MHM -93/long one -- Fri. July 9

Another hot one, and a concatenation of circumstances meant I was running at midday. Busy in early a.m., and on call starting early p.m., so I ended up going out at 11:15 or so hoping for shade in the trails. The temps were down from earlier in the week, and there was a touch of drith in the breeze, so, carrying a very large bottle (1.5 pints) of water, I headed to GeoHannum, down to enter railtrail, and thus to state school to stretch. Then off on a 14 miler or so (I thought) down to the Swift River. Rail trail again, despite some deer fly trouble, stuck with it to the end at 181, then along in the full sunshine to get to MSears--pretty darned hot. Mainly shade on MSears, to Bardwell, and down to Keyes, then part old trail to get to Bondsville (end up in factory yard where old trail went), and cross on to the river trail. Hot enough that shirt is wet, and so now sore nipples become a problem, and yes, deerflies again on the trail. Less breeze here, so they're worse, and it's a long slog by the river there -- finally get out at the other end vaulting barrier and dashing between two grockels to reach Cold Spring road: want to take shirt off to relieve nipple chafe, but even more worried about sunburn. Also water supply is not going to last. . .
Make it up the hill, all the while at a gentle LD pace, and reach the fork w/ Sabin, ready to call a halt as I'm close to the 13 miles, but with a long way to go--then inspired to look at the UMass annex for water. Stop clock, with 12.24 miles in 1:35:35 @ 7:49s, and manage to find water cooler in (unstaffed) store. Refill and brave the sun again, restarting clock. Out on to 9 and home that way, occasionally stopping to get shade; eventually just call it a day, at the MacDonalds, and call R to ask him to bring supplies on bike to meet me. He's not answering, but try again as I hit Quabbin stores, and he answers. Final stretch of running was 35 mins and 4.32 miles, but it was really a sort of cooldown run: combine with the main thus:

Time: 2:10:35
Distance: 16.56 miles
Pace: 7:53s

Comment: well, that's my long run for the week, a bit unexpectedly -- managed to avoid sunburn, but nipples are too sore to wear a shirt Saturday (wonder if there's an elegant solution for this--there's other chafing too that's coming back after a hot muggy week such as we've had...). The running felt okay, apart from that, so overall a success. R coming along with fresh water and a power bar really helped too -- that makes it a 4 pint run!