Running Log

Today we began our 17 mile trek at 4:30 am!! Yes you read that correctly, 4:30am. This was 30 minutes earlier than normal. If you are thinking that it doesn't sound like that much earlier I dare you to try it. It makes a difference!! We wanted to beat the heat today!! It was a beautiful morning. I have no idea what the temp was, but it was cool. We ran into our friend Richard on the way. He ran a little while with us, then went his own way! Who knew you could run into someone at 4:30! Haha. I was determined to have a great run! By mile 7 or 8, I think, I began to hear my left foot screaming at me. It would seem that I have grabbed the wrong socks in slumbering fog while getting ready to go!! I also failed to lube my feet up. This is something I haven't done in a while because it has been so hot that I have not needed to. By mile 13 or 14, who knows but near the end, my foot hurt so bad that I was now unable to run. I hate blisters. When I trained for Cowtown and OKC in 1999 and 2000 I got them all of the time. This time around has been different. I have had a few here and there but not like this. I was actually afraid to take off my socks to see the damage I had done. I felt so strong though, I wanted to finish running. I couldn't. I felt with every step my blisters getting bigger and bigger!! I was on my way back when Susan called my cell. Here I am walking, trying not to hobble, down Waketon and my phone rings. Knowing that no one else was awake, something was wrong. I answered and it was Susan. She's lost. I knew when I saw her number that she was lost. Since she is a bit faster than me, she usually ends up ahead of me. This is usually fine, but this time she got lost. She turned when she was not supposed to. Oops!! She came back to meet me. I was afraid for her. She sounded afraid when she was on the phone. Sometimes when you are running you get into this place where you are sort of asleep. You are moving through time, but you are totally unware of what is going on around you. Unfortunately when she stepped out of that place, she was very unsure of where she was or how to get back. She was in a very familiar area and found her way back, but it was very scary for her. She was unsure of how she got to where she was. It seemed so simple, the route. I have done to exact same thing before. I can relate. It is very disorienting to not know how you got somewhere and not sure how to get back on track. Well all ended well. I am disappointed that my feet held me back. I was so strong. The cooler weather was a blessing, but with it comes some minor obstacles that you forget about when it is so unusual. Now I know. Run at 4:30 before the heat comes on and wear appropriate socks!!
16.5 miles in 3 hours and 30 minutes!! Woohoo!!
Blog on friends!!