The last few days have been yuck rain. I didn't run. Today, was supposed to crush all kinds of records for warmest temperature. Christmas Eve and it is supposed to be around 70 degrees. Still, I wanted to run.
I had a morning order and an evening order at work. I opted to run around my neighborhood right after the first order. It was cloudy and didn't seem too warm. Boy, was I wrong. I wore shorts and a short sleeve shirt and wished that I had even less on.
The plan was the standard 5 mile loop. It encompasses the other neighborhood, plus a small neighborhood across another road. I headed out from my house, feeling pretty crappy. I thought it would subside.
It never did though. I felt like death throughout the run, even going easy. Breathing was a struggle. It was just too muggy for this time of year. It felt like the miles you run after crashing bad in a marathon.
A bunch of people were out running. Luckily, all of them seemed to be going different ways, with all the neighborhood options. With my suffering, I could envision a 9 year old girl blowing by me.
I struggled up every hill. It seemed forever to get to mile 2. I eventually made it to the other little neighborhood. This is the steepest hill and it was torture. A guy was walking his dog up it. He was probably laughing at me.
After the top, another guy was going to his car. He started signing, "It's beginning to look a lot like Easter" (instead of Christmas). I got a chuckle out of that. As much as I could anyway with my suffering. I didn't even have the energy to say anything witty back.
I was so glad to get to mile 3. I was suffering so much that I even contemplated stopping there and walking back. If I was planning anything more than 5 miles, I probably would've cut the run short. It just wasn't very productive.
At least I was running a sub 8:30 pace. What a struggle though. I could barely make it up hills. With all the trail running I do, road hills don't bother me much any more. However, today they were a beast.
I actually didn't even care about miles from this point. I just thought about the hills left, as it was that bad. I got to the next one, which would be the 2nd to last one, around mile 4. I struggled up that.
I must've looked at my watch about a million times. When I was at 3.1 miles, I thought that being at 4.1 miles would be awesome. Getting to 4.1 miles was a milestone. I took my watch off then, for the rest of the run.
I usually like to do that as a symbol that I'm almost done. I still had one more hill though. Normally, I go even farther here and slightly uphill. However, today I cut straight across at the top. I ran back to the highway and across the street to the school.
I finished up before the black path. There was no way I'd be running up that anyway. I had 5 miles in the books and was thrilled to be done. It was so bad that I even got dizzy when I walked in the house later.
I could do without this weather. I don't know when winter will arrive. I don't need a lot of cold, but I could use some. I could also use some snow.
Tomorrow, I'm hoping to make it to Mt. Tammany. I'd love to get in 2 loops. I have Christmas lunch first though. I may not make it up there in time. I'll play it by ear.
5 miles - 41:30 (8:18 pace) 109 feet of elevation gain
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