Running on Vacation

I took a surprise Fourth of July vacation last week.  Tuesday I worked and then drove to Chicago to spend the night with Julie.  I showed up in northern Indiana at the lake the next day and hung out.  I had a bunch of great runs on this trip.

Wednesday - 6 miles.  I had been dreaming about this run since the trip and the stop in Illinois were planned.  Julie lives near these trails that are the best thing ever, not paved but not really dirt either.  They are super firm footing for a dirt trail and awesome.  I woke up in the morning and the radar gave me the all clear, so I was shocked and bummed to get outside and have it rain the entire run.  Whatever.  Nothing will stop this run.  The rain forced me under tree cover and I found even a newer part of the path that I didn't know was there before.  I had such a good time.  The rain let up for about the last 20 minutes of the run.  I was in the mood to suffer so I pushed the pace of this run somewhat.  I was sucking wind by the end.

Thursday - 2 miles.  This was more of an exploratory run to find out what is around the lake.  The road was quite the roller.  I made it up the ups and really enjoyed some of the downs.  It was hotter than blue blazes.  The thing I had the hardest time with is the crowning (sloping) of the country roads.  I'm sure it doesn't bother cars but my hips and knees felt pretty lopsided.

Friday - 1 miler.  This was an exploratory run in the other direction from the first run.  And I had to hurry up and do it so I could take a walk with my parents and explore all the way back to the house.  I must've been in a hurry to clock that top speed.  Yowza.

Saturday - 3 miles.  I combined the Thursday and Friday runs because I hadn't seen enough hills in the previous two days, nor enough sunshine and humidity.  It was actually a really nice run.  I ended with a 'finisher' and then a walk with the dog and my parents before they headed back home.