Long Run Sunday

For reasons passing all human understanding I signed up for a half marathon at the end of the month.  No one knows why one big race this month wasn't enough.  Nonetheless, this is the position I find myself in now.  At least I'm training. 

This morning I woke up and ran with the St. Paul ladies.  7am is such a more civilized time than 5:30am.  All four of us had different needs today.  Robin hadn't run since the big day (glad you're feeling better), Beth wanted to run more than 4 miles but not do  the 11 miles I had planned, and Heather - well, we'll get to her.

Here's the route we took to accommodate all of our needs, we ran the usual 4 miles on Summit Ave.  Heather and Robin peeled off there and were done.  Originally I planned to do a loop on the river for the rest of the miles.  Then Beth said, "well I know another loop that'll give you eight miles.  It's hills and I'll do it with you".  Sweet.  I love the company and I love hills.  So we went down to the river and headed back up (and I do mean up) Randolph.  About a block in Beth said, "usually we go a block over to the side street (parallel to Randolph) because that's what Heather makes us do".  Sorry, my inertia is only carrying me forward at this point, there can be no turning.  So we stayed on Randolph.  When we got to the top Beth reported that Randolph isn't nearly as awful as that side street Heather "makes" them run on.  (Heather, you're so busted you meanie.) Actually, Beth had billed Randolph as long and steep and she was right no so I can't imagine what James St is like.

By this point I was sucking wind to get up the hill and then keep up with Beth.  Don't worry, it's all down hill from here.  Yeah, right.  It turned out to be true.  The lack of oxygen to my brain had me completely disoriented (are you sure Randolph isn't a North-South street?).  I ran Beth home and then decided to do the original loop one more time.

I told Beth the Monster Dash only has an 11:27 pacer and then no other paces until 13:44.  "Stay with the 11:27 pacer" she says, "you can do it", and then something only another runner could say: "remember Lizzie, it's only a half marathon".  So true.

Every runner has had the experience of coming home to a sock full of blood and not knowing anything was even wrong.  It's rare but happens every once in a while with a wild toenail.  I thought that happened today, "wow, that's a big spot".  No, wait, actually it's just a fall leaf.  Phew.

After the run I was so sick.  My stomach hates me.  Not even in the normal "Liz is running so my stomach should attack me" way.  I was kind of ishy before leaving but I thought running made it all better (that can happen sometimes).  Nope.  It's that same sea-sick feeling I had after the marathon.  (I wonder if it's ibuprofen doing it to me because that's the only commonality.) 

My goal today is not to nap.  Between lying on the couch to avoid sea-sickness and my past sleeping schedule, this should be fun.