What the hell is wrong with me? Really, I should know better than to challenge myself to run 15 miles two days after I was bed-ridden with a fever, aches, chills, and all those other not-fun flu symptoms. But apparently I either hate myself or I’m certifiably retarded, because I chose to try running 15 miles tonight. The results were pretty much disastrous.
After not running for 4 days (my training schedule calls for no more than 2 days off at a time throughout the 18-week program) my shins began to ache within a mile of the start/finish line. Not good. By mile 3 the shin pain disappeared. I started to think positive thoughts. I started to visualize how happy I’d be to cross the finish line and complete my longest run to date. By mile 5 I started to plan the remainder of my route. I didn’t just want to run 7.5 miles and then turn back and run another 7.5 miles, because that would be too easy…and what if I couldn’t make it? What if at mile 7 suddenly my body shut down from lack of nutrients, too much time off and dehydration? So I decided to turn back and run two miles, then turn back and run two more miles in my original direction, then turn again and run the final 6.5 miles to the finish line. Now, if you’re good at math — and odds are you are better than I am — you’ll notice that my addition was wrong. And when I figured that out and tried to recalculate my route I became confused. This led to my having to run two-tenths of a mile beyond my original finish line. It’s not such a bad thing I guess, but when you’ve got that finish line in mind and then you pass it and realize you haven’t finished running it’s frustrating as hell.
I finished, finally (my time was so bad it’s not worth posting even to laugh at how pathetic I was) and walked a mile back to my house. The temperature had dropped considerably. The lower half of my body felt as if it had been torn from the rest of me. And my knees, shins and ankles were so weak I thought I might collapse. When I finally made it back to the house, Adam hooked me up with a recovery shake, I snacked on an energy bar, showered, and sat down with my legs elevated and tried to focus on anything other than my aching legs.
Watching Black Star on Colbert Report. Planning on retiring to bed as soon as this is finished. Fuck me, I hope I fall asleep quickly.
Iggy Pop – Nightclubbing
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