Day 107: Outrunning the rain

Today was going to be the 20-miler. Then it wasn't. The forecast was for heavy rain, so I decided on Friday to move today's run to tomorrow. (You follow?) This meant that my elaborate plans to run with friends -- Katie for a few miles at the beginning, then Carson for a few more at the end -- wouldn't work out. But there was no sense running through water.

But when I woke up, at an absurdly early hour despite a no-alarm-clock policy, it wasn't raining (though it was wet on the ground). A quick check of the weather radar confirmed that the rain wouldn't arrive for hours. New plan: go back to the old plan.

Katie ran the first 12 miles with me; this meant that I went six miles out on the trail and then six miles back before heading out again. I had no trouble for the dozen, and it was fun to run with and talk to Katie, who agreeably slowed to my asthmatic-ant-with-heavy-shopping pace.

When I turned around and headed back up the trail, I knew it was going to get more difficult. My stomach had rumbled once or twice during the early miles, and at mile 15 I actually had to stop and hide in the trees for a few minutes to make sure I wasn't going to have a problem. (Just a little wind, fortunately, after which I was fine on that account.) My legs began to feel very, very heavy, and by mile 18 my right leg -- somewhat surprisingly, since knee pain and shin splints have usually been more of an issue on my left -- was really stiffening up. I usually finish my runs at the corner of Dudley and Cedar, right near my house, but to get in the mileage, I kept on going, running right through that intersection, which was psychologically weird, but I did it. Total mileage was probably just short of 20 -- I put it as officially 19.6, but I suspect it might actually be 20. (Katie and I were going to turn around at the 5-mile marker, but we kept going for another little bit, and I assume that we ran a mile more, but it might have been a little farther.) The mile 15 break also messed me up a little bit (although, thankfully, not physically).

I did my cooldown walk and then went to Julie and Erik-2's for pancakes. Katie had told me not to waste time showering and making myself presentable before showing up, so I just waltzed into their house, all wet and stinky. I drank some water and ate some pancakes, and I briefly stretched out on the kitcheen floor. My legs began to feel better. My energy level was high; as it was, I ate only 3 of the 4 gels I brought with me on the run, and drank only 3 of the 4 Gatorade flasks. But it was mild and very moist, which I'm sure kept me hydrated. Plus, the past couple of days, I tried to carbo-load. So I didn't bonk (or, for the uninitiated, 'hit the wall').

Post-run diagnosis: pretty good. Some stiffness, especially in my right quad -- or maybe not the quad, but the inside of my thigh, by the knee -- and some almost-blisters. But I wasn't completely exhausted, and I recharged by swinging my legs up on the coffee table, wrapping my knees in ice, watching the second half of "Empire Falls" on DVD, munching through various food items, and drinking. (Water.) We'll see how I feel tomorrow. Sox: Matsuzaka vs. Mussina, in what is, alas, a meaningless game (except, maybe, as a possible boost to Dice-K's Cy Young chances). I used to deride pitchers for putting icebags on their shoulders between innings. Not any more!