The Renegade

Okay run today, I ran from my car in the Spectrum parking lot after class, took 6th east and got on the canal trail THE CANAL TRAIL for the first time in ages, and it was flawless no snow, mud anything. Wasn't feeling that great though. Took a bathroom break at the water plant (felt awkward walking all the way to the end of a hall past people working in offices) then headed down Sumac till I hit the bottom of Cliffside, then (I had planned this) took a shot at getting the CR, and looking at it now I was on pace for it but I had a palpatation about halfway up so I threw in the towel and headed down toward the water lab trail, ran halfway down and busted my butt sprinting up it (I had forgotten the segment included the flat part of the trail too) then jogged up to the BST switