10.00 miles in 1:37:48

connect.garmin.com/activity/65659723

i haven't done very many long runs since the beginning of the year, so i decided to take in 10 miles today. i started around 10:00 and headed north and then west around town. when i hit main, i decided to go south instead of taking in the other side of town. i ran straight down to the river park and made a complete circle of the memorial walk, taking in the turn around and then, jumping over a couple of barriers, came out of the trees and ran past the lion's club shelter.

when i exited the park, i headed back north toward town. i followed the path and then turned east on 20th street south. i ran past a couple of hunters and made sure they knew i wasn't a wild animal. no sense in getting shot. if you look really carefully on the garmin map, you can see a couple of places where i ran to the other side of the road to avoid the windblown dust from a couple of vehicles.

at eden road, i turned north again and ran up and over the railroad tracks and then on toward the highway. i was at around five miles at this point. i felt like quitting, but i pushed through it and kept going. on the other side of the highway, the road climbs ever so slowly for about a mile. it was painful going.

i turned west onto 20th avenue north. i was running pretty slowly by this point. i thought about running back around to home and quitting. i didn't want to go on. i spooked some cattle on the south side of the road. they were running much more energetically than me.

i made it to the end of 20th avenue and turned south onto argonia road. i was seriously ready to quit. everything hurt. i decided 8 miles would be enough. that's what i'd have had if i'd run straight home.

when i got to the city limits, i crossed the highway and pushed aside all thoughts of stopping. i'd started out to run 10 miles. i was going to do it. i intentionally turned away from home and headed out toward the far side of town.

i circled around and then ran up and down some of the streets near home until i was sure i'd get 10 miles when i passed the house. i ran past my wife who was waiting for me to run with her. i told her i couldn't do it. i was dead. somehow i drug myself around the last two corners and made it back to my starting point. just past there i hit 10 miles and pulled up. my wife walked up just behind me. she still wanted me to run. i told her i needed at least a little break, so we headed inside. i took my run off the garmin and then headed back out with my wife. i'll report on that run separately.

the worst part of this run was thinking, "if i was running a half marathon, i'd still have had 3 more miles to go." thankfully, there are still a few months to go.