Tears of a Clown

The long run of the week was set for Saturday. Friday night we had an incredible lightning storm and rain. Thus Saturday morning was very humid, with steamy conditions on the ground with the night rain evaporating, and kind of warm, maybe 70 degrees.

The schedule called for a 15 miler at marathon pace plus 45 seconds. Thus, I set a pace for 8:40 on Garmin and decided to run. Given my calf issues from last week when I ran up and down a jillion hills, I decided to run on a relatively flat course. The only problem is that I really didn't know how to hide water, gel, etc, so I had to carry it with me for miles 5-15. That was unpleasant. Miles 1-5 was a big loop, so I put some down where I started. Then I picked up 2 bottles and headed off on the remaining 10 miles. That was a bad decision. It was like running with two hand weights. I have to come up with a better plan next time. I have run with a water belt before, but didn't really like it. I may have to revisit that, though, because I sure can't carry two bottles with me as I run.

The splits were pretty good, except for one mile. I pay attention to my pace. I watch it, and I can feel it. Mile 7-8 Garmin had me running a 9:08 mile -- about 40 seconds slower than any other mile in the route, and over a flat stretch to boot. When I saw it on my Garmin during the run, I thought that can't be right -- it must have some stoppage time built into that mile. I was also under pretty heavy tree cover, and maybe Garmin got lost. I have no idea. Has anyone ever had that happen? Garmin get lost and not interpolate the points right and thus have an oddball pace for a bit? I also looked at my path on the map created by the GPS. It was not spot on like it normally is, which gave me more credence to the idea that Garmin got lost. On the other hand....technology rarely lies...and the more likely answer is that I dreamed off and lost focus and ran a slow mile. But I remember when Garmin was showing me the mile pace and my then actual pace (it shows both) and I ran the last quarter in like 7:30 pace, even as it was telling me my mile pace was 9:30 something. And I was like -- WHAT??? But then the mile clicked over and I was back on track and pace...Oh well.

And one really bad mind trick happened -- I had my route planned out in advance, but as I came close to the end, I realized it was about 3/4 mile too short. So as I telling myself to run to the end of this loop and then home, I had to improvise and add on another 3/4 mile. That was really not pleasant. I suppose it is good mental training, but still.. when you are exasperated, ready to be done and home but know you have to add another several detours to hit the number, it just is hard.

One really big health issue developed in this run...nipple chafe. I noticed on about mile 10 red spots on my shirt. But what are you going to do at that point? I wasn't in pain, and I was five miles from home. So I pushed on and didn't really worry about it. It got worse. When I got home, Mrs. Wolve (Official wife of NY Wolve) shrieked OMG what happened? Are you OK? I was fine, even if my white shirt was covered with red spots running down the front. That running shirt (even thought it was expensive) is headed to the trash. And I'll be a little more careful about antichafe stuff before I go out. Only one blister -- on the inside of my big toe. Ran in my Gel Kayanos because I haven't run in the Lunar Trainers yet and didn't want the first run to be a 15 miler.

In the end I ended up 15.25 miles at 8:25 average pace even with that crazy, hopefully wrong, mile thrown in.

Distance Split time Pace vs avg. Elev. chg.

1.00 8:24 -00:00.47 +82
2.00 8:15 -00:09.29 +8
3.00 8:05 -00:19.13 -39
4.00 7:58 -00:25.91 -76
5.00 8:49 00:24.47 +5
6.00 8:25 00:00.25 +9
7.00 8:14 -00:10.31 +4
8.00 9:08 00:44.01 +32
9.00 8:18 -00:05.87 +5
10.00 8:47 00:22.57 +4
11.00 8:25 00:01.20 -29
12.00 8:08 -00:16.51 -10
13.00 8:24 -00:00.71 +5
14.00 8:13 -00:11.52 -21
15.00 8:31 00:06.82 +1
15.24 2:03 00:04.90 +8