Yesterday was the Dam Half at R.B. Winter State Park. What an awesome day! Mid 40's at the start, I think, but low 60's at the end. Great course and superb volunteers! Incredible food and HUGE goodie bags (You've got to see them to believe them.). I ran with Dave Hunter for the first 3/4 of the race and listened to some great stories between him and dam fool, I mean full runner. I don't know his name, but he is 60 years old and ran a 50k Punxsy last week. Great group to run with.
My buddy Pat and I ran together most of the way. I wanted to beat him to the finish and thought at mile 10 I had him licked, but I turned around at the top of "Stairway to Heaven" and there he was 25 meters behind me. Fortunately, he has a brain and hesitates to barrel headlong down hills, so I was able to finish before him. I ran as hard yesterday as I have in a long time and feel great, mentally, because of it.
I actually feel good physically as well.
I think it helped to take a dip in the lake afterward, too. I was in the water up to just above my knees for 10-15 minutes when my wife made some challenging remark about going in the rest of the way. Well, of course after 19 years, she knows how to push my buttons. I shed my jersey and dove in - not without some trepidation. It wasn't that bad, I just didn't stay under too long.
I was worried about 4:00 this morning because I woke up and my calves hurt like crazy. I had a cup of water and thought about vitamin I (ibuprofen), but figured I would wait to see how the morning looked. All was well and I made it through the day without incident or medication :)
I am looking forward to the Mega in a couple of weeks. I am glad there is some time in between, though. I hope to get my rear in gear tomorrow morning and get in a few before the sun gets up instead of the "No up for me, I'm sleeping in today" of the Dr. Seuss book.
An ultra-distance fundraising effort for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
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