My first... and who knows, maybe my last

I don't know that I can maintain a running blog, but I think I'm going to try to make this that. It's not going to be fancy and really, it's for no one else but me... to help me keep track of what I'm running. Right now the only gauge I have for my running is how I did in a particular race the year before. Okay, so here goes...

Yesterday, I ran this 13.26 mile loop http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=865084 .. starting and ending in Lansdowne near my beloved tree. The weather was awful... rained all f-ing day and fairly windy too. I didn't want to do it, but this was my last long run before the half and I needed to do it for psychological reasons just as much as physiological ones. I couldn't have gotten more wet if I tried... if I had dived into a lake. It was insane. But I did it. I don't remember my exact time... something around 2hrs 10min which is a good bit slower than I would like, but hey... that takes into account getting hung up at a few traffic lights, a considerable head wind, and of course about seven pounds of rain sodden clothing. Yuck. I kept thinking about just getting through it. Along the way, I considered taking short cuts off my originally planned route because it was miserable and I was miserable, but somehow I persuaded myself to stay the course (pun intended). I was arguing with myself back and forth - Oh, no one will know but you if you shave off this little section..... Yeah... that's just like you... cheat your way and then you'll feel like crap for having done it and you'll put a sour note to an otherwise considerable accomplishment. So I'm glad I listened to my 'don't puss out side'. Still, the last mile and a half, two miles was pretty rough. When I got home, I made myself a delicious meal - parsley encrusted tilapia and a miniravioli veggie thing. Sadly, I was too chilled to the bone and nauseous to eat it. I took a number of labored bites, but I felt like I was going to ralph, so I wrapped it up and went to bed (at 9pm). I slept on and off until about quarter of 7am this morning. I'm just glad I feel better today and didn't need the trash can I had strategically placed next to my bed.

So, as Seebo says, the hay is in the barn! Yippe. Let the taper begin. Ahhhhh!!!!