When the thermometer screams 97 degrees, there is little else to do than sit around in boxers and envy those crazy crab fishermen from The Deadliest Catch. But before I could get my weekend dose of good reality television (not always an oxymoron), I had to run my 16-miler. I am doing the water stop at practice tomorrow, and missing an important long run like this one would set me back a bit in training. So like the good little soldier I am, I got up early to run. And I got it done, but not without some drama.
7:45am - TJ's Oatmeal and two toaster waffles with almond butter. I feel rested, having slept in a little later than I do during the week. I set off for a 6 mile run around the neighborhood before I will meet up with Jenn for our Saturday run. I'm on the road at 8:15, and it's already hot. Maybe 75 degrees, which is comfortable under normal circumstances, but when it's this early, I know I am in for a hot day. I take it easy as I cruise around the multimillion dollar mansions of Toluca Lake. A couple for sale signs. The recession even gets the rich people. Anyway, it was an uneventual run, but I can already feel my legs getting a little tight. Should have had a little more water last night. Since it's already morning, that can't be helped, just got to push through.
9:30am - over to GP for a run along the horse trail. Jenn put in a lot of workout time yesterday, so she decides to take the day off. It's just me, for the second six-miler of the morning. By now it's 85 degrees and I have no ipod, which is actually kind of nice. I am unplugged from the world, just running along, but growing thoroughly dehydrated in the process. I do 3 miles out and back along the park and to the far edge into Los Feliz. Along the way, I run upstream through a massive group of March of Dimes walks. Sorry folks! But no thanks for all the dust you kick up. I'm all for charity events, but please pick your feet up when you walk! I make it back to my car, which is now surrounded by a large Indian family celebrating a child's birthday. Best wishes, but please don't block the water fountain, I am parched!
10:50am - I'm back at my apartment and my car tells me its about 90 degrees. No wind. I need to get these last four miles in. It's a little scorching and I am thirsty. I swig some of my water bottle and somehow trick myself out of the car and onto the sidewalk for the final leg of the day - a 2 mile out and back along Riverside Dr. I have fond feelings for this street, as I bike up and down it a lot, and it has a lot of good restaurants. But today, the street seemed to eschew any sort of shade it was being offered. The day's creeping close to noon, so I just barrel myself down and back at a slow pace, trying to ward of soreness. At each stop light I have to wait through, I bend to hold my knees. I need food quick. I downed a soyjoy bar before the second run as well as this one, but those 140-cal treats have long burned away.
I make it back and up to my apartment. I'm feeling nauseus to say the least. I alternate bending over to hold my knees with blending up a fruit, milk and chocolate protein shake. I quickly find the floor in front of the TV, down two glasses of the shake and 4 more toaster waffles. I watch the Penn Relays on ESPN (go swat!) and recover after half an hour.
The run did not get me down for the rest of the day. It certainly seemed to jumpstart not only my metabolism, but my debit card as well. I blew through a coupld hundred dollars for a belated birthday splurge. The contents? Three tire tubes for my bike, four CO2 cartridges, two 8 lb and two 10lb dumbells, a yoga mat (for situps, not yoga), a under armour tank top and some nike running shorts. And groceries.
Having beaten myself up today, I will spend tomorrow at practice just hanging out. I will try to get in a 3-mile lactic run and 30 miles on the bike around the beach. I'm bringing my camera, so I'll post pictures by the weekend's end.
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