Perhaps the day a tropical storm is scheduled to arrive isn't the best day for a long run. It's pretty darn hot out here, and the humidity is awful. I hope my two water bottles will be enough. I probably shouldn't have waited until 9:45 to get out here; an earlier start would have been much better. Oh well, too late to worry about that. Since tomorrow will be worse I'd best get going. Hrmm, the legs aren't feeling very good. But they never feel good when I start out, once I warm up they'll get a little better. Even though I'm just getting back at training after my injury, doing a 13 miler today shouldn't be that big a deal, right? I did 11 last week and although it wasn't a great run I survived. Just two more miles shouldn't cause any problems. At the river and headed inbound. The legs should be loose by now, but they're still feeling sluggish. This could be a painful run.
Let's take the little path around Magazine Beach. I think this is it, nope, that's just the parking lot. How about this path? Well, there's where I want to be over there, I'll just cut across. OK, that wasn't worth it. Past the BU bridge, at least there's a water fountain coming up. Just a short break for water, and since I'm stopped I'll stretch the legs a bit. That didn't feel better, but I'm sure it helped. On towards the Mass Ave bridge, gee it's pretty hot out here today. The dirt path by the river feels good, too bad it doesn't go the whole way around Esplanade. Approaching Mass Ave, if I slow down just a little I'll miss the light and get to rest for a bit. Perfect, that means I get 90 seconds of rest and it doesn't look like I'm being a sloth. What?! The walk signal already? OK, keep moving. Longfellow or Museum of Science? Suck it up, do the distance, MoS it is. Why am I getting passed by everyone? And especially by these tiny women who are running twice as fast as me? Ah, the turn at the Museum, things should get better soon.
OK, how far is it to the water fountain in front of Community Boating? I'm dying here, this is much hotter than I counted on and my Gatorade tastes like hot tea. Finally! Stop the watch because this is going to be a few minutes. Water, Gu, stretching; all needed. I'll walk back and forth so it doesn't look like I'm about to collapse. Why is everyone else still running? At least one or two should be stopping for water. Bastards. I can at least make it to then next water fountain, get moving. I love this area and I wish I were feeling better today. Lots and lots of people getting in their workouts before the storm. I hate them all.
Ah, this feels a little better. Wait, no it doesn't. It still sucks. On the Esplanade at least, there's a small breeze from the river. Yikes, I need another break because my legs are screaming. I'll stop here in the shade, at least I made it past another bridge. It's not that far to the next water fountain, get moving you lazy bum. Good, there's a dirt path here that should help. Look, up ahead, it's a water fountain. Why is there a line of runners waiting for water? Finally someone else is showing the effects of the weather. Lots of sweaty people, all fitter and faster than me, but sweat is the universal equalizer. Gatorade and Gu are gone, but all this water will do the trick, I should be fine from here.
This stretch has always seemed too long. Under the BU bridge and past the MIT students cleaning up the river bank, pardon me for not saying "thanks" but I don't think my voice would be audible right now. OK, lets settle into a pace and try to reclaim this run. Thank god the light is against me and I have to stop. Why are things spinning? Yikes, I'm getting dizzy! OK that's it, cutting the run short right now. Passing out isn't an option. Stop the watch, I'll just stand here a bit. I'll just lean on this light post. I'll just sit on this support. Drink your water you idiot! Let's check my fancy heart rate monitory, hrmm, 135. When it gets down to 110 I'll start again. 135. 134. 134. 135. That's not right. Deep breaths, relax, calm down. 127. Better. 125. 120. OK, we're headed in the right direction, finally. 119, getting closer. 115, 112, 112, 112. That's close enough, right?
What's the shortest way home? Cross the Charles here or take the foot bridge? More dirt if I take the foot bridge. Not bad, slow the pace way down. Stairs up the bridge, ooh, that doesn't feel good. Let's walk across the bridge. Let's walk to the stop light. I could cross as there's no traffic but I'm going to be good and wait for the walk light. Running again, to the one hill. Ouch, a slight calf cramp, we'll walk up that sucker as well. Home isn't that far away now, I can feel it. Nice easy pace, I must look like hell. Take it one block at a time. Try to concentrate on the sidewalk right in front of you. Ooh, better obey the traffic light and wait for the walk sign. Just a few tenths left, I'm not taking the usual detour to add a little distance. This is close enough, I can see my house from here. I need to cool down, I can still feel my heart racing. Just walk, keep walking. God this run sucked. What's wrong with me? I don't see how I'm going to do a marathon in 8 weeks! 10.75 miles, at least I did 10+. How many times did I stop? Doesn't matter, the run is over and we're on to recovery mode. Lord knows I need it.
