LSD Logistics

Today was LSD.  22.02 miles.  And, it was a grind.  You just never know.  My last long run--20 miles a couple of weeks ago--was about as comfortable as 20 miles can be.  I felt good to the end and easily could have gone farther.  Today, however, was a grind from the start.  I hung in there and got it done though.  The hopeful thing is that I ran the 22nd mile only twelve seconds slower than the fastest mile.  Of course, a good portion of the final mile was downhill.  (I can't decide what I'm going to like best about the Colorado Marathon: the gorgeous scenery or the gradual downhill course.)  I can't blame the weather.  Today is another Chamber of Commerce late winter day in Hog Heaven: high temp in the lower 40s with brilliant sunshine and light winds.  Tomorrow is cross training: a 3/4 mile recovery walk.  I'll be on the lookout for residual fatigue and some soreness in the quads. 

Unsupported long runs (as most training runs are) present a logistics problem.  To avoid bonking or worse, runners must hydrate and eat along the way.  You can usually carry enough food, but water is a different story.  Here's what I do.  The period between May 1 and October 31 is no problem for me hydration-wise.  We have lots of city parks and they all have fountains.  I just plan my route to pass through a park every hour or so, and I carry a 10 oz. water bottle to refill at each park.  During the cold season, however, the park fountains are turned off.  Otherwise, they'd freeze here in Hog Heaven.  What I do is put water bottles in my mailbox and loop past the house every hour or so.  That gets boring but that's life in the winter.  I chop energy bars into bite-size pieces (c. 30/40 calories each, one for every two miles), put the pieces into a plastic bag, and stuff the bag into a pocket.  Summer and winter.  I eat yogurt and a banana and wash it down with a cup of coffee before leaving the house.  Thus fortified, I don't eat again until around mile six.  Thereafter, I eat a piece of energy bar every two miles.  It seems to work for me. 

I keep waiting to get stopped by the cops.  Think about it:  Here's this guy running down an empty suburban street.  He suddenly stops, opens a mailbox, and grabs what's inside.  Then, he runs off.  What's a motorist who witnesses such behavior to think?  Most of my neighbors would recognize me, and while they might wonder what I was up to this time, they'd let it pass.  But, a random motorist might decide to do his/her good deed for the day and alert the authorities.  "Yes, I'd like to report a robbery.  On Hobgoblin Road.  A man on foot took something from a mailbox and ran off.  He's dressed in a black outfit and he headed north."  Try explaining that when you're on the ground with your hands behind your back. 

Last summer, it was unseasonably hot and humid here.  For my long runs, I'd try to get out by 4:00 in the morning when it was still pitch dark.  Even in the suburbs, running in the dark can be eerie.   Perhaps, especially in the suburbs since there's not much moving around at that time.  Not even other idiots like me.  A couple of times, I saw the paper carrier driving slowing through the neighborhood.  It's nice to have company.  Around dawn, lights would begin to flicker on in houses, and before long, a few cars would appear on the streets.  I actually began to enjoy being out so early and watching the day begin.  Of course, early morning runs mean afternoon naps.  Whoever said "Living well is the best revenge," probably just woke up from an afternoon nap.