Since I was at a conference on Saturday, I had to do a make-up long run today. On the schedule was 90 minutes. I decided to just go throughout the neighborhood, just going farther than normal. It was a pretty good run, although I was pretty slow, even by my standards, because I walked more than usual. I am fine with that, however. My hip did not really bother me and my main problem was that my feet were hot. I did not realize that all of my good socks were dirty, so I had to wear the double-layer ones that I find to be too warm. Couple that with forgetting to use the blister powder and I had some hot feet.
So you may have noticed an absence of a post this past weekend about my long run. Well, that is because I did not do it. The last long run I did on the hills really made my hip unhappy with me. After a short run last Friday that was owey, I figured it was best to rest it for a few days. It did not really hurt when I wasn’t running and I did a lot of stretching and icing on my days off. I also used the elliptical machine on Tuesday for about 30 minutes.
Today I finally got back out and ran for about 25 minutes. The hip feels much better, although still a little tight when I run. I had to stop and stretch a couple of times. Not sure what the exact problem is, but it does not hurt anymore so I think the rest was what was needed.
I will be missing the group long run again this weekend because I will be at a conference on Saturday. Hopefully they will all still remember when I finally get back to the group. (Although if there are any more group runs at the hilly place, I am not going).
Today I ran farther than I have ever run before: 14 miles. That is more than half of a marathon. My previous high was 13.1 miles at the Chicago Distance Classic almost two years ago.
I was very concerned about today’s run, not just because it was 14 miles. Due to the closure of the trails at Busse Woods*, today’s run was held at the dreaded, hilly Poplar Creek, where I had my worst run so far in training. Fortunately, the weather was quite cool this morning and partially overcast. The hills were not so bad when not coupled with the super high temperatures that I experienced the last time around.
The highlight of the run was seeing a very large frog in the creek as we crossed one of the bridges in the forest preserve. Typically I hear frogs but they hop in the water before I can see them, so I was happy this one made an appearance.
Next week’s run is in the same location. Hopefully we will have cool weather again.
* Although they posted signs and made announcements that the trail would be closed for repaving, as I passed the preserve on the way to where today’s run was, I saw people running on it. I do not know if they were being rebellious or if it was, in fact, really open for activity.
Keeping with yesterday’s theme of accomplishing something during a run, I ran to the veterinarian’s office to pick up some hairball remedy for one of my kitties. It was closer than I thought, adding up to only 1.3 miles round-trip. I did it as a semi-speed workout, doing intervals of extra fast running. According to my Garmin, I got down a 7:18 pace at one point, although I probably only managed to stay there a few seconds. I did the same path there and back and the trip home took 12 fewer seconds.
The weather was better than yesterday, because it was far less humid. It was still pretty hot though. I put my new blister stickers in my shoes (thanks to quick service from Ithaca Sports) so my feet were in good shape. I had a bit of trouble trying to figure out how to run with the tube of medicine, but I put it in my inside pocket and it was only slightly irritating. Now if I can just get kitty to take the medicine.
I woke up at 6:00 a.m. with a plan. Finish my requisite 40 minute run before the temperature reached 80 degrees and run to Walgreens to get a prescription. The Walgreens is about two miles away, so I figured I could get there and back in about 50 minutes. I decided that I would stop running after 40 minutes and do the rest as a cool down walk, not wanting to overdo things.
It was not too hot when I first got outside, but the humidity was already high. I had hoped that all of the rain that we received yesterday would have cooled things down, but it didn’t. I was sweaty by the time I had completed a mile or so. It was at this point that I passed the neighborhood water park and wished that they were open already. The rest of the trip to the Walgreens was rather uneventful, passing only two other pedestrians, both appearing to be walking to work, which is pretty shocking around these parts.
I stopped the watch to cross the big intersection next to the Walgreens because I knew it would take awhile (about five minutes until I could cross). When I got to the Walgreens I was welcomed by the rush of the cold air of the air conditioner. Walgreens is my best friend. The pharmacist, noting my “training for the Chicago marathon shirt” wished me luck in the marathon. I thanked her and then told her that I had run to the store and she said “Aww” in a “Aww, that’s too bad” kind of way. I thought she would have been impressed.
