Anxious Blogger

Happy Sunday to all and a very Happy Birthday to Jaime who is running the San Diego Marathon right now!
I am sitting here at my computer constantly refreshing to get her updates on the course. There have been a few errors (they inverted the 12k and 10k splits so it was waaay wierd), but Penny and I seem to be getting on top of it and so far she is on pace!


Rather than just sit here watching the live feed of the finish line and bit my nails, I figured I would regale you all with the details of yesterdays long run. I had 12 miles planned since I have a race next weekend and will not be getting in any real distance then. John and I headed out to our favorite trail early yesterday morning to start just as the sun was coming up. It rained most of the night Friday so I knew it would be humid.

I was on my own today, John was planning to do the full trail out and back to hit 30 miles for a bike ride. I told myself I would take it easy, made sure I finished and try not to pass out from heat or dehydration. Days like that make me worship my Camelbak, I would not have finished without it.

I did 12 miles in about 1:55, which is by far the slowest 12 miles I have run, but I don't even feel bad about it.

So at the start of the run, my calves were immediately sore/tight/screaming, this was not a good sign. I had to stop 3 times before mile 5 to stretch them and once to fix my right shoe/sock as it was moving and I could feel a blister coming if I did not correct it. Despite the few stops in the first 6 miles I was pretty close to still being on pace, I always start out a bit slower until I get warmed up, so I figured as usually my 2nd half would be quicker- not so much.

As I turned around at the 6 mile mark, the heat and sweat really set in. My clothes were already fully soaked with sweat, and I was even able to ring out my short- gross! Stopping to refil my camelbak at about 6.5 was pure torture, I didn't realize how much the teeny breeze you get from moving was helping me, because the second I stopped running I could not control the sweating, and there was no dry place to wipe the sweat off, so I just had to keep going. Around this time I could feel mosquitos stuck to me, and I was bobbing and weaving for the next mile or so. I was happy to be on my way back, but was still pretty dehydrated.

John caught up to me with about 4 miles to go, and I made him promise me a gatorade and chocolate milk once we were done! Even though I took a gu at mile 6, I could feel my energy level dwindling pretty quickly. The last 2.5 miles were full of mind games. There were lots of spots here we had to cross the road which at least held my attention better than countless miles of never-ending trail. I kept counting down how many laps around the track it would be, 10 and then I was in single digits, that helped it go quick and painlessly. That and the fact that I saw a bum wandering with about a mile to go and I was afraid if I was running too slow he would kindnap me so I actually managed to pick it up in the last mile, not because I'm cool, but because I am scared!


By the time I stopped and got to the car I was shakey, I assume because my body needed some salt from all that I had sweated out in the last 2 hours. Gatorade was had, the chocolate milk made me feel like I was going to be sick, so I didn't finish it.


Since then it has pretty much been raining non-stop this weekend, so we have been pretty lame and useless, it's kind of nice though. We also bought season 1 of scrubs on dvd that we have been watching, quite a funny show! Hope everyone had a nice weekend, see you on Monday!