A Week of Ups and Downs...

So the following day after my surprising performance at the Savannah Mile I was scheduled to run 20 miles. I didn't want to run 20. I tried all day Saturday to get mentally prepared for it....



Life lesson #1. Do not go out to dinner with co-workers until 12:30am, when you have a 4:45am call time for your 20 mile run.



Life lesson #2. Just because you pray before bed that there will be thunderstorms when you wake up, it doesn't mean your HP will hook you up.



Life lesson #3. When you do finally get out of bed at 5:30am for your 20 mile run, be prepared for a long morning when the weather channel reports it is 84 degrees with 99% humidity.

So...pulled up to the Landings and stepped out into my morning oatmeal...or at least that is what the air felt like as I began my morning run. "Slow and steady Thomas, we will be at the marina in no time."

The wheels started to fall off early. Two miles into the run my breathing never really evened out any my shirt had already become so drenched that it was causing my shorts to stick to my legs...The humidity was the worst I can ever recall. By mile five, the sweat running down my legs was causing my socks to really get soaked...I could hear someone calling "The Running Is Stupid" committee in my head to order. I had a feeling they were about to have a meeting to discuss the Baker Act; knowing that the guy in charge of the body was off his rocker. HR 187 was passed quickly, with little debate and the morning run was shortened to an 11 mile trek. I got to the Marina (7 mile mark) and took off my shirt to ring out the excess sweat. OMG, i could not believe the amount of water that came out. I then followed the same process with my shorts. Yes mom, I was wearing compression shorts underneath my running shorts. (and it was early, nobody was around) I also rang out my socks but there was really nothing else I could do. I took a GU and continued on back to the car. The next four miles consisted of a walk/run combination where I was trying every possible trick to convince myself that running is actually something I enjoy doing. As a constituent of the Chairman of the Running Is Stupid committee, I would like to go on record stating the fact that I will not be voting for him in his next campaign for re-election.

Tuesday, seven miler with Cubbie. Still smarting from Sunday's defeat, I had something to prove. We really laid it down, I set the pace for the first 5 miles and you would think that I had a hot date later because we were moving!

Thursday---NEW SHOES!!! It was time to ante up and I had a $25.00 credit at Fleet Feet. I bought the exact same shoe I am currently running in, Mizuno Wave Inspire 5. I lurve these shoes. I decided to break them in with a 5 mile tempo run around the park. One mile warm up to the park and then three laps at tempo pace. I was clocking my miles somewhere on the average of a 9 minute pace. There were alot of runners at the park so I had alot of people to pull me and help me hold my pace...

Sunday-11 miles with Cubbie...
Great run, having Hurricane Bill sitting off of the coast the weather this weekend was B. E. A. Utiful! We got on teh road at about 9am and I could not have been happier to run. We powered through our first 5.5 mile lap catching up on all of the gossip, stopped for water and then started the second loop. I was really feeling great and decided to really push it for the last two miles. I think I felt "Runner's High" for the first time during a run. I have often felt a certain "high" imediately after a run, but never during one. Yeasterday was different. Awesome run all around.

26 days until the Equinox, one foot in front of the other, one step at a time.