14 Mile Long Run

Today was not my regularly scheduled long run day, but as I had mentioned in a prior post and the last, I am now registered for a 10 mile race on Sunday and I didn't want to do a long run the day before. So, I laced em up this morning and headed out for my scheduled 14 mile long run. It was windy... very windy.

I've had some friends ask me what I do on these long runs (other than run of course) to keep from going nuts running for 2+ hours. Well, I do run with an am/fm radio (no cool mp3 player or iPod) and listen to classic rock and I wish I had some cool transcendental meditation experience or meeting with God in lots of meaningful prayer kind of answer but, the truth is I don't. So, as I was running today, I thought that I would just summarize some of the thoughts I was having while on my run. Lets see... I'll do this in mile stages... so here's some of what passed through my head today:

Miles 0 - 3.5:

• Boy, my legs feel like they are cast in concrete today, am I going to be able to do this?!?
• MAN is it windy, this sucks!
• Hey I think that was my father in law that just drove by
• That squirrel's smooshed about as flat as I've ever seen
• MAN is it windy, this sucks!
• Well, at least it's like 40F and not bitter cold
• Marathon race conditions might be this bad or worse so quit whining and run
• Pacing, keep pacing

Miles 3.5 - 8.5:

• Cool, running with the wind all I have to do is lift my legs and I get blown forward
• So when should I eat my Shot Block?
• I think somewhere around mile 7
• I really like this running with the wind
• Eat your Shot Block
• HEY, since when is "Every Breath You Take" classic ROCK?!? I like The Police and all, but this song is LAME for classic rock!
• I don't think I like these Shot Blocks, I like the gels/GU better for nutrition on the run
• Running with the wind ROCKS! Oh crap, I have to turn a corner.

Miles 8.5 - 11.5:

• I wish this Shot Block would dissolve out of my teeth already
• Man, running into the wind really sucks
• Hey, it would be really cool if Denise could somehow get Cassy up here for the race. I wonder if that would be possible?
• What about Make a Wish?
• Can Cassy even fly? I'm not sure.
• Would Denise be able to get time off for this?
• I'm getting kinda tired
• Maybe my company would sponser Cassy to come up for this
• Would it be too cold for her to be at the race
• I wish this darn Shot Block would dissolve off my teeth already!
• Wow, it would be really cool is she were here to push her for like that last 1.2 miles across the finish line
• Running into this nasty headwind really is getting on my nerves
• I think I could puke if I went any faster
• Aww, cool! "Come Sail Away" by Styx! What a great song to run to
• I'm tired and my thighs are toast and my feet are starting to hurt
• This wind STINKS!
• "Take it Easy"... yea right! I love the Eagles but this song doesn't fit at all

Miles 11.5 - 14

• Thank goodness! A tailwind for the finish of my run
• Man my legs are tired
• My feet are getting sore too
• Stop whining and finish this up, only 2 more miles!
• I think I could puke
• Wow that new house is big!
• I can't wait to wear my new shoes on a short, easy, recovery run tomorrow
• Thank God for tailwinds on a run finish!
• Almost there now
• Pacing, keep your pacing
• I'm hungry and thirsty
• Just a little further
• I am sooooo tired
• This is only slightly over HALF of what I have to run in April!
• Sooo close
• Keep pacing
• Whew! Finally, done. Thank you Lord!

So, that's just a smidge of some of the random stuff that runs through my head on a long run. :-)