T-69 Days to the Half Marathon

I did an 8 mile run today. That is the longest I've done yet. I would rate it an A-. I averaged a 13 minute mile, and combined 5 minutes of running with 1 minute of walking. When I had about 1.5 miles to go, my legs were feeling really heavy, but I was overall doing ok. Which isn't to say I wasn't glad to stop!

I had a very large dog, a St. Bernard mix I believe, charge out at me pretty early in my run. I had carried my pepper spray, which I rarely do, and I had my hand on it. As the dog ran at me growling, I stopped, turned sideways, didn't look in his eyes, and froze. His owner called him back once, and I started to move, and he turned around a ran at me again. He was less than a foot from my thigh. The second time his owner called, he went back home, thank goodness. I was a little freaked out, because the dog was huge and its tail was NOT wagging.

I had to pee today on my run (I think that's a good sign as far as hydration?) so I climbed down into a ditch and did my thing. No biggie. I felt like "real" runner, dropping trou and doing my thing.

I also tried Gu for the first time on my run today. I took half of one at first, to see how my system liked it. I really didn't enjoy that taste in my mouth as I was working so hard. I folded the remaining half packet of Gu and stuck it in my little baggie I had with me. When, 45 minutes later, I tried to take the rest of it, the bag would NOT open. Thankfully my husband drove by then, returning from getting groceries, and I could hand him the mess. Kind of a fail, I think. I will need to look for sustenance beyond Gu.

The most fun part of the run was my surprise cheerleaders. I had a co-worker yell encouragement at me from her house (thanks Lisa!) and a former co-worker give me a thumbs up as he drove by. I guy I don't know drove by me in a truck and said something I couldn't understand, but he was smiling so I'll assume it's positive. Then, at the end, when I really needed it, the mom of a former student drove by and slowed and rolled down her window and said, "Great job Emily!" It's really nice to get the encouragement. No one cheers for you when you're "just" walking. And though I still sometimes feel that I get cheers out of sympathy, as in "Oh my God that poor thing looks half alive. I better give her a shout out, because I might be the last human contact she'll ever have." Whatever, though. I'll take it.

Sooooooooo. I see a podiatrist on Monday about my feet/ankles. I am hoping that he'll say it ain't no big thang, but that I'll need to rest to fully heal it. That I can deal with- I'll rest come January 9th.