Sunday Long Run Number 6

Now that I’m committed to a 2017 marathon, the training must go on.

I rely on the Sunday Long Run program to get in my weekly long run. If it wasn’t for this program, getting in my miles and these long runs would be much more challenging.

This week the official course was 16.2 miles for long and 8.2 miles for the short course. Since I’m in full blown marathon training mode, I opted for long.

It felt warm when we started out and I think more than half of the runners only did the 8.2 mile course. At our first water stop on Eugene Drive, just after the Rt 93 over pass, I was roasting. In the few minutes I stood there I sweat so much my shorts were drenched!

Durm Cahill and I hooked up a few miles before the stop and we decided to stick together through thick and thin, and the air was pretty thick with humidity.

We kept up a pretty good conversation until the hills began when we turned up Reservoir Street in Winchester. It was cool running next to the forest surrounding the reservoir, but the hills continued.

We run this route twice a year. I know it just well enough not to need a map. I am unfamiliar with the course just enough to need a map.

Durm and I managed to keep a runner in view for most of the run, but followed the wrong person one time and added about a quarter-mile to our run.

Do to our screw up we entered an intersection from the wrong direction and were not certain which way to go. Fortunately we chose the correct direction.

By now my shirt and shorts were completely soaked through. While I don’t have six-pack abs and a great tan, I decided to take my singlet off. I felt much better.

I tucked it into my running belt, but it was so heavy with sweat that it pulled on my belt with each step. Eventually I had to just hold onto it.

As we made the loop behind Spot Pond I asked Durm if he wanted to walk, and luckily he said yes. As we walked along Jessi Marquardt passed us looking very fresh. We were both shot and just wanted to survive.

When we crested the hill on Fellsway West, we ran down to Elm Street, took the left and started walking some more.

We looked like two old dudes out for a Sunday stroll dressed in ridiculous out fits. Only runners wear the colors we had on, and we were walking. I’m hoping we looked like hell and people realized it was a hot day.

Silent Running

You know that a run has become a run when everyone shuts up. When all energy is focused on moving legs and lungs, you know you have a kick-ass run on your hands.

We were almost totally silent. Besides checking directions and asking if the other guy wanted to walk, we were pretty quiet for a lot of this run.

There were four water stops for this run. The last water stop was like finding an oasis. We were running on fumes and a few times I thought I might be getting heat stroke. I felt funny and my head wasn’t too clear. But I snapped out of it and realized that’s pretty much par for the course!

Durm and I walked and jogged the rest of the way in. When we walked we could talk, when we ran that was about all we could do.

We ended up running 16.62 miles at a 10:46 pace. A little long, but we made it. Jeff Rushton said he cramped so bad abound mile 9 that his foot was actually twisted a bit and not landing right. Now that could be dangerous.

The heat and the distance made this one grueling. I hit my goal and am on track to hit my mileage goal for the month. So, I’ll take it.

As of this run I’m at 37.21 miles for August.

Run well my Friends!

Andy