Accomplished!

No, I did not paint my house... but I did manage to do a 7 mile run.

I'm training for my third marathon (26.2 miles) and Sunday is my long run day. I run 4 days per week doing shorter runs on all other days. The long runs are called LSD's "Long Slow Distance" in which you should run a little slower than your goal marathon pace. I don't really get that, but it's not a big deal because my legs don't know any more than one pace anyway...which reminds me, I need to start doing some sprints and interval training on my short days.

I had a lot of demons to contend with for my run today. I ran a 10 miler last Sunday, so I figured it should be no big deal to run 7, but it was the motivation part that nearly did me in.

This morning the weather was so gloomy that all I wanted to do was crawl back in bed. I decided if I wasn't going to run or accomplish anything around the house, I could at least go grocery shopping. For some weird reason I was completely exhausted. Like exhausted to tears. I leaned against my cart as I roamed the aisles trying to get what I needed. I walked through the coffee aisle hoping to get energy by aroma alone. I paused at the coffee makers and then pushed on. As I headed for the lemon juice, the last item on my list I realized I was absolutely crashing. I headed back to the coffee aisle...which housed the lemon juice to my surprise, and got lemon juice, and espresso. $15/lb espresso so it better be good.

I was so incredibly exhausted that I went home and took a nap. I knew if I didn't do my run today, I could always do it tomorrow... but that would mean running hills. Home is flat, work is mountainous. I got back into my pj's, crawled under the covers and fell asleep. It was close to 1pm.

I dreamed something about needing to run but it was Thanksgiving and people kept sending me on errands. I made it to the campsite/ fire ring and the turkey wasn't there (?) so I figured I might as well get my run in now. I only had one hair tie and my hair wasn't in a braid. I can't run without my hair being in a braided pony tail. This was not going to work. Then there was something about a Spanish language monopoly gameshow... and I still needed to get my run in.

I woke up and was way too hot. I kicked off the covers and pulled my pant legs up. I tried to peek out the window to see if the sun had come out yet. I couldn't tell. I buried my face back into my pillow. I thought again about my run, thought about having to run 7 miles up the side of the mountain tomorrow and decided I'd give today a try. Maybe I would have some of my new espresso? I would have to eat something before I ran. Then I would have to let it digest for awhile.

I got out of bed and mixed up an instant iced coffee and reheated a pork chop and sat down to check the weather. 58 degrees and sunny. Yes, I could see sun outside my window, but sun in the north can be deceiving. It can be sunny and 10 degrees. I downed the ice coffee and sat down to read my Muscle and Fitness Hers magazine while munching on the pork chop. I texted Debbie to make sure she had registered for the marathon yet. I studied maps of the marathon.

Around 4pm I took off for my run. I tried to keep my head quiet at first. No sense in getting all worked up at the beginning. It never fails to drift to calculating the distance left versus energy left. I couldn't find a 7 mile loop to run, so I just did an out-and-back. Out and backs are nice in that you get yourself out there and have no choice but to get back. So really all I had to do was run 3.5 miles. And then run home.

My long sleeve shirt might have been a bad choice.

I ran south towards Grenada (California, not Spain).

I crossed over the Little Shasta River, across the railroad tracks and curved around to head straight toward Mt. Shasta. The cows stopped what they were doing and stared warily. Sometimes one will get up and run and spook the whole herd. Today they mostly stared. One day while running at work, I was charged by two cows. The gate was open and they started charging after me. I heard you weren't supposed to run from animals, so I turned around and stopped and stood my ground, looking them in the eyes. It worked. They stopped and we had a stand off. I slowly backed away and they left me alone.

Around mile 3, a large bull (no horns?) stood behind a gate that looked smaller than him, looking pretty ready to jump the fence and come after me. My grandmother says cows can jump fences. Wild ones anyway. This one didn't look wild, but then again, what does a wild cow look like? In any case, he stood his ground and I made it off safely.

I passed a farmer that I waved to. He said "Nice day for a run, isn't it?" I replied "Oh yeah, beautiful!"

In December and January I will be doing long runs over 15 miles in snow storms. I try not to think about that. I mean, how does one run 20 miles over icy roads?

I turned around at Freeman St and headed home. Only 3.5 miles to go.

The sage brush has a pungent smell like urine.

The farmer's house smelled like a wood stove.

At one point I smelled a very dead animal....and passed by many more.

I crossed back over the railroad tracks and Little Shasta River. I ate a GU. Caffeine free Lime Sublime. I chugged some water and let the sugar gel kick in. The road sign said "Montague, 1 mile" but I had a little over a mile to go. I still had to run down main street and another block to the east.

I passed the taxidermist and storage facility and Shasta Valley Tires.

I passed the man on a horse across the street from the post office and turned right.

Passed the Montague Volunteer Fire Department with their engine bay doors open and shiny red trucks inside.

Passsed Martin's burned down feed and tack shop.

My watch beeped half a block from home. Done. Time to walk.

I walked in the house, downed more water and stretched. I rolled out my IT band (the side of my leg) on a hard foam roller and stretched some more.

Now I've got ice on the side of my leg (maintanence only) and sitting in my reading chair. It's starting to get dark. Runs are always better after they're done.