Ok, the plan was to run 5 to 6 hours on consecutive days, my thinking was I that would be able to get close to 26 miles in 5 to 6 hours depending where I ran. I decided Friday to run in Lebanon Hills on Saturday and Murphy Hanrehan on Sunday. I know both parks fairly well and figured I could do 7 to 13 miles loops which would allow me to use my car as my aid station.
So this morning I had hoped to get to Lebanon Hills no later than 9, well I had a few too many trips to the bathroom to hold that start time, not a great way to begin. I made it out about 10 and decided to start fairly slowly to let everything kind of settle out. I was surprised, I actually felt good, almost like I could go forever. I decided to keep it slow thinking that I was going to be able to easily hold the pace for 5-6 hours.
I was meandering my way along and was about 40 minutes in when I kind of started feeling queasy, so much for forever, I popped a S-Cap, kept going but noticed no real help, about 15 minutes later, still not right, so I went ahead and ate a packet of sports beans. I felt slightly better within a few minutes so I was thinking one of the two must have worked. It was about 15 minutes later that I got queasy again, with some stomach cramps. I decided to walk for a few minutes, no real help, I also was having knee and foot pain, it was shaping up to not be a very good day. I was quickly reaching the point to abort the run. I headed over to where I had dropped a water bottle and was thinking it wasn't my day and that I should just head back to the car. As I picked up the bottle, I thought to myself, so you feel lousy, what if you were doing your 50, would you stop? A little guilt does occasionally help, so I turned left instead of right and headed deeper into the park, I took another S-cap and figured to give it a good try. I still wasn't feeling too good but then it started to rain right as I left the woods into an open area. I love running in the rain (hate starting in it) so I figured this was a sign to continue on. For a few minutes, I did feel better, but I quickly felt weak and queasy again. I was bummed but I had given it a good try, I had of course run out about as far as I could get from my car. Oh well, I would just run/walk my way back.
I kept thinking to myself that I was wimping out, and that I should just walk if the running wasn't going to work. At least it would be time on my feet and if nothing else I could work on my fast walking. I continued to badger myself mentally and when I was about 2 miles from my car, I started thinking I was feeling better and picked up the running. I was holding on ok as I went around Jensen Lake until I was about 3 minutes out when it came back yet again and I decided enough was enough and it was time to pull the plug. I got back to the car and thought yet again, no don't quit. I was almost to the 3 hour point and I said to myself, oh go for another 30 minutes, so I filled up my camelbak, ate a bar and out I went.
I decided to run the center section's horse trails, thinking that with the rain there probably wouldn't be any riders. I also hoped that since I don't run this section too often that my brain would enjoy the change of scenery. It worked before I knew it I was heading up a hill and decided to push it. I was actually feeling better than I had at any point in the run. I ended up running out for 45 minutes and then turned around to head back to the car. I was still feeling good when I got to the car and debated going back out. I decided no, Four and half hours was enough. The goal was to see how my body would respond on back to back long runs and I figured that I had probably gotten in about 18 miles and to pile on any more miles with everything else that was going on wouldn't be my best choice.
So on to Murphy tomorrow, hopefully the morning starts out a bit better and I get to enjoy the entire run. The goal for tomorrow is to be out there for at least 4 and 1/2 hours and hopefully longer.............
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