Let's take the little path around Magazine Beach. I think this is it, nope, that's just the parking lot. How about this path? Well, there's where I want to be over there, I'll just cut across. OK, that wasn't worth it. Past the BU bridge, at least there's a water fountain coming up. Just a short break for water, and since I'm stopped I'll stretch the legs a bit. That didn't feel better, but I'm sure it helped. On towards the Mass Ave bridge, gee it's pretty hot out here today. The dirt path by the river feels good, too bad it doesn't go the whole way around Esplanade. Approaching Mass Ave, if I slow down just a little I'll miss the light and get to rest for a bit. Perfect, that means I get 90 seconds of rest and it doesn't look like I'm being a sloth. What?! The walk signal already? OK, keep moving. Longfellow or Museum of Science? Suck it up, do the distance, MoS it is. Why am I getting passed by everyone? And especially by these tiny women who are running twice as fast as me? Ah, the turn at the Museum, things should get better soon.
OK, how far is it to the water fountain in front of Community Boating? I'm dying here, this is much hotter than I counted on and my Gatorade tastes like hot tea. Finally! Stop the watch because this is going to be a few minutes. Water, Gu, stretching; all needed. I'll walk back and forth so it doesn't look like I'm about to collapse. Why is everyone else still running? At least one or two should be stopping for water. Bastards. I can at least make it to then next water fountain, get moving. I love this area and I wish I were feeling better today. Lots and lots of people getting in their workouts before the storm. I hate them all.
Ah, this feels a little better. Wait, no it doesn't. It still sucks. On the Esplanade at least, there's a small breeze from the river. Yikes, I need another break because my legs are screaming. I'll stop here in the shade, at least I made it past another bridge. It's not that far to the next water fountain, get moving you lazy bum. Good, there's a dirt path here that should help. Look, up ahead, it's a water fountain. Why is there a line of runners waiting for water? Finally someone else is showing the effects of the weather. Lots of sweaty people, all fitter and faster than me, but sweat is the universal equalizer. Gatorade and Gu are gone, but all this water will do the trick, I should be fine from here.
This stretch has always seemed too long. Under the BU bridge and past the MIT students cleaning up the river bank, pardon me for not saying "thanks" but I don't think my voice would be audible right now. OK, lets settle into a pace and try to reclaim this run. Thank god the light is against me and I have to stop. Why are things spinning? Yikes, I'm getting dizzy! OK that's it, cutting the run short right now. Passing out isn't an option. Stop the watch, I'll just stand here a bit. I'll just lean on this light post. I'll just sit on this support. Drink your water you idiot! Let's check my fancy heart rate monitory, hrmm, 135. When it gets down to 110 I'll start again. 135. 134. 134. 135. That's not right. Deep breaths, relax, calm down. 127. Better. 125. 120. OK, we're headed in the right direction, finally. 119, getting closer. 115, 112, 112, 112. That's close enough, right?
What's the shortest way home? Cross the Charles here or take the foot bridge? More dirt if I take the foot bridge. Not bad, slow the pace way down. Stairs up the bridge, ooh, that doesn't feel good. Let's walk across the bridge. Let's walk to the stop light. I could cross as there's no traffic but I'm going to be good and wait for the walk light. Running again, to the one hill. Ouch, a slight calf cramp, we'll walk up that sucker as well. Home isn't that far away now, I can feel it. Nice easy pace, I must look like hell. Take it one block at a time. Try to concentrate on the sidewalk right in front of you. Ooh, better obey the traffic light and wait for the walk sign. Just a few tenths left, I'm not taking the usual detour to add a little distance. This is close enough, I can see my house from here. I need to cool down, I can still feel my heart racing. Just walk, keep walking. God this run sucked. What's wrong with me? I don't see how I'm going to do a marathon in 8 weeks! 10.75 miles, at least I did 10+. How many times did I stop? Doesn't matter, the run is over and we're on to recovery mode. Lord knows I need it.
You didn't have nuun!! Days like these are the worst; you made the right call. It takes the sucky runs for us to really appreciate the mediocre and good ones!
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