Loooooong hill...

I did not sleep well last night. I think I saw every  hour pass on my alarm clock. I suppose it could be because I ran hard right before getting ready for bed. Too much adrenaline.

I finally got out of bed around 4:00. I figured I might as well do something rather than toss and turn. I dressed and headed out the door. The air was cool (59F) and muggy (82%). I walked a little and then started running.

My plan was to run out 6.5 miles, turn around and come back. To do that I headed out toward the lake. I knew the driveway to turn around at if I went that way. I'd mapped it out beforehand.

As I turned onto Lake Road, I started meeting up with cars. Who's out driving at 4:30? Crazy people! Don't they know the road is for runners at that time of day? Between Country Club Road and the lake five cars passed me. Traffic!

It was about the time I got to the lake that tiredness hit. I was cruising along, not fast, but steady, when all of a sudden my legs turned to lead. I walked around the curve by the lake, then started up the loooooong hill. I'd never run the whole hill, so I wasn't sure what to expect. It was about as much "fun" as I expected. I walked a few times.

Approaching the top of the hill, I decided my turn around was going to be a little earlier than previously planned. I would turn around at the next road and make it an 11-miler instead of a half marathon. It was about this time that the wind really picked up. I heard it in the trees to the west before I felt it. One minute it was calm. The next it was blustery. It felt a lot cooler too.

I turned around and headed back home. I walked a lot more. I was not feeling strong or well. I was burping up the remnants of last night's Frito chili pie. I must remember not to eat such things close to my 100-miler. Ugh! Canned chili is not pleasant the second time around!

I made it back to town. I ran under the flashing yellow light by the old railroad tracks and slowed to a walk again. I walked to Sixth Street and forced myself to run again. I ran to Howard. I walked up the hill and once again forced my legs to run. I ran up to the highway, walked as I approached it. There were lots of cars going to and fro. When there was a break, I forced myself to run. I ran the rest of the way home.

Though this wasn't the best run ever, it was good for one thing: training my legs to run even when they're tired. Ten miles yesterday morning, plus another nine hard and fast miles last night we the perfect lead up to this 11-miler. Now I know I can keep going when I feel like beetle dung. I will prevail! (garmin data)