Eleven miles.  I thought I was ready.

I woke up at 5:45 am and jumped out of bed ready to go.  That’s what more than 8 hours of sleep and an excited runner does, I guess.  I sliced 4 slices of extreme cinnamon bread and smeared a light coat of cookie butter on each.  I could have done without the fourth slice at that moment and at mile 6.

I grabbed my lemon-lime Gatorade, water, iPhone, earbuds, dirty running shoes, and running hat by 6:30.  Driving across town to Rock Cut was as many miles I was going to be running.  Driving 20 mph, I arrived to the fishing pier parking lot.  I saw the hill that lead to hill after hill after hill.

And began my 11 mile run.  I ran the 4.25 miles around the lake and decided that I’d do another lap but in the other direction.  This was when I lost my sanity.  The opposite direction was killer.  I swear 85% of that direction was uphill.  There were a few points where taking a step was like taking a walking step.  I may have nightmares tonight.

The turkeys couldn’t even cheer me up at this point.  I noted that they did not dare go up the crazy steep hill that we were all at.

At 8.50 miles, I finished lap two and headed for the straight, somewhat flat path.  The damage was done though.  My legs were like lead.  I really don’t know how I finished those last 2 hot miles.  I finished the run near my car and immediately grabbed my water after drinking the last drop of Gatorade. 

Done and done.  I needed more fluids!  Starbucks sounded so good with its chocolate milk and iced coffee.  On my drive there I noticed that I had dead nats sticking to my sweaty skin.

Too many miles, too hot, not enough water?  Who knows.

I arrived at Starbucks and politely budged in line to grab a chocolate milk and then made my way to the back of the line.  I dove into that chocolate milk and finished it by the time I was at the register. 

While in line I kept trying to wipe all the salt off my face that only I could feel, not see.  Others must have thought I was a crazy person.  Maybe I am since I just had done 2 laps around the lake.

I texted my co-dietitian, co-half marathoner that I did 2 laps around the lake.

See, this is the extreme route of the lake. 

My pace wasn’t great but that for once was not a concern for me since I did well with the first lap, fell apart at mid-point of lap 2, and actually finished the 11 miles.

Overall pace: 9’50″.  I am super please with this overall pace since I really thought that there was no way I could make it another mile.

The couch was my safe haven.  A problem arose when I was still feeling thirsty.

Problem solved.

I wasn’t hungry for a few hours which was near noon.

I could only handle heat-up food at this point.  Pizza and the Olympics.  And sore legs. 

Magical pills known as Ibuprofen was found after I couldn’t find any motivation to get off the couch.  Mid-afternoon snack that saved me-

More extreme cinnamon bread, cherries, and 2 dark chocolate squares.