I have never written a recap, report, mile by mile analysis or the like for any of my previous marathons or even any races.  But this training run gets one.  It could be my best training run of the year, or it could set me back 2-3 weeks…..my ITB and Sciatic nerve are screaming bloody murder, and I can’t tell if they are tears of happiness or joy.  I should have foreseen this all when my pre-run bagel was burned.

This year, I have focused on injury prevention more then ever.  I upped and started Yoga, which is actually starting to go OK….signed up for bi-monthly sessions getting my legs worked on…I skipped the urge to play hooky(ski the loaf) for the last few NE storms and I have allowed my schedule to be flexible for any tweaks/slippery conditions etc.  After last weeks blizzard(s)/nor’easters/etc, I had to move my regular Saturday run to Monday.  Yup, the morning after the superbowl.  I consulted my campaign managers and opted to crush a 12 pack of seltzer waters during the game while I watched two of my friends slug beers, pop bubbly and do wine chugs.  Campaign win.  Then Monday AM we get another 8-10 inches, so run gets bumped to Tuesday PM after my workday in Banga gets cancelled.

About an hour before the run, I drove the majority of my route, dropped 2 bottles of water and tried to take a look to see how the roads were.  I may have taken a call or two while this happened and managed to drop the bottles but forgot to check the conditions.  I am now two weeks behind schedule, which was at that point, a 16 miler, so that’s on the docket.

Pre – run – couldn’t find my Craft top, couldn’t decide on clothing, made some last second rash guesses without consulting the outside temps and threw on an extra layer to play it safe.  Figured it was good as I would be doing the first half with sun/second half after sundown.

Mile 1 – Play slalom through the CMP trucks on Woodford St as they tend to a live wire knocked down by a plow that is in the middle of the street.  I probably should have taken the detour.

Mile 2 – Steaming hot.  Completely midjudged dress for the run.  Hat gets yanked, drop all zippers, hope to even it out.  The footing around the blvd (car side) is miserable.  I’m basically waddling around like a damn penguin.

Mile 3 – First intersection encounter.  Not even 4 pm and it was a mess…Washington ave exit is havoc….1 lane instead of 3…my sip of water was glorious tho.  A bobcat pulls out in front of me going 2 mph to hit the sidewalks for the first time since the storm.

Mile 4 – Felt like I was in the Sahara.  Had to strip down shirtless in the middle of Martin’s Point Bridge.  Someone honks at me.  I don’t think they wanted to see more.  And I don’t think I would stand a chance at PTs Mens Amateur night.

Mile 5 – Falmouth Public Works was a little bit more on point then Portland, but not much.  Running in quicksand looks like the theme of the day.

Mile 6 – My second dropped water bottle was in a lot that got replowed.  No time to dig it up and No water for Ja till mile 13.

Mile 7 – Took the Rt 88 dip hill between Skillins and Town Landing quite nice.  Sun had hit it and it was dry.

Mile 8/9 – Cumberland Public Works, why did you learn how to take care of roads the year I move away?  26 years and I always longed for the moment I was in Falmouth because you were underfunded and miserable….now you are on top of your game.

Miles 10 – Start getting pretty cold as the sweat dries and running into the wind so I crank it down for a mile while the footing is still hard but realize I may not have been ready to tackle the longer miles in the conditions.

Miles 11-12 – Enter a dark place.  Sundown hits, the sweat is frozen, my ITB begins barking like wild. Realizing the effect of the soft footing on my legs, my feet and the whole body. Realize hydration becoming a big issue, stomach also on the fritz.

Mile 13-15 – more hell around the blvd, this side was even worse.  Washington Ave exit miserable.   My second dropped bottle was apparently located by another passer by and thrown away.   Cramps commence in L calf, L groin and L glut.   Couldn’t have been a pretty sight.

Mile 16 – Absolute mayhem at Woodfords corner.  Between the power line that was down and rush hour, it was gridlock.  I thought I was on Storrow before a Sox game.  I mustered up a little energy for the last mile uphill and actually enjoyed running around all the cars that had shifted into park.  Must have passed 60 cars.  A little more dodging and weaving then I would have hoped but it actually was like running between the blockades from Kenmore Square in.  Ya, I just buckled down and ran on the yellow line which most cars seemed OK with and actually made a little extra room….even got a high five from a guy in a pickup.  Made me love Maine for a moment until I got back to the quicksnow on Stevens.   After 16.42, it was done, is done, and hopefully my body only hated the act and will bounce back quick.

Post run – mustered my way upstairs and threw my clothing off in the kitchen in what was a childish fit.  I opened the fridge and saw a liter of orange Pedialyte (leftover from #MW2014) and my mood/dehydration/craving for electrolytes demanded I drink it.

Now – Curled up in the fetal position in front of the Rinnai trying to find some sort of middle ground temperature, slugging my orange drank and praying that my IT band was ready for the beating it just took.   Pretty sure I am going to tell the pizza delivery guy where I have my hide a key and have him bring the food for the couch.  If only Bills delivered, I could stop my whining.  It would be real anti-#CoachKroot of me, but I would love to swap out my shots of Pickle Juice for Jameson.

Was that really only 26 km?   Oh well, 75 days and counting…..

A few numbers……

Fastest Mile – #10 @ 7:49
Slowest Mile – #14 @ 12:54 (Maybe my slowest training mile ever logged?)
Avg Pace – 9:02   (for sake of comparison….I ran a 10 mi last week at 7:56s and was hoping this would match it)