Sunday's Long Run

Ed and I have been doing our long runs on Sundays, as long as the Endurance Team Saturdays are under 6 miles. After our team finished our meeting this weekend, Ed invited people to join our Sunday run. I kind of laughed when they found out we meet at 5:30 am. It's so very hot here, if you don't get out nice and early you won't get far. Running in 96 degrees sucks the life out of you fairly quickly.

A few people half-heartedly said they might show up, Jo and Frank were conflicted because they like to stay up on Saturday evenings, getting up at 4am was not too tempting for them. Jim, my coach, talked with Ed and said he was up for it. Ed and I figured we'd meet at the regular time and see who showed up.

Just Jim showed up...LOL...we were not surprised, the three of us did wait a few minutes just in case Jo and Frank came along. I had gone out earlier and hung a cooler with Gatorade and water from a fence post at about the 3.5 mile spot. I thought we'd do a few loops at my fave route, but we took a few turns here and there.

At the first round coming up on the water stop, about 3.8 miles out, I went a little quick since I was ready for a water break. Ed yelled that I was going too fast, I turned to say something while still running...stepped off the sidewalk and fell on my hands and knees. I twisted my right foot on the way down. It wasn't just my pride that was hurt. My foot was killing me, blood was running down my leg and I felt a little something in my left hip. The grass was still damp, I had dirt all over my hands and legs. This little spill stopped the run for a few minutes. I popped my sneaker off and WOW did my foot hurt. I was MAD. I wanted to run this! The guys tried to get me to go back home, but NO WAY. I put my sneaker back on and did a little run. It was tender but I've run with a hip flexor injury. Not that two wrongs make a right, but I was back in the run. It was a little tough convincing my coach I was fine. Jim is very conservative with injuries, he does not play with an injury. Ed wanted to get me home too but I promised I'd stop if I needed to.

We continued on, the sun was coming up at this point. Bright red and orange. I could hear the crickets and I even ate a bug. Scrumptious. The guys decided to run in the street, I stayed on the sidewalk. They were talking but I couldn't hear them so I put my iPod on. I felt myself kind of close off, listening to my music, looking around at the neighborhoods and forgetting I was on a long run. Just going. I love these runs for those reasons. I was very relaxed at this point because I was with two friends who were setting the pace and the route, letting me just go.

We went by Jim's water station and sucked down some orange Gatorade. He had planted a little drink station of his own and he's a good sharer. I was concerned with having to share germs, but he had a couple extra bottles....lol...(I wasn't really too worried about germs...I have 4 kids!) Besides, he seems pretty clean. Haha!!

We went through a gated community where there were lawn sprinklers. I was hot and still had a bloody knee, so I beelined for the water. I rinsed off my knee and got cooled off a bit. Soooo refreshing! I was ready for the last 3 miles or so. The sun was high in the sky by now. There's something to be said for running into the daybreak. I love it. LOVE IT!

The guys are way more experienced and they made it look so effortless. I was behind them, seeing them just go. By mile 11 I was ready to lay down in the grass. I walked a bit, watching the guys run on ahead. They came back around for me, expecting me to be further away than I was. I wasn't too far back. I ran the last part off and on. I was extremely satisfied at 11 miles. If I'd been alone, I'd have walked the rest of the way home and been very content. Jim ran ahead for the cooler, thank heaven. I sooo needed a drink. Ed and I met him at the corner where I announced I was finished running. All done for me. When my body says we're done, I listen. Besides, my freaking foot was throbbing.

They guys ran on toward my house, I walked/limped the rest of the way. I took my sneaker off in the driveway. Big mistake. I couldn't even stand on my foot. Jim told me to stay off it, ice and elevate it. I did that, but after I soaked in the jaccuzzi for 2 hours. THEN I did what he said. It just plain hurt. UGH!

Today is much better. I had an exercise class tonight, I put my sneakers on and was very pleasantly surprised to find my foot felt way better with it on than my sandals. I just might sleep with my right sneaker on tonight.

We'll see......