I started the watch back up again when I was finally able to get back across the street. It was really humid now, but I kept running for most of the way home. I was inspired to even pick up the pace a bit when “You Can’t Stop the Beat” came on the shuffle.* It is such an upbeat song that I was able to move pretty quickly. Well, at least it felt quick. A quick glance at my Garmin showed I was not really going any faster than my normal pace. I must have been slower earlier in the run.
A short distance from home, I reached the 40 minute mark, so I walked the rest of the way. I only saw one bunny this run, and he was too thin, and six squirrels. I used the mini-playground at my apartment complex to stretch on and then headed inside. It was nice and cool in there, thanks to the hubby leaving the air conditioning on for me when he left for work. I checked the weather and it was 78 degrees, with 81% humidty.
* Oh! That reminds me, the soundtrack to the movie version of Hairspray comes out today. I need to head to iTunes.
My long run on Saturday was supposed to be 10 miles downtown with the group. Given my desire to avoid the Taste of Chicago and other July event crowds, I opted to do the 10 miles on my own suburban-style. Although I wasn’t really on my own, because my hubby came with me and rode his bicycle. Sometimes he rode slowly behind me and I think that several people thought that he was stalking me. Next time I should wear a shirt that says “He’s with me” with an arrow pointing toward him.
It was unbelievably hot and humid and my socks were wet by mile two. I had purchased a new pair of the same running shoes, only 1/2 size bigger because my feet had been feeling a bit squished in the last quarter of my long runs after my feet had expanded a bit. My first pair of running shoes have these sticker things on them that I put to prevent blisters that occur on my feet where the insole meets the side of the shoe. I didn’t have anymore to put on the new shoes, but convinced myself that they weren’t doing much anyway. Um, yeah. I was wrong. Both of my feet started to hurt in that “WARNING! BLISTER FORMING!” way after about 4 miles. I started having flashbacks to the half marathon that I ran a couple of years ago. During that run I started getting blisters fairly early and by the end of the 13.1, I could not run anymore because of the pain in my feet and my knee.
Not wanting to risk an injury on a 10 mile run, I did a lot more walking. My body appreciated this also because it was over 80 degrees at this point. By about 7.7 miles, I asked the hubby politely if he would mind riding ahead and brining the car to me. He obliged and I sat down on the bench and took off my shoes. The blisters were not that bad (they have already healed), but I know if I would have kept going it would have spelled disaster. I am confident that I am able to run 10 miles (under proper shoe conditions), so I don’t feel bad about having shortened the run this time.
I went to the gym today to run because it was so hot outside. I ran a mile and then decided to restart the timer so that I could calibrate the footpod that goes with my Garmin because it was off by about .03. After the calibration, the timer continued to go until I finished. I just added together the times of both parts of the run and it was 37 minutes, 37 seconds. For some reason I found that amusing.
What was not amusing were the 30 or so annoying brats children that were playing on the basketball court below the track, without noticeable adult presence. I think it was supposed to be some kind of camp, but they were all just running around without an organized activity: some kids sat on the floor eating cookies, two girls brushed the hair on their My Little Ponies, and others threw a tennis ball against the wall. Twice the ball came up onto the track and they screamed at me to throw it down. For five year olds, they were rather impolite. I made them say “please,” but they didn’t bother saying “thank you.” I think that whoever was organizing the “camp” should have had a lesson on manners.
Today was another itty bitty 20 minute run. I managed to get ready fairly quickly this time, so I didn’t spend longer getting ready than running. My neighborhood is starting to bore me, but I can’t justify driving somewhere to run for 20 minutes. So I did the same general route, varying it up a bit by going toward the park. I wonder why I never actually see any kids playing at any of the parks?
After my run, I had to go across the street to the post office. Sitting next to the drainage ditch in the median of the road was a little wet furry thing. At first I thought it was a squirrel, but as I got closer and it looked at me, I realized it was something different entirely. I have never been good at identify water mammals. It was small, like the size of a kitten, with a cute face and a short tail. It was brown. When it saw me, it ran into the water. When I came back that way 15 minutes later, we repeated the same routine. He was cute. Below is a picture of a muskrat. He looked a bit like that, only not as plump and with a shorter tail.
