more than my longest so far. dumbass. Quoth my legs at mile 10, "let me tell you something mister, we've put up with your bullshit before, but 93 degrees, no water and 15 miles...you're gonna pay. oh yes, you will pay." at mile 13 i stopped in some guy's front lawn and stood in his sprinkler for a few minutes. i'm sure he thought i was a freak. i just looked up from my hands-on-knees position and waved.

fortunately, i never got into the danger zone. i've only experienced that once when i was back in chambana. i wonder if i've never truly been in trouble since then or if my body has started to ignore such things as part of my routine. hopefully, it's the former but given yesterday's experience, that may not be the case.