My running partner wimped out ... okay, he had some aches and pains he can't seem to shake and needed to take the day off. I understand, but I couldn't help but be disappointed. In the end, it was probably for the best, I had some issues on my way back and had to stop frequently and my pace was almost at a crawl. My crawl would be almost a walk for him. Sometimes, too, it's just good to run alone....for many reasons.
Cold. It was about 18 degrees when I started running. I was dressed warm enough - at first. My problems came along when I got to the neighborhoods surrounding Wash Park and I was now running into the wind; My hands started freezing. Another issue (and not to be too graphic): wearing pants (I'll wear shorts in all weather over 24 degrees) was causing me some serious chaffing on my inner thighs. The string on my pants broke and my pants kept falling....they were hanging way lower than they should and well....it hurt. Stopped at the Porta-potty in Wash Park (nasty) and find some carmex in my bag and apply in problem areas. Used half a jar! I wish I had my bodyglide but this seems to do the trick. Started running around the park and my hands started to go numb; I obviously grabbed the wrong gloves this morning....fleece ones would have been a better fit. Fleece-lined, wind-blocked gloves (of which I don't own) would have been ideal. My face was getting seriously cold, too. Turned directions in the park and things warmed up some...but it was short-lived as I can't run South forever; need to turn right to get home and thus back into the wind. Only the wind has picked up now and my hands are really bad. I rubbed them together, pulled my fingers inside my gloves to give them body-heat, stuck them behind my back, stopped at the car wash to warm them up inside....but by the time I got to the next park, I was getting scared....my hands were really bad. And my face was freezing. I stopped-I needed to regroup. I took my bandana, which was full of frozen snot (I'm desperate) and tied it around my face. Or I tried. I had to take my gloves off to do so and I swear, 10 seconds out in open wind was causing them to not move (this reminded me of a documentary I saw once on Mt. Everest. This guy wanted to take his gloves off on the top so he could use his hands more freely and 2 second in the open cold caused severe frost-bite and finger loss. Was I going to have black finger tips like this guy?). I put my gloves on for a few minutes just to get them warm enough to attempt to tie my bandana again. Okay, this works and after much (too much) time, I was able to get the thing on my face. I pulled down my shirt arms over my hands and this seemed to slightly help that problem
. Of course, now my nose was just dripping (and freezing). The wind was blowing off my pink baseball cap. I had to take it off and put it on my waist-pack (I cringe to think what my hair looks like...yuck. I guess it's not a fashion show...but I hate hat-hair). I finally made it back to my car in 3 hours and 24 minutes later. I'll subtract about 10 minutes off of that time for porta-potty, car wash, and mega minutes spent trying to get my bandana on my face, stops.....so an unofficial time of 3:14 today. My hr was hovering in the low 160's to start (which I figure is about a 8:30ish pace..maybe a tad too fast for a long run!) and fell to the low 150's in the way back (9:15-9:30is pace? who knows!). So 19-20 miles? I'll get on runstoppable and try to figure it out. I was so cold when I got home, I stuck my hands in hot water just to get the blood circulating again.How's THAT for dedication??
Oh, I had my phone alright and thought once or twice about calling for someone to come get me but I wasn't going to let a few challenges stop me. Dennis told me this morning when he said he couldn't run that he admired my dedication (and later told me I was awesome. I love the support of those around me :) ). THAT inspires me and keeps me going.
Both my knees bothered me. Worse at first, then okay, then bad, then only left, then right, then all okay, then bad, then good at the end. Figured no need to ice, the 7 degree wind chill was a valid replacement.
I love to run. I love the long run. Even in adverse weather conditions, I love it. It moves me. It clears my head and fills it with fresh air. I may be tired the rest of the day and not moving the best tomorrow, but there is nothing I love more about my running then the long run! I can't wait to see how I fair on a proposed 50K this year! Maybe I'll even try two!
3 hours post run and my left knee is hurting some. Quads tight. Left ankle (the one I sprained back in September) is trobbing.....as it does whenever I run far. Not too bad!!??!!
20 miles
3:14
1 comment:
Um, for the record I didn't wimp out, it was "convervative healing". But it was very cold and sooo warm inside.
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