Just running around

Ran around the city yesterday.

Literally.

I decided to run the entire bike trail yesterday. They finally have it all paved and there isn't any construction going on so I could safely run it without worry.

Or so I thought.

Apparently people on the west and north sides of town don't drink water. They just like to see the river roll on by.

I started out from my house which is at mile marker 1. 18 more markers to go to get back to Falls Park (which is mile marker 19) and then another mile home. Everything was awesome the first 5 miles...I even stopped to stretch again after the first mile and walked a bit to stretch out my legs, but once I got them going I had a great run. Finished the first 5 in an even hour, with all the stops (which tells me if I hadn't needed to stop to stretch I would have finished under an hour which would be stellar).

Then the next 5 were just as good though a little slower on time. I was entering new territory on the trail – places I hadn't run before because I'd always turn around and head back. Around mile marker 7 or 8 I stopped for a drink of water (I was carrying my fuel belt but figured I might as well drink from the fountains when I can – luckily I was doing this) then continued on my way.

The rest of the miles sucked. Not only because they were long stretches of flat, straight, never-ending road, but there wasn't another water fountain to be seen until Falls Park (remember? Mile marker 19?).

So I ended up rationing my water, stopped off at one park that one would have thought to have a water fountain or at least a bathroom with a sink. It did have the latter but they were locked, and no water fountain to be found. How people function on those 5 baseball diamonds in the heat of the summer is beyond me.

By mile marker 14 I was struggling. The heat of the day was upon me, there was water all around me but none I could drink, and my mouth felt like a fleece blanket. Sucky.

I made it, with a lot of walking, to Falls Park where I sucked that water fountain dry, filled up my water bottle and headed home. It took at least 2 hours for me to feel back to normal. And I must have been dehydrated because I hardly peed at all.

And on top of all that I still finished in 4:38, which isn't good for a marathon finish, but at least there I know I'll have water stops along the way which will help keep me hydrated.

Now to just keep my legs functioning.