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July 23, 2005
Not quite what I was hoping for
Maybe I should become a Gallo-walker. I mean, it seems that every long run I do these days, I'm reduced to walking breaks. I was really grateful to have my co-worker Michelle there today to get me through it (we ran maybe 16 when I should be much further along in my long run mileage) but I also felt badly that she had to listen to my complaints. Today was especially maddening because I got a good night's sleep, my legs felt great but my head was telling me I couldn't do it.
It was not as humid today, but it certainly was (and still is) quite hot in the sun. Michelle lives many subway stops away in Brooklyn so we compromised on a later-than-I-usually-go starting time (we didn't get out there until almost 9am.) This was probably mistake #1. Because I have so much trouble with the heat, it makes sense for me to start as early as I can, before the temperature gets into the 80s and beyond. I actually felt okay for about 6 miles; we ran from Brooklyn Heights over to Prospect Park and did 2 loops of the Park. It was ridiculously crowded and we got a lot of obnoxious looks from bikers because our attempts to stay in the shade kept us perilously close to the bike lane. But the shade was nice.
We had to be in the sun for most of the rest of the run--we went over the Brooklyn Bridge, which was crowded with tourists, and then through Chinatown, which was crowded with people who live there, and then home over the Manhattan Bridge, which was blissfully shady and quiet. There were way too many instances today where I thought about just taking the subway back. Honestly, I cannot bear having horrible long runs every weekend--they are just too uncomfortable to make marathon training worth it. But I know that the heat has a lot to do with it, so we'll see.
I must mention here that I was drinking more than ever today. I started out with two Gatorade bottles. I drank almost all of one (the other was frozen so I could wait) and filled it with water. Then I finished the second Gatorade bottle and ended up buying another Gatorade to fill almost both my bottles. Finished those too, and bought a Poland Spring when we had a few miles to go. I was incredibly thirsty the whole time, yet never felt satisfied by what I was taking in. I also felt like my stomach was full of liquid, even though I was likely sweating it out. It was, in a word, unpleasant.
Matt and I are headed out now to continue the eternal search for a wedding album, see a movie and go to a Sloan classmate's surprise barbeque. I'm hungry already.
Oh, and a shout-out to my triathlete buddies this weekend--Audrey, of course, and my Boston running partner Mary, who's doing IM Lake Placid tomorrow. KICK ASS, LADIES!!!
Posted by becky at July 23, 2005 3:07 PM