How a Friend and Some Local Business Saved My Run

It was SO windy this past week that I started doing most of my runs inside. It was raining on most of the East cost but it somehow managed to miss my area.


Thursday I put on my head covering and finally decided to get outside and brave the wind . I did 5 miles and once I started running the wind didn't bother me at all. Since my 5 miler went so well on Thursday, I decided to do 13.1 on Friday. I want to start getting some back to back long runs in so my plan was to go to the trail and do 13.1 on Friday and then again on Saturday. When I woke up on Friday I didn't feel like driving to the trail so I just started running through town. It's a good thing I did too. About mile 9 I always end up running out of water. At mile 8.9 I accidentally ran into a friend of mine that was also running. He decided to run the rest of the way with me. We had about another 3 miles to go till we would end up back at the park where I started. I told him that once we got to the park that I would have a lap or 2 that I would have to run. he said, he probably wouldn't run with me once we got to the park but he would wait for me. So I told him I had a plan for him. I asked him if once we got to the park if he would take my water bottle over to the spigot ( the one that we let the dogs drink out of) and fill it up for me. He laughed and said "you really must be desperate". I was.  Knowing full well that the spigot I was referring to is not a proper water fountain, my friend said " I'll do one better for you, we'll stop at my friend's beauty salon and I will fill your bottle up there".  This was a life saver. That beauty salon was right on our route anyway, so it all worked out!

Saturday morning I set out to do another 13.1 miles. I went to the trail this time and I wore my Camelbak hydration belt. I don't particularly like wearing this but as I mentioned above, I'm usually out of water by mile 9 when I use my handheld bottle.  I used the hydration belt last week when I did my 15 miles so I thought for sure I could handle it for only 13.1 this time.

By mile 3 I had to make a detour very badly. Since the only port o potty on the trail wasn't for another mile I had to cross a field of pumpkins ( there was already a made path through this field), and cross the highway to get to this country store/restaurant in order to use their restroom. 

When I started this run, I already knew that I was going to be pressed for time because I had to go home and get cleaned up for a bridal shower in the afternoon. Because of my little detour, I decided to only run 10 miles instead of 13.1.  As  my running partner and I continued on our run, we started to see banners along the trail that reminded us that there was a 5k and 10k race on this trail this morning.  We started to see volunteers setting up the turn around signs and I started to get a little nervous and stressed out. I did not want to be out on that trail while the race was going on. At this point, we decided to cut our run down from 10 miles to now 8 miles.  So we ran 4 miles up the trail and 4 miles back. On the way back the hydration belt was really bothering me. I still had 2 mostly filled bottles in it and it kept feeling like it was pushing on my bladder ( making me feel like I needed to make another detour). I didn't make another detour but I did take the rest of the miles very slow and walking a bit more than usual.

You might say that I would chalk this run up as a "bad" run, but I'm not. I got myself up early in the morning, got dressed, laced my shoes up, went to the trail, ran, and finished. In my book this run was still a success and I am not going to feel bad about it.

Sometimes runs don't always go as planned, but neither do races. You just have to go on how you feel and do the best you can. If you start and you finish, it's all good!  ~M

What incidents have you encountered on your runs lately?

21 comments:

  1. I would definitely put this run in the success column. Friends, community and unexpected hydration. What more can we possibly ask? : )

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    1. That's right Frank! Another successful run is in the books!

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  2. This sounded like quite an adventurous run! It was like The Lord of the Rings of runs - running into friends along the way, crossing pumpkin patches!

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    1. The pumpkins were a nice touch ( and so was the friend).

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  3. I agree! If you start and finish it is all good! The friend and pumpkin patch is a bonus!

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    1. Exactly! Just getting out the door is a success in my book.

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  4. Hopefully, you can drink the water provided at your race and you won't have to wear your hydration belt!

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    1. Yes, I plan to stop at the water stops during the race. There are no fountains on the trail I run on so I have to bring my own water.

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  5. Starting and finishing is always a bonus. I try to carry enough water to make it through. We've seen a couple deer on runs lately other than that nothing too exciting going on on our trail

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    1. I need to do something differently with my hydration! I have seen deer earlier in the summer ( like June) but fortunately I hadn't seen any since.

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  6. Hydration belts drive me crazy, I do my best to go without most of the time.

    Sometimes just getting out the door and getting a run in (good or bad) is a triumph :)

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  7. Yes, every run is a triumph. I'm not a fan of the hydration belt so I need to come up with a better method!

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  8. I'm glad that you're able to classify that run as a success! You're right that unexpected things come up on race day too so we have to learn to deal with them. I've been carrying a hand held bottle and trying to make sure my long runs are at a place where I can refill at a water fountain half way. Though they do turn off the water fountains in the winter so I'm not sure what I'm going to do then.

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  9. count it a succcess! hydration belts make me nuts

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  10. Not sure if you saw my post last week on the HydraQuiver, but I am loving it! It's a small backpack that holds a 24 oz water bottle, which is great for these longer runs. I bet you would like it...I, too, loathe the hydration belts.

    http://www.myjourneytofit.com/2014/10/hydraquiver-review.html

    P.S. I'm super impressed that you would even CONSIDER running 13.1 miles two days in a row!!!

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  11. Awesome. I would call this all a success! I hate carrying water on a run. I keep my longer run routes near public buildings and walmarts, so if need be its just a short detour to water:)

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  12. I actually missed a turn on my run this weekend so it added a mile to my run. I felt so silly too because it is a route I have done several times before but I was doing it BACKWARDS. Routes look a lot different going in the other direction!

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  13. Hey as long as you finish then it's a success! I've never worn a hydration belt but I think it would really bother me as well.

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  14. So awesome that you ran into a friend while out running. During one of our long runs we were running the opposite way of a 5K race going on, it was awkward lol. Thankfully our route detoured from their course.

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  15. Ugh, I hate those detours during the run! Great job staying positive, you certainly got some great runs in!

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