You have to keep moving.

“You cannot stop. You have to keep moving.”

This was my mantra during Sunday’s Ready to Run 20 mile training run on Sunday right around the 14th mile as the sun came beating down on me and the heat index rose to the low 90s.

“You cannot stop. You have to keep moving.”

After successfully completing the 18 miler a couple of weeks ago, I thought I had a decent grasp on what it was going to be like to run the Chicago Marathon on October 8th.

I had no idea, I still have no idea and Sunday was a great reminder of that.

I entered Sunday’s run perhaps feeling overconfident if anything. I’ve successfully completed all but one long run during training, and was able to complete the most basic human functions immediately after with no difficulty.

Even the runs themselves have been generally pleasant. My weekend running group has been great, we all get along fairly well and are able to keep a conversation going throughout our long runs, which in turn helps me at the very least to maintain my sanity.

We’ve also been incredibly lucky, gifted with an absolutely ideal string of perfect running weather days that have been Goldilocks porridge quality, neither too hot nor too cold. Just right.

Then, Mother Nature threw us a curveball on Sunday and everything I thought I knew about how to maintain my sanity on long runs went clear out the window.

The first six miles of Sunday’s run were more or less ideal, clouds and a gentle breeze providing a respite from the sun and heat that was to come.

Then, right around mile 7, things started to change. A lot.

You don’t realize how hot 80+ degrees in direct sunlight actually is until you’re trying to run long distances. Right around mile 7, an otherwise pleasant run started to become less than pleasant.

“Gosh, I hope we get some clouds,” I remember thinking.

We didn’t get any clouds.

Seven miles became ten miles and that’s when I and others started to lose our wits. I started wobbling slightly, collected myself, and kept moving because I was determined to run the entire thing.

The temperature kept rising, the sun kept beating down, the respite I so desperately sought never wound up coming, and my mental state continued deteriorating.

In between the 14th and 15th miles, I finally couldn’t take it anymore and had to stop at a water fountain, narrowly missing an oncoming cyclist as I tried crossing the path because the dehydration had slowed my reflexes and reaction time considerably.

“You cannot stop. You have to keep moving.”

By mile 16, my goal of running the entire thing save for the water stops went out the window. It had to. My training hadn’t failed me — CARA’s plan has been fabulous, and is the very reason why I was even in a position to attempt a 20 mile run — my central nervous system had. My legs weren’t tired or sore, my body just told me “enough.”

But, I didn’t stop. I kept moving, walking half of mile 16 and all of 18 while running the 17th and 19th miles all the way through to the finish line.

For my efforts, I was rewarded with a couple of beers and a t-shirt.

After 20 miles in the heat, that beer tasted better than just about any I had ever had in my life. I couldn’t form a coherent thought, but I knew one thing: I earned that beer. Despite the setback of having to walk roughly two miles, I still finished the 20 miler in under four hours, which I’ll count as a win if only because my mind was almost completely gone by mile 13.

And if I can survive 20 miles in the heat, 26.2 in more hospitable temperatures (hopefully) shouldn’t be a problem.

Just keep moving, right?

To learn more about Open Heart Magic, which has more than 120 volunteers that go around to Chicago hospitals and teach kids how to do magic tricks and is the charity that I’m running the Chicago Marathon for, please click here and consider donating.