Long Run Fridy - Lucky 14

I felt like garbage when I woke up.  Awesome.  I forced down a Luna Bar (the raspberry icing so did not help) and got myself together for a run.  It was about 60* and super humid when I left.  There were on and off sprinkles, mostly off, but it was humid pretty much all day.

14 Miles were on the calendar for today *Monday*, but I deferred to today becuase of weather.  I'm still following this training program, and modified it only slightly to allow a 3 week taper instead of 4.  For my 14, I hit Lake Nokomis and Ft Snelling, and caught a glimpse of the improved Coldwater Spring National Park.  I ran with and without music, just alternating based on how I felt and how much motivation I needed.  Here's what it was like:

The Nike+ kit seems to work much more accurately if I turn it on when I've already started to run instead of in my warm up run.  It's nice and somewhat reassuring to have actual data about a run.

• Mile 1 and 2 - running in the neighborhood on my way to the Lake.  I was trying to decide if it was raining or if the wind was blowing water out of the leaves most of the way.  Also, I felt like garbage.
• Miles 3, 4 and most of 5 - running at Lake Nokomis.  Sunrise was gorgeous.  There were a lot of clouds so it really added to the drama.  Some of those miles are slower because I got caught at stop lights twice.
• Mile 6 - Minnehaha Parkway.  I have a love/hate relationship with this street.
• Miles 7 and 8 - one of those miles is slow for potty stop reasons.  Don't panic.  Thank goodness I'm near the falls and Ft Snelling because this is my favorite part of the run.
• Mile 9 - up that damn hill.  I think I took it faster than normal but I can't remember.  I was so out of breath at the top I nearly blacked out.
• Miles 10 and 11 - back through Minnehaha Falls, and caught my glimpse of Coldwater Spring.  (There's some controversy over this park, like nobody wanted it until they threatened to build a road over top of it or something?  Also, it's sacred to the tribes here.)  The parking lot is not paved.  Is this on purpose or not finished?  Also, took my last bit of food and my last salt tab.
• Miles 12 and 13 - Minnehaha Creek running trail and Lake Hiawatha.  Slow and steady wins the race.  But I was basically still moving at a respectable pace.  Is it possible I stopped listening to music on this stretch?  Just being entertained by the sound of my own feet.
• Mile 14 - I hate this stupid hill.  I'm sure it's good practice but whatever.

When I logged on to Nike to see my run data, I told me I sped up at the end (ha!).  That can't be right.

Nike also told me it's my five year anniversary?!?  There have been some extended absences from using this thing, but I have stuck with it an impressively long time I think. 

  

I'm trying another new thing in training called "eat right away after a long run" because of all the things out there to tell runners we should.  I made a smoothie and hit the ice bath.  Ugh.