We are deep into our 1/2 marathon training right now, and this weekend’s long run called for a nice, leisurely 12 MILES! Sounds like a great time, no?
On Saturday, I drove to Dickinson for the big fundraier Erin, Kelly, and I have been planning. More on that later… we worked until the bar closed and stayed after to help clean up. Which amounts to about 4 hours of sleep for me. I don’t do well on a lack of sleep.
I had planned to get this long run out of the way first thing in the morning. Didn’t happen. It was after noon by the time I finally got the guts to suit up in my workout clothes which, by the way, were not cold-weather clothes. Why did I need cold-weather clothes, you ask? It was FORTY degrees, with 25 mph winds! FREEZING!
My iPod touch does NOT work right when it’s this chilly out – I discovered this when I did my 10-miler a few weeks ago. I really hate it. Does anyone else have this problem? It skips, jumps, and basically just does whatever the hell it wants.
On to the actual run. With horrible, crappy BlackBerry photos.
Mile 1 Lesson: Running on a highway, during or after rain, is not fun. You have two choices… Get hit by the tire spray or book it to the ditch every time you see an automobile approaching.
Mile 1-2: Foot starts hurting. (It’s been plaguing me since last Monday)
Mile 2 Lesson: Do not bend over to re-tie your shoes while wearing a fuel belt equipped with water bottles. Think soaking wet.
Mile 3.15: My favorite place on Earth.
Miles 4-5: Foot feels fine, start to feel more into it.
Mile 5: Alert! Alert! Cows. Ordinarily, this would not be cause for alarm. But trust me, when you are out in the middle-of-nowhere, by yourself, and they are barreling down a pasture at you, looking like they will not stop at the fence, it is terrifying. I came to a complete halt. Called my Dad. I have seen him get chased by some bitch cows in my lifetime. I know what can happen. He laughed at me and told me I would be fine, not to make eye contact, and that if they DID jump the fence, to run to the other side and get behind the fence post. At my pace?? Are you kidding me? I made him stay on the phone with me until I safely passed, then turned around to take this photo (and tweet, of course):
Mile 6-8: Pretty uneventful, except for the fact that it was so, so windy and bitterly cold. And my iPod kept fucking up. I really, really wanted to be done.
Mile 8-9 Lesson: While listening to “She’s Like the Wind” by Patrick Swayze, I actually Run Like the Wind. But only if I’m going downhill.
Mile 9.5: Almost pissing myself knowing that I had to pass by The Cows again. They were laying down… until they caught wind of me, then they were on their feet and screaming at me. This was way, WAY less scary when they weren’t flying down the pasture at me. I made eye contact and laughed in their faces. Not really.
Mile 10: Ow. Intense pain in my foot bone again. Contemplated stopping and calling my sweeper van. Instead, text Dad and confirmed our pre-planned meeting place, a.k.a. The Barn, and tell him to bring water and nosewipe.
Mile 10.88: Arrive at The Barn. Shit. That’s not 12 miles. Keep going. Horses decide to keep me company and run alongside.
Mile 11.2: End of road. Turn around. See sweeper van arriving at The Barn. Twins run down the road to finish with me.
Mile 11.54: Arrive at The Barn. Again. Close enough for me. 2:59:19.
The After-Party:
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