16 Miles and 10 More to Go

Wow, yesterday’s 16 miler was my worst by far. I was dragging like an old hound dog coming up the hill to finish in 3:13.08.

After thinking about it, I am sure it was a case of overestimating and underestimating conditions. I had been running well during the last two weeks so I decided to increase my pace for the long run which was a big mistake. I was over confident and should have kept to my slower pace strategy. Also, I did not realize how the heat and humidity would adversely affect my outing. By the time I reached my 10 mile mark I was soaked with sweat and just about out of gas. I walked a while to catch my breath and drank more water. Luckily, I found another park rec facility next to the running path and filled my water bottle. Although I drank a lot of water, it was not enough for the hot weather. It reminded me of the Chicago Marathon in 2007 when temperatures reached into the high 80s. The race was called off before most runners finished. Over 300 runners were taken from the course by ambulance with heat-related conditions. I have got to keep an eye on what Mother Nature up to and be better prepared.

To help replenish lost calories, I celebrated with a large fruit smoothie that Kay made me after showering and a Burger King Whopper for lunch later. It was the first hamburger I have had in over 3 years. It really hit the spot.


You can see what happened after all the food since Kay couldn't resist capturing me unaware.