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The horrible, bad, no good run

So yesterday was a HORRIBLE run. A special kind of terrible. The kind of terrible where you wish you had run with your cell phone so you could call someone to come rescue you.

It started out good enough. I had done a strong 6 with two particularly good miles on Thursday and this was a "step back" week so I was "only" running 9 miles...and I walk/run for my long runs since I think that is how I am going to do the full marathon...so I thought I was golden. Yes, it was windy...but it was sunny.

First mile was slower of a walk than I wanted but I was "warming up." The first run mile wasn't too bad. Second walk mile was fine. Second run mile even felt fine. I had stopped to see if the drinking fountain at the Carmel trailhead was working and it wasn't but it isn't that much further to the Monon Center so I shrugged it off. Continued to the turn around at 116th Street and headed back to the Monon Center for a pit stop. Got a sip of water, used the bathroom, another sip of water...and then I started the third run mile...and it was less comfortable. Then I walked and I was getting slower and started to feel really horrible. Couldn't do the next run segment so I just kept walking. By the time I got to 86th Street I stopped at Huddles to sit for a minute. This is when I really wished I had my cell phone. I started to feel like I hadn't eaten enough and my whole body was getting sore from fighting the wind. I managed to get up and keep walking, thinking I might be able to run a bit later. By the time I got to the miler marker that was one to go...I was just going to be happy to finish. At the half mile left I really thought I wasn't going to make it and I was walking so slow. Then I managed to make it and was like "Good, I just need to make it to the truck and get home and get something to drink."

Then as I was waiting to cross 75th Street to go back to the truck...there were a lot of people crossing very irresponsibly and it was difficult to tell what was going on...and then a motorcycle crashed in front of me. He was wearing a helmet and wasn't badly injured. He didn't want help. He eventually got his bike started and took off, but I stayed with him until then.

By the time I got to the truck I was cold, constantly shivering cold...and I felt like I wanted to die. I got home and drank some fluid and then some protein drink. Then I took a shower and was starting to feel like a person again. We had dinner and went for frozen yogurt (at Huddles). Then I came home, took some painkiller and went to bed early. I think it was just what I needed.

This morning I got up for my race and was glad I felt ok. My run felt good. I was able to run the whole 4 without stopping and without fluids. And I felt good. I was 1:08 slower than the same race last year, but it doesn't even matter...I ran and it felt good.

I was talking to Aaron Moody after the race and he reminded me that if you run enough there are going to be horrible runs...and that makes me feel better too. Not every race can be a PR and not every training run is going to be a good run. Need to keep that in perspective.

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