Why Run?

I took my son to school and they had assembly which always puts me behind the early run schedule. Chris called me and I gave him the news I'd either meet him on the trail or see him when he returned to the gym.

After I got to the gym and changed (9am), Chris came back from running 11 miles. We talked a bit and I procrastinated as much as possible because I already wasn't feeling like running.

On the way out I noticed my Garmin was almost out of juice. It wouldn't be long before it shutoff permanently. I ran under BART/580 and heading for Iron Horse Trail (IHT).

After the first mile the Garmin quit. I marked off my splits as IHT intersected with major streets that way I could calculate my pace by measuring the distances between with my time. I was feeling tired and uninspired much of this run. My music helped me keep moving.

I mixed in some speed work on this run as I got closer to the turn around point. Fortunately I mistakenly thought Norris Canyon was Crow Canyon and started earlier than expected but it worked anyway. I did some fartleks when a good song came on and I had something in the distance to run to.

As I approached Mile 11 I was on autopilot. I was hungry and tired and done. I just kept telling myself not to stop and asking myself why I was even doing this.

During CIM training last year, this was THE question Coach Louis told us we'd have to answer and answer well if we were to cross the finishline. Here I was facing it on a training run. Usually I've got the answers readily available: the desire to qualify for Boston, physically keep up with my kids when I'm 40 or 50, and enjoy the feeling of great accomplishment from personal success. Today I couldn't connect with any of those reasons but found myself running simply because I was hungry and tired and done and wanted to get back. I'd use my brain cells to figure out my inspiration later.

I was completely exhausted and really HOT when I arrived back at the gym. I had to immediately pour cold water over my head and splash it in my face because I was so over-heated.

I stretched for 30 minutes but even as I type I can feel my hamstrings are tight. I devoured a banana but hard to eat for a while as my stomach just wont have it. After I thought back on my run I realized that the increased mileage this week may have caused me fatigue and all the mental drama. Hopefully my body adjusts as I have no plans to change my workout program. When lunch rolled around and all I could manage was yogurt before rushing into a meeting. :-P

I wasn't going to completely skip out on lunch so I went to Baja Fresh at 4pm for a burrito bowl. A late lunch is better than none.

Business: Out & back route to Crow Canyon using Iron Horse Trail for 14.5 miles in 1:40.32 @ an average 6:56min/mile pace.
Splits are as follows:
Mile  1: 7:54.99 (0:07:54.99)
Mile  2: 7:23.46 (0:15:18.45)
Mile  3: 7:03.26 (0:22:21.71)
Mile  4: 6:08.27 (0:28:29.98) - Fartlek.
Mile  5: 6:12.05 (0:34:42.03)
Mile  6: 7:02.03 (0:41:44.06)
Mile  7: 6:15.27 (0:47:59.33) - Fartlek. Pop a Gu.
Mile  8: 7:17.70 (0:55:17.03) - Water stop (30sec.)
Mile  9: 7:18.32 (1:02:35.35)
Mile 10: 7:08.35 (1:09:43.70) - Why the hell am I out here again?
Mile 11: 7:03.25 (1:16:46.95) - Let's get this over with.
Mile 12: 7:00.71 (1:23:51.66)
Mile 13: 6:56.81 (1:30:48.47)
Mile 14: 6:50.65 (1:37:39.12)
Mile 14.5: 2:53.77 (1:40:32.89) - Finish. Over-heated.

Gut-check
Breakfast: 1 Gu, banana, water.
Lunch: 2 6oz. Yoplait yogurts, Baja Fresh bare burrito w/ chicken, Coke, root beer.
Dinner: Bowl of oat-cereal, 2% milk, water.

Run. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.

=RUMBLE