Kenyan Way Long Run - 17 miles

4:30am 81deg/98%hum/Feels like of 90  (and no I am not kidding).

My alarm went off at 3:45am but honestly I had started waking up around 3.  I think I was worried about oversleeping (since I did that twice this week).  I immediately got up, got dressed and was putting the last of the gadgets on when my text messaging went off.  It was Brenda (who was meeting me at 4:30) and the text said "damn damn damn.  its raining."

Whaaat?  I walked out onto the porch and I could tell it had been raining but it was barely sprinkling but apparently it was pouring at her house.  I turned on the computer, and found the local radar and sure enough there were a couple of 'cells' but not very widespread and I informed her of that and that it was barely raining over here (and I live close to base).  But by the time I was leaving, it had started to pour here as well, but I got in the car and headed that way knowing that it would soon pass and there didnt seem to be much coming behind it.  Besides there was no lightning and no thunder.  The only thing I did different was grab a visor before heading out.

I got to base at 4:20, and while sitting there waiting for B, it started pouring pretty good but it only lasted a bit, and by the time she got there (plus one other person) it was just a little rain (more than a sprinkle but not a pour) so we headed out.  We were a little late on the start and about a mile in we did have to take cover because it really started coming down and there was lightning.  Once it let up we took off again.  There was off and on lightning and thunder but I knew it was ahead of us and moving away.  Because of all the delay I didnt get to loop the park like I had planned and just turned back to make it 6 before starting off from base again.

This meant that I would run to the 3rd water stop which was 5.5 miles out and then I would turn back.  When I got close to the 5 mile mark it started raining again but it didnt last long.  I turned around at 5 and decided due to my head not being in tune with my legs (I had started the 7/1's around mile 10), I needed the knowledge that I was heading back in the opposite direction and then I would just do the last mile at base.

Once I got back close to the park, the sun was now coming out and I was running in a steam sauna.  It was awful and I was struggling badly.  I felt like I was swimming and taking on water through my breathing.  The air was that thick. It was then I decided that I needed to just survive the rest as best I could and I began running for 2-3 min, walk for 30sec.  I was actually covering more ground that way than at the 7/1's and I was able to mentally stay in the game.

Here is Jamoosh's take on the KW run yesterday...so at least he validated me somewhat because he is a much better runner than I am and even he had issues later on.

I know that the intervals are not ideal but they worked last year during training and they'll work this year too.  Once I got to Chicago I actually did ok up until mile 17 and then the unseasonable heat got the best of all of us.  All I can hope for at this point is that when I have the really long runs in September that I will be blessed as I was last year with a bit cooler Saturdays.  It happens.  And it just needs to happen again this year.

Pretty please and with a cherry on top.

Honestly I would give anything if I could find someone to run with me starting at like 3:30 or 4:00am.  When its pitch black outside with no daylight it is so much easier to just run with no intervals.  Brenda is much faster than I am but at least when we meet, we are within shouting distance of each other.  And even at 4:30am there are a lot of others out there running as long as we keep to close to the park.  She had suggested running to Sabine and back and then Crestwood but there was NO WAY I was running along the bayou to Sabine at that ungodly hour.  Its scary and besides its dangerous with the uneven terrain.

This next Saturday I have 18 miles to do and I MUST get that 7-8 miles in before 'day break'.  There is zero chance of any sort of cloud cover like we did  (at the beginning) this past weekend thanks in part to TS Don.

I also plan to implement the ice bath starting this coming Saturday.  Its that time again.  It really makes a difference (with me) and had I thought about it beforehand I would have done it this week but there was no way I was even walking across the street and carrying 2 heavy bags of ice home.  Just wasn't gonna happen :)

Gels consumed: 2
Salt tablets consumed: 8 or 9?
Pairs of shoes: 2
Pairs of socks: 2
Unscheduled Poop stops: 2 (both before the 2nd start thankfully)  :O)
(I switched out shoes and socks after the 6 miles, not that it mattered much because 3 miles in to the 2nd part and I was squishy again; too much sweat etc. running down the legs to prevent it).  I was also able to ditch the visor before the 2nd part.


So.  How was your long run?  You do ice baths?  How often and after what kind of mileage?  Have you ever trained in horrible conditions and have to implement intervals to make it through?