Kind of Hard

Since I'm likely not to run this weekend (I'll be at a friend's helping after her surgery), I decided to do a longer run than I normally would for a Tuesday.  I figured a loop of the Breaker (the next race) plus a 40 loop would give me pretty good mileage.  Because I've only been doing LSD, really, I also decided to try to push the pace a bit.  Well, I was a bit disappointed at how hard that was for the pace I did, at first.

Then, the rationalization machine kicked in. Was it the three and a half hours....

It's eight hours since I started this post on yesterday's run.  Since then, I ran with Mindy at the Brad.  I think it proved my run yesterday was more than kind of hard.  Everything seemed fine to start and Mindy and I enjoyed our normal easy conversation.  We were running the Brad/Pineland Connector.  Since Mindy had 8 on her schedule, we decided 4 out and 4 back worked.  Well, it would have if we could have found the trail heading back off the power lines.  With all the work CMP is doing on the line, the terrain looks different.  Well, that and Mindy and I were enjoying our normal easy conversation : )  We didn't even notice that we'd gone by it and spent lots of times looking for it after it was already behind us.

It was around the five mile mark where I started feeling not right.  I walked a few hills, but couldn't seem to recover.  It was like I couldn't breath.  OK, lets go over the things that I was going to use as my reasons for yesterday's run seeming so hard.  There was the fact that I was trying to push the pace.  Normally not a good sleeper, I have been setting records even for me.  Sunday night, I might have gotten 3.5, but not in one stretch.  It's been wicked hot and humid and that is draining when not running.  Oh, and I ran 53.74 miles last week.  Still, the run itself was pretty solid.  I got in 12.4.  I was amazed that I looked as sweaty as during the 50 at Pineland.  I don't think I took care of myself when I got home, neither eating or drinking enough.

I think it was when we were actually back on the Boundary Trail that I sat down on a rock.  I needed to catch my breath and not feel so lightheaded.  I'd tried to encourage Mindy to run ahead and finish up.  I almost had her talked into it at one point, but she never left, instead doing her best to make me feel okay about having such a rough day (she's very good at it : ).

Even back in the parking lot, I didn't feel right.  Even ordering our TBLTs at E&L's, I was still off.  The yummy, salty food with more to drink helped.  I came home and hit the recliner for a bit.  I may have nodded off for a little before showering.  I decided to weigh myself.  Even with all the food and fluids, I was still a few pounds down.  I knew how I felt, but, somehow, having the numbers to back me up, made me feel a little better.