You must do the things you think you cannot do.
~
Eleanor Roosevelt

Sunday, September 09, 2012

That Gut Feeling

You know that feeling in your gut that tells you everything is going to be a royal mess? I had that feeling as I made plans for yesterday's run and ignored it.

My usual running partner couldn't join me on Saturday. I couldn't run on Sunday. So I reached out to a group in our running club that has regular Saturday morning runs. When I emailed the group saying I needed to run 20 miles - and - I'd like to do it at a very slow 11-12 m/m pace, a member replied saying she and her friends were planning 20 on the tow path and she runs my pace.

Cool.

A couple of texts back and forth and we're set to meet at 6am pretty far south on the tow path. The husband of one of the women was planning to ride his bike with us while we ran.

The morning actually began for me at 3am when Shane started throwing up in his sleep and wouldn't let me help him (because he was asleep). I took care of him until 4:30 when I had to get dressed and get ready to go.

I rushed around because I figure a 6 am start means a 6 am start. I got there at 10 of so I would have time to finish getting my crap together, pee and be ready to roll at 6.

Well this place was remote, dark as pitch, and I was all by myself in the parking lot so I wasn't getting out of my car for anything.

6 am arrives and I'm still alone. I texted the woman I was in contact with to be sure I was at the right place. I was. She was running late as was the other person meeting us. I had a feeling I should bail and meet the larger group in town and just run with them.

I should have followed that feeling.

6:15 am arrives and so do both women; the husband changed his mind as did the other 2 women who were going to join us. We're on the trail by 6:20, and it's just the 3 of us, and they're running about 30 seconds faster than I planned.  Oh, and they're going to run just 16 or 18 instead of 20.

I hung with them for the first 5 miles. Kept them in sight until about mile 12, and after that was on my own.

Thankfully the temps were cooler than they've been, but the humidity was really high so I was drenched in sweat. I started chafing in places I don't normally chafe.

And my Newtons are falling apart so my feet hurt like heck, and I rubbed a couple of blisters. And I walked a lot more than I wanted to.

And I saw a snake and almost crapped my pants.

But in the end, I finished it. Did my 20 miles so I can check that stupid little box on my training plan.

And I'm beginning to think I must be crazy for signing up for this...

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