The Bad Run

Sunday's 10 miler sucked. There really isn't another way to put it.

I started out pretty strong. I've been working to keep my long run pace a bit more consistent, since i generally start out too fast for 2-3 miles then slow down considerably. So I popped "Jar of Hearts" on the ipod, a nice slow, BEAUTIFUL, ballad, and kept that first mile slow -albeit a little too slow. After that I picked it up and tried to keep the miles under 11:20, since that's about my goal or better for the half. I front loaded some hills to keep up the challenge. Around mile 3 I really had to go to the bathroom. Luckily, I was doing some loops, and by mile 4.25 I was back at my apt for a quick break. I sucked down some chocolate gu and headed back out.


Now, since stopping home wasn't on my original route, I had to do some modifying on the fly. Since i was feeling so strong, I decided to run the "manning hills" again. Why not? I did, I was fine. Until the 10k mark. I was done. SUPER dehydrated, my water bottle was almost empty. I started taking walk breaks (except where some creeptastic looking teenage gangstas started yelling at me - then i kept running). At mile 8 i was passing my attorney friend's apartment, my water was gone. I thought about stopping. No, I told myself, finish this run. Walk breaks were more frequent. I was fantasizing about water. It was bad. I struggled through the rest of my hills and stopped my garmin when I hit mile 10 - 2hours 4 minutes, and a mile and a half from my apartment. I was SO frustrated. Everything hurt, i was SO thirsty, my whole face was salt. Miserable, miserable, miserable.

I thought about just laying in someone's yard until they called the cops (or ambulance) - free ride home? Or hitch hike - "please just give me a ride to the end of this road" so so so miserable. Finally, i got to my back steps. I was audibly moaning as i chucked my stupid, empty water bottle at the door and threw my self down to take off my shoes. I wanted to cry, I tried to cry. No tears. As i sat there, OBVIOUSLY DISTRAUGHT, my freakazoid neighbors descend upon me. Now, I don't really talk to my neighbors - I've lived their for a year, and they don't know my name. "CAN WE HAVE SOME OF YOUR PERENNIALS?!?!?!?"

uh what? i can't think straight. wtf is a perennial?

THE TUPLIPS?!?!? do you mind if we take a few, you and your roommate don't really seem to be into gardening (dead plants, weeds, and last year's fall leaves are everywhere. What could possibly have given them the idea we don't garden?)

Me - take all the freaking flowers you want. I need water, or an ER! I was so frustrated.

5 liters of water and 2 liters of Gatorade later I finally peed. AWFUL!

Lessons learned:
1. Getting laid off is not a reason to eat like crap for an ENTIRE week. Stop it, Jennifer.

2. Drink more water and less beer, idiot.

3. Get a good night's sleep before a long run. I slept a total of 4 hours, mostly in 20 minute spurts. I was exhausted and still am, as I write this a full 26 hours after the run/1.5mile cool down from hell ended.

4. There's always next weekend. 10 miles - I will defeat you!