new group

Last night someone on FB said they were going running so I asked if I could join the group. They were planning to do 15 miles this morning. If I add on 8 that I would run roundtrip to Ellsworth that would be 23 miles. yikes. Not sure I'm up for that today as there are heat advisories out for today. If I don't run back to Jewell and get a ride with one of them that would only be 19 miles. That's still a big run.

They usually meet in Ellsworth and start from there. This sounds a bit silly as they are from Jewell, but ok. So, I started a 4-mile warm up run to Ellsworth and waited for them at Kum N Go where they were going to meet. Our first 4 miles was a run back to Jewell!! ugh. They were going to do the Ethanol Loop here and then back to Ellsworth and finish a few miles there. I already had 4 miles on them so I went an additional 11 and stopped when they got back to Jewell and before they went to Ellsowrth again.

I took 2 GU packs. I ate one when I got to Ellsworth the first time and the other around mile 11 because I was starting to feel drained. That helped a little. My Achilles tendon was acting up again and I could feel blisters forming. Their route included a number of hills so that didn't help. I started off still quite sore from the last run so I knew I'd be pushing myself to get in the full 19-23 miles. I was glad they decided to run around the Jewell area because I hear they usually go north out of Ellsworth and do an "out and back" run. I was really hurting around mile 10 and wanted to quit, but I kept going. I knew this would be a good run for me. With my goal of 30 miles/week this run will really help. Now I only need 3 more miles for that goal. I should easily make that as this gives me 27.

Yesterday I consciously drank a lot, too, so that I would be well hydrated. I went to bed at a reasonable time to be well rested also. When I got to Ellsworth I filled up my bottles and drank some of it while I waited. I think I had like 12 oz before starting mile 5! It was overall a good run, but it really pushed my limits today. I had to peel off my clothes because they were so incredibly wet!! I don't think I've been this wet when it wasn't raining.

I brought my watch so that I could keep a constant pace and not start too fast and darin myself before the end. It was so incredibly dark when I started that I had to use the light in the watch to see the time. Apparently I accidentally pushed the start/stop button and stopped the time. I think I ran about a mile before I realized this. I was off before I got to Ellsworth. Then I stopped it at Ellsworth again and was to start when we started running. Yeah, well, I forgot to start it again. I think I ran almost 3 more miles before I realized that. ugh.

15 mile run; .5 mile walk; RPE - 4