My weekend off

We're heading out in a couple hours to see the in-laws in North Carolina. A 10-12 hour car ride with a 17 month old is always fun. My main entertainment tool is the "Box O' Surprises" which is actually an old wipes container that I fill with various toys. He pulls them out and throws them on the floor, I pick them up and put them back in the box, then he throws them out again. It keeps him entertained. Oddly enough, one of his favorite "toys" in the box is a rock that we picked up in July when we vacationed in Michigan.

I never run when I am out of town. I usually bring my gear and then feel bad about not running, but this time I am sparing myself the guilt and fully planning to not run. It is all in the training plan. I started in early with the 12 milers so that I can comfortably skip a long run, come back with a 12 miler and then do my very first ever 14 miler the following week.

I can't believe I am still actually excited about this!

Lesson learned

I have never before experienced a water crisis while running. It was so stupid humid on my long run yesterday that I finished all of my water after about 7 miles. I was a little sad about it but didn't worry too much.

Before long, I noticed that I had stopped sweating. Distance runners are familiar with the way salt crystallizes on the face in small amounts. Well by this point I felt like a crusty human salt lick. Before long, I started getting chills and feeling fuzzy-headed, so I started to look harder for water sources. The school on my route did not have outdoor water fountains or a hose hookup like I had expected. Finally, like a mirage in the distance, I saw car washing guy. He kindly filled up my empty bottle with his hose and sent me on my merry way. Thanks for being up at 6:30AM, CarDude!

I still ended up cutting my route short by a half mile, so I only went 11.9 miles. I blame the humidity completely and insist that my dinner the night before had nothing to do with my poor performance. Honey roasted cashews and peanut butter M&Ms are great body fuel, right?

Marathon Training

Marathon training has officially started! In reality this doesn't mean much except that the running schedule is no longer in my head, it is on a piece of paper. This week's running has been less than stellar because of the delights of being a woman. I start the pill on Sunday for the first time in 10 years. I seriously can't wait!

So increasing my long runs back up past 10 miles has brought on several reminders and realizations:

1. Clif shot bloks are amazing things. I especially like the orange ones with a little shot of caffeine.

2. There is a LOT of litter on the road that you don't notice while driving.

3. I hate trash day and the smells that go with it.

4. Anything over 10 miles brings on random but temporary pains in body parts that I didn't know existed

5. Speedwork is useful but hard as hell to convince myself to do at 5 in the morning

This weekend's plan - 5 miles tonight, travel to Ohio and back tomorrow, then get up extra early for a 12.5 miler Sunday morning. Hooray!