Day 70, Attempt III

Balls. I almost did not title this post "Attempt" III, due to the sad, sad effort I put forth. However, I really did put in a good attempt.

I had an interview this morning, and while it WAS above 85 degrees by the time I had a chance to run, I felt comfortable running this afternoon. I made sure I got all my water yesterday, and I had plenty already today (for better or for worse). I had only eaten an English muffin with peanut butter, and a mtn dew, in addition to about 4 glasses of water.

I was sure that today was the day. My knees hurt very badly after the run two days ago, and hurt a bit yesterday, too. They were still a bit sore today, but barely. Regardless, this was the day I'd complete the 5K.

I was all prepared to blog about how Attempt I failed because I later discovered a watermelon seed in my shoe. And Attempt II failed because my socks got wet from all the rainfall we had received.

I put my contacts in just so I could wear sunglasses in the blinding sunshine, and then had to run back through the house to get them, so I could leave at the time I wanted. So I started my run with a run. Anyway, I set off in my Food Bank volunteer shirt that appropriately says "Will Work For Food" on the back.

We have had a simply unbelievable amount of butterflies this year. UNBELIEVABLE. I have never in my life seen so many. And there are suddenly caterpillars everywhere, too, so they aren't going anywhere. As I ran down my neighbor's sidewalk, with knee-high grass on either side, a butterfly flitted out of the grass and scared the ever-loving crap out of me. I can't believe I didn't fall I moved in such an absurd way. We both survived, and on I went.

I was moving perfectly. The pace was fast, but I wasn't getting winded! I was hitting mostly on my heels. I could feel the shock, a little, in my knees, but it wasn't bad. It was hot, but there was a breeze, and the humidity was low. This, my friends, was it.

Pass the kid screeching along with his mp3...

I had a little paperboy on a bike that I was circling around. I was amused by his very presence, probably due to the long history of paper routes in my lineage. There were plenty of other people out, and I kept a pleasant pace as I went past them.

I did have to stop for a quick second at the one cross street that brings regular traffic on this stretch of route. I am convinced that stopping at least once at that street, which I cross twice, is a requirement for me to survive the run.

So I am still doing great. Running along, now headed back toward home. The route thus far is pretty much flat. I have a downhill before the rolling hill section. And at the bottom of that hill I stopped. I had to tell myself to stop, my legs were still going. I still had my breath. But, the problem was the muscle cramps. Today it was all the way across the bottom of my chest/top of my stomach and it felt just like a cramp that would not release. It was horrible, and stuck with me for several blocks without relief, so I gave in. That was at 12 and a half minutes. Shameful. My knees were killing me. I had a very long walk home, a stretch that I have NEVER had to walk. I was pissed, of course. Why are my runs getting worse!? I mean this one was TERRIBLE.

Argh. I didn't try to walk out the route, I just walked home. I wonder if it's nutritional issues that I am being limited by? I'm not eating great, but it's not THAT bad. I got home, and really wanted a mtn dew, which is what I usually reach for when I get home from a run first thing in the morning. Since I try to only have one soda a day, and I had it this morning per usual, I needed something to up my whatever that is the reason we take in sugars after working out. I decided to have a Twix. I mean, people swear chocolate milk is the perfect after workout drink, so... Whatever. I said I wasn't nutritionally "great" right now.

I had to ice my knees, which I did for quite awhile, and they do feel better. I'll continue icing tomorrow. I wish I knew what the hell I did to them two days ago.

I can't figure out what has happened that I could one day run for 30 minutes, and now I'm down to 12. And a half. I've decided that next time (hopefully in two days...maybe tomorrow), I'll reverse my little 5K route. Mainly, it will give me something new to look at, but it will start on a long downhill, then move into a long uphill, which, while painful, is doable. Then I will have the hills, and a long flat stretch to finish. I hope that works. Either way, I enjoyed my run today, short though it was.

Weather: 87, Sunny, 7mph wind, 47% Humidity, Feels like 89
Time: 3:30p; Run 12.5 minutes
Distance: 1.77K (1.1m)
Elevation: +16.8/-16.2/net .6 ft (So, so, so flat)
5K/10K: 38:23/1:21:07 (4th best overall...not so great for a "just run" time.)