Ugh. My long runs (and tempo runs. All runs?) are just not going well right now. I left for my run at 5:38a.m. with the thermometer showing 73 degrees; I knew I was doomed.
I started my beginning pace to around 9:20 - 9:40, like I was suppose to, hoping it would help give me the energy I needed at the end of my intended 22 miler. Not only no, but hell no. At one time, when sweat was constantly dripping off my eyebrow and into my eye, I looked at my watch and I was doing a 12 minute mile. I didn't think one COULD run a 12 minute mile; I thought you'd be walking at that point. Okay, granted I was going up a hill but really, I was struggling by then and apparently you can run a 12 minute mile. Egads.
It was 82 degrees when I got in my car.
I felt okay when I started. Not great but not bad. I decided to park at the corner of Parker and Quincy at the parking lot to a shopping center and run through CC park toward downtown. A slightly different route than the normal downtown route because I knew I had access to one more gas station to get water upon my return. That was one of the wisest choices I've made in awhile. But by the time I turned around at mile 11 and stopped to refuel at my favorite Conoco car wash, I was starting to have some problems - that being my stomach was bothering me some and worse, things going into it were not wanting to be there.
My glute was also starting to bother me....I kept wondering how I'm going to run 26 miles with this annoyance at an 8:30 pace. With about 7 miles left, I was running along side the paved path on the dirt and I tripped over a rock. Same rock that twisted my ankle badly about 3 weeks before St. George. I'm going with a pick ax and shovel upon my vacation return and digging that suck up one can for all! I didn't fall to the ground but I stumbled and kinda fell forward and in doing so, my glute muscle.....you know, the annoying one, decided to scream. Loudly!!! ERRRRRR! Walk, stretch, start back up running. But I'm running so slow, yeah.....that 12 minute/mile up a hill, that it didn't matter if I was walking or running; I was exerting about as much energy doing either one. I cut my run short by a mile by not running down by the lake as I had done earlier so I finished my run, practically crawling, with 21 miles.
I keep hoping that this problem is just the heat. I'm scaling back my running next week, which bodes well with my vacation travel to: Omaha (flying), one end of Iowa to the other (via car. Thanks, Meg :)), Chicago (car), and then to the cottage on Lake Michigan in Grand Haven. Once in Grand Haven, I plan to rack up my mileage one more time; I think it's what I need and I think it will help keep my eating/drinking/training honest while I am there. That will be my highest mileage week for my Portland training; Brian thought it would work well. We'll see.
But no matter what, upon my return, if it's hot and I have a long run scheduled, I'm either 1) getting up and out the door by 430 am or 2) heading to the mountains where it's a good 15 degrees cooler. I have a boatload of races coming up immediately after I return, one after another - 3 weekends in a row... plus one in Davenport, the Bix 7-miler, while I am gone. I am excited but it's going to be a challenge to get in that dreaded long run in.
On the plus side of things: I got a new water bottle at REI and used it today - I LOVE it!!! It is double insulated and therefore keeps my water colder longer and the neatest thing is that the mouth piece doesn't pop up like most, it twists and it keeps the water inside and not constantly dripping down my leg. 
Nice, huh?
21 miles run
I'm going to bed!!
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