Less than a week out

In preparation for my first 10K next Saturday, I ran nine miles today -- nine long, painful, COLD miles.


The weather totally SUCKED today. Fortunately I decided to dress like I had dressed back in February....it was a good thing! Temps hovered around freezing and the winds were 15-20 mph. I chose today for the long run instead of yesterday because yesterday the winds were gusting up to 50 mph. I got rained on, snowed on, sleeted on, and blown on REAL good. And early on I strode (strided?) out too far and got that strained, pinched feeling in the back of my left knee.

I ate an excellent breakfast (another of ONO's magnificent omelettes) so I'd have plenty of slow releasing calories to feed me energy through the 9 miles. I worked hard at starting out slowly and checking my pace frequently so I'd last the whole time. Now I'm wondering what the run would have been like without all that careful planning and checking. I blame the blasted wind, against which I ran, UPHILL, for mile 5 and half of mile 6.




Before you get all impressed, remember that I live in Central Illinois, The Prairie State, and that there is only 64 feet difference in the lowest and highest elevations.

I almost gave up after mile 7 but MADE myself continue sludging along to the mile 9 marker. Then I jelly-legged it back home, quite slowly.

I've never had this happen before but while walking the 3/4 mile home, my lady parts felt like they were going to fall out. I have no explanation for this but am comforted to know that I'm not the only one. Geek Girl Misty who writes Athena Diaries has shared her trials and tribulations with this. It's a scary thought. I'm just waiting for all that stuff to realize it's not needed for baby-making anymore and peacefully retire to Florida.....maybe that's what it's doing....heading south, so to speak.

So I'll do one more run this week before Saturday's race. I'll work out twice on the elliptical and completely rest on Friday. Stay tuned for the race report.