You may have surmised that our schedule is a little crazy so fitting in my long runs is a bit of a juggling act. This weekend was my last long run before my half on May 12, and I could fit it in at 5am Saturday - or - Saturday afternoon from 2ish to 5ish. I opted for the 2ish time slot hoping it would be warmer than 35 degrees, and it was!
I got some cool stuff for my birthday so I wanted to test drive some of it to see if it would work for my race.
Option A if it's still cool weather
Mid-day runs are always tough for me because I never know what my stomach will do. I made the
mistake of eating a ham and cheese wrap and some trail mix for lunch. My system prefers a gluten-free diet, but I can usually eat a little bit of gluten - especially soaked grains - and be ok. I must have crossed the threshold because my tummy was most unhappy.
This was my only window so it was now or never. Being the rungeek that I am, I decided to go for it and hope for the best.
The first 6 or so miles weren't too bad. I dodged groups of hikers walking 4 abreast ignoring my "passing!" calls, and cyclists riding 2 abreast blowing by me and forcing me off the trail.
I saw a pileated woodpecker.
Very cool.
I paused so I wouldn't get between a mama groundhog and her babies.
I didn't know if she'd turn Grizzly Bear and try to gnaw my ankles off
A handful of runners were out there running the CAT 100 - 2 50 mile loops on the tow path is an exercise in mental strength. Flat as a pancake and miles of trees that look the same. I tip my hat to those hardy souls!
I was also experimenting with a new Gu flavor - Jet Blackberry. Around mile 6.5/7, my stomach was killing me so I walked for a bit. I had to walk a couple of more times after that. I'm not sure if the Gu added to the problem so I'll try it on a couple of more runs before making the final call.
Option B if it's a scorcher
Thankfully my issues were only pain and not potty.
I wore both pictured shirts and didn't have any chafing which makes me happy. So in spite of my tummy, I consider the run a success finishing 10 miles in 1:42.
I'm getting nervous about my race and trying to keep things in perspective. A PR on killer course would be super cool, but it's not the end of the world if it doesn't happen. The most important thing is that I'm running. Happy! Pain free! Skipping through a meadow of daisies! Ok, that's a bit much, but you get the idea.
