Kenyan Way Long Run - 15 Miles

Beginning temp:  45deg
Ending temp:  48deg

Perrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrfect weather!!!  To be honest I didnt expect it to really go below 50 but lo and behold it did!  Not gonna lie; was a bit chilly in the casa when I woke up!  Slept with the windows open and made it a bit hard to get out of that bed!!

Slid into a pair of shorts, a long sleeve, and had a peanut butter fold over.  Yes, I am moving towards Primal and have been great at it all week, however its long run day...I had 2 gels (25c each but only 5g sugar) in my pocket and I was out the door.

I wont lie, I was a bit apprehensive about what I had been eating all week and how it was going to affect my run but I just put it out of my mind.  I did a 2+ mile warm up and then was off for the route.  When I saw the route come out on Thursday I didnt particularly like it because it included Hermann (and Rice if need be), but thats why I did a warm up because I wanted to skip Rice.  That left Hermann and the last time I ran around Hermann it was that rocky crap that I hated around a lot of it.  But I figured I could suck it up for the 2+ miles around it.

I really like this route though as its different than the usual one down H, so I concentrated on the cute houses, townhomes etc and with the cooler temps it went by very quickly.  Before I knew it I was at the beautiful fountain there at Montrose and Main.  When its dark out, its really pretty all lit up and then 5 miles had gone by and I was at the 2nd water stop and about to head around Hermann.

Little did I know that they had redone the entire path for the most part and it was glorious!  And then again before I knew it I was back at the water stop and on my way back to base!  5 miles to go and still feeling good.

I have to also mention that I did not drink Gatorade at all on this run.  I stayed with the water, managing to not take in the sugary acid of the G.  I took a gel at the first water stop on the way out and another at the park on the way back.  Granted I wasnt sweating like crazy and therefore the replacement of additional electrolytes wasnt necessary but I felt good not taking in the G that is so not Primal.  The gels were enough.

I took a couple of walk breaks of a minute or so on the way back, as my back has started to act up again and by the time I only had a mile left to go, my left foot was almost completely numb.  It happens sometimes with the degenerative disk/pinched nerve but it wasnt so bad that it was debilitating.  Just more annoying.  This morning the foot is just tingly.

Once back to base I ran the long way back to my car to finish out the 15 miles which came in at 10:34 average pace.  Fastest mile was 10:11 and that was the last 2.  Wasnt that I was trying to go faster, just kinda ended up that way.

20 days post Chicago and still recovering but doing so nicely.  Its so different this year from last.  I remember not wanting to run long anymore, but of course I had the additional stress of having to help take care of Mom and that had so much to do with it.  It was so hard to run long and then have to drive to the homeland and it was physically exhausting having to care for her.  I wouldnt trade that time for anything, just mentioning that its different and why.

The rest of the day was spent walking through many stores and 'foraging' for food with NC which was tons of fun but damn I was exhausted when I finally fell on the couch late.

Oh and one last thing to mention:  I.  CUT.  OFF.  ALL.  MY.  HAIR.  And no I dont have any pictures of it to post just yet.  :O)  But I love love love it!

Next weekend its 18 miles.  Almost to taper time again!!!!