Long Run

14 miles.  120 minutes.  8 1/2 min pace.

14 very warm miles along the busy Currituck highway at 6 AM.  Did it in 2 hours...that's 8 1/2 minutes per mile!  Officially too fast, but...I was having fun so just decided that as long as I didn't slow down at the end, I should keep up the pace.

Running away from home is always a good thing.  It either breathes some fresh life into my miles and gives me some awesome scenery or, as in this morning, makes me appreciate what I've got at home.  I love the beach and appreciate the time near the shore.  But my idea of a fun run really doesn't involve a mostly flat out and back along a two-lane road.  It makes me appreciate the area in Virginia where we live, where I can drive 10 minutes to a handful of different trails that zig zag around and up and down and back again.  If I had to choose today for the rest of my life, mountains or beach, I'd choose mountains.  I wouldn't need time to think.  (And if there was a lake near those mountains in which I could jump after a long run...consider me there.)

But it was hot and humid this morning.  Probably about 75-ish degrees and 90% humidity.  Yes, I wore sunscreen even though half of my run was done before the sun came up.  I was looking everywhere for a sprinkler that I could put my hat into and then put it back on my head; I love the refreshing feeling of a cold-water hat!  But every where I looked, it seemed that the too-manicured yards had just been watered.  And the too-expensive in-ground sprinkler system turned off just as I approached.  Humph.

Finally, as I neared the turn-around point (which was mapped out in my car a few days before) I saw a sprinkler that was ON.  Hoorah!  I took my hat off and, and a few feet from some watery relief, I slowed to a walk.  As I reached my hat out, the sprinkler turned off.  I laughed out loud!  But as the Sprinkler Gods laughed at me, I looked 'em in the eye and cursed them.  I didn't need any sprinklers to have a good run.  Take THAT!