I Should Have Listened to My Wife

Yes, I hate to admit it, but Marilyn was right. I should have stayed in bed and not run this morning. I've been fighting a cold since Tuesday, and I really wasn't in any shape to run today. My original plan was to run 16 to 18 miles with a fast finish - marathon pace or faster for the last 6 to 8 miles.

So, I woke up this morning, and my head was totally plugged up. I was exhausted and even sort of a little dizzy before I ran even one step, so I decided to do no more than 12 miles at an easy pace. I started near the back of the pack and ran a comfortable pace for the first mile or so. I ran that bit with Mary. She has only been running since October and is already training for a half marathon. At 56th Street I started having some intestinal problems and stopped at the restroom. For a while I was all alone, but running a 9 minute pace, I caught up with Roman and Carmie and ran with them until 41st. I was still having intestinal problems and stopped at the restroom again. From that point on I was all alone. I kept up a 9 minute pace until 21st Street, where I turned around. Five miles down, and five to go. I tried to pick up the pace a little and did 8:50, 8:40, 8:50, but then I pooped out and walked a lot after that. My last two miles were 9:55 and 13:12. I felt miserable and wished I had stayed in bed.

High points of the run were meeting and visiting with Mary and Curtis early in the run, and seeing my friends, Joe, Toby, Mike, Greg, Paula... (sorry if I didn't name you, I enjoyed seeing you all) At the end of the run I passed Dana, who was just starting out. He had left snacks and drinks at the picnic table. Yay, Dana!!! Also during the run I asked Marvin about his mom. She has stage 4 lung cancer, has been sent home from the hospital, and was given 1 to 6 months to live. I pray that God gives her strength to go through this trial, and that she ends her days trusting in and rejoicing in the Lord.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
(Psa 23:4)

After the run I went home, soaked in a hot tub, and went back to bed for a couple of hours. I'm still tired.

Monday and Thursday I had good runs. Monday I ran 4 miles with my daughter, Becky. She is really improving in her running. We ran at a pretty even 10 minute pace the whole way. Immediately after that, I ran on Turkey Mountain with the Trail Zombie. I logged it as 6 miles, but it may have been less. It was still a little muddy up there, but we had a good time.

Thursday at noon I did a 4 mile easy run. I ran with the group from RunnersWorld Tulsa on Thursday evening. Toby, Mike, and I did 8 miles at around a 9 minute pace, maybe a tad slower. Our next to last mile was 8:11. Toby was happy to run that pace at that level of effort. He is improving in his running and hopes to break 4 hours in his next marathon. That's a 10 minute improvement over his PR, and I think he will do it. My cold didn't seem to hurt my running on Thursday.

So, my week was: Monday 10 miles, Thursday 12 miles, Saturday 10 miles, for a total of 32. Tuesday and Wednesday I was out of town and was not able to run, and Friday I didn't run because I felt sick. Not a bad week, except for the run on Saturday.