The Shoes WERE NOT Made For Walking, Derrnnit.

But walk they did. I walked 4 miles total out of a 17.5 mile route.

Blahhh.. that is how I feel about that. I am really bummed out. Read on.

 

Thurs Long Run…

Scheduled: 16 miles

Distance: 12 miles solidly, 13.5 miles optimistically… and 4 miles walked (the route I had planned was 17.5 miles)

Time: Well I hit the 8 mile mark at exactly 1 hour. I hit 12 miles at 1:29ish. And then almost half a mile later… I stopped.

I started running again for twenty minutes. Yeah. That was miserable. And so was the next hour I spent walking home.

Pace: Grrr.

Notes: I took a Tropical Hammer Gel (caffeine 25 mg) before starting my run. This was a new flavor for me, but I’ve used the Espresso Hammer Gels before without a problem so I didn’t think twice about it. I took another Tropical Hammer Gel at mile 9. Nausea stopped me at the 12 mile mark. When I quickly realized I needed to go to the bathroom… URGENTLY.

I had to walk a mile to find a place to go. THAT was its own adventure. That was the point that I thought maybe I have a stomach bug. Either that or the Hammer Gel I took at Mile 9 super-jump-started my system. Um. Yeah. Let’s just say I will not be using Tropical Hammer Gel during a run EVER again. Just in case.

I tried to resume running, and took another Hammer Gel (LOL, that was before I made my no tropical hammer gel mission statement), thinking it might help. Obviously, it did not.

Right at the 1:49 mark I felt sick again and lightheaded.  I think it was around mile 14.5 I had to stop (but remember I walked for a mile between 12.5 and 13.5).

Today was just not my day. I walked, thinking I would feel better to start running again, but after 10 minutes of walking I got a MAJOR cramp. While walking! I thought to myself: are you kidding?!

The cramp was so bad I had trouble breathing in. I stopped to refill my water-bottle. I kept walking, sort of hunched over, and I could never run- the cramp was getting in the way of my breathing. I never really fully caught my breath, it was strange. And to add to the weirdness, my ears felt like they needed to pop, and it was worst when I breathed in. They never popped, they just stayed stuffed up. Miserable, seriously! My legs got so stiff on that LOONNNNG walk back. But I had to get home! Three hours after I set out, I made it back.

I did the usual stretch, roll, ice bath routine, but my heart didn’t feel like I had earned it. I tried not to think about how I felt, though, because despite what had happened I had been out on the road for a substantial amount of time and distance so I needed to take care of myself. I also had a Chocolate Amazing Meal mixed with milk right away.

 

So what the heck happened?

I have a few thoughts. I am not really going to blame the Tropical Hammer Gels, but that doesn’t mean I will use them again, LOL.

I might have been dehydrated.

I might have been overheated (I dressed for the forecasted rain but of course it was gorgeous and sunny outside- dern it again- and in my hat and windbreaker I was hot).

I might just have had an upset stomach.

Whatever the reason or reasons for what happened this morning, right now I feel let down.

I believe in things like: Never Quit, Work Hard, Pain is Temporary,… but today I couldn’t push through. I should be happy that I got a solid 12 miles in before it got bad… but instead I’m sad because it was ONLY 12 miles. It’s not even a half marathon, which is the distance I’m supposed to race in exactly a month. I need to do better.

 

Okay, moving on.

I have some happy plans for tomorrow! I am meeting my two sisters to see the new Harry Potter movie and then we’re going to dinner at Not Your Average Joe’s. I love this place!

Have a good night!