MDay-53 -- Wed. July 29

Schedule said long run. My body's not so sure -- felt okay, after the rest, but not cured, as it were. Ouf. Also a *very* muggy day, pretty much one of the first 3H (hot, hazy humid) days this summer. Still, no pain, etc.

Mapped out a compromise run, 17 miles, with room to add a bit if needed. VFW, 202 (stretch), Allen, 9, Federal, Orchard, Warren Wright, North, Station, then cross SoAmherst Common to Middle, on to Bay, then Old Bay, Hamilton, and Jackson to Stone Soup Farm, then back home. I took a quarter sandwich (PPB & butter) and a big water bottle. Ate at 10 miles, though it took a mile to actually chew up and swallow the bread, with lots of water. No problems, fortunately--hunger wasn't an issue. However, I was running pretty gently the whole time, with only one mile just sub-7:00. Quite a few short steep hills -- total of about 550 ft ascent and same descent. I stopped the clock three times, but only for 10-20 seconds (pee, eat, and at 17.5, consider stopping, but decide to continue). Here's the overall data:

Time: 2:24:32
Distance: 18.33 miles
Pace: 7:53s

Comment: completed 13.1 in 1:42 exactly, so similar to last week's long run there. Pace slowed down in the remaining miles, but that's fine with me. The distance, including a last mile run very slowly home, is a new PB. Woot. I was well bushed, however, and ended up chafed as well. Not a good time in the biocycle for me (maybe a virus?), but in the longer run, I hope it still serves as useful training. I even got numb-leg at about 5 miles, though this went after relieving bladder pressure (!).