So this weekend, like all of my recent weekends (and upcoming until Oct. 27th) is my long run. My habit is to do my long runs on Sunday. I had a heck of a time mapping out a route, as the side-walks are plentiful, for runs of 5-6 miles or less. Unless I wanted to do several laps (I hate laps), I was going to have to expand my routes past the comfort zone of sidewalks.
I used my Dailymile to map out a route of approximately 14 miles (it was 14.45), although I took a slightly different beginning, as I decided to START with side walks, even if I wasn’t going to have them most of the way – it let me work out the “Beginning-run” kinks (and plantar fascia pain) without dodging cars! I was trying this run with no KT-tape, for two reasons.
1) I couldn’t remember where I left it.
2) I didn’t want to put tape over my open wound (and I was kind of holding a grudge against the tape, despite it’s wonderfulness)
As soon as I turned off the first road that was one of my standards, I noticed something. It went up. Now, I know that Sir Isaac Newton is quoted as say “What goes up, must come down.” But I have never held that as a truth in running. In my experience, I have found that the running-version of Sir Isaac Newton’s quote should read:
“What runs down, must run up.”
This means, that while I didn’t think anything of running THAT up hill, it certainly did not reassure me that there must be a downhill. Johns Hopkins road, had some houses at first, then moved into being quite pretty, if I do say so myself!!
John Hopkins Rd, Crofton MD
It also had plenty of shade – really nice cover for a hot day’s run! The road didn’t have the best running room, so I kept the headphones off. That way I could jump into the leaves/bushes as I needed when cars were coming (especially when they came both ways at once!)
I had to be a bit more cautious as the little bit of shoulder vanished. As the road was filled with twists and turns, I did switch sides of the road frequently. I know they say “run facing traffic,” but I was more concerned with making sure that I was visible in my bright yellow shirt (and bright yellow hat.)
After going for several miles, it occurred to me.. I hadn’t looked at the elevation chart of the route I had mapped. My 12 mile run at sea level was flat (that is kind of part of sea-level right?) And it hurt.. Up until yesterday, I had always thought of Maryland as flat. It chose a course that had all of the hills between Annapolis and D.C..
My overall run had an elevation gain of 961 feet. The chart says that there was also 945 feet down.. I don’t remember those parts, so I can only assume my runtastic lies.
I will admit, the hells became very hell-like and I admit to walking.. quite a bit for the last several hills. I slowed down a bit after the 8th mile.. Then far more at the 12th. After the 13th, all I had left was slight attempts at running (fairly pathetic if I do say so myself) followed by walking.
My lovely wife – she came and saved me. She picked me up with water at the 14 mile mark, so I didn’t have to limp the rest of the way home. She was also kind enough to bring me water. I had run out around mile 10, so this was as amazing as not making me walk the remaining mile home.
The urn was hard, but I did enjoy seeing the different sights as I ran.
The variety of plant life, as I went from forest to marsh was gorgeous. While I couldn’t keep my legs moving, my eyes didn’t stop working, and appreciating. I think this is the single best part of running – enjoying the true sights of nature and seeing it in ways that most others don’t get too. There were some great river scenes as well, but I was waaaaaaaay to tired to try to get my phone out again, so unfortunately you don’t get to share that view-scape with me today.
My Plantar Fasciitis was bad. I definitely learned that my KT Tape makes all the difference in the world as I run. My arch strap didn’t help much, and as I moved to walking/running my Plantar Fascia definitely took a hurting. The walking gave it every opportunity to hurt. I wore the boot things last night – and I am ok this morning!
I need to look at the elevation levels for the Marine Corps Marathon. But regardless of what that run looks like, this one kicked my butt.. But I enjoyed it.
I run, because I am a runner. Having realized that I have always "been a runner" - even when I went years with out running, I am learning how it has integrated itself in all aspects of my life. When I started running in highschool, my perspective on life changed. Funny that I didn't realize how much it had affected it until just recently.
Once and Future Runner 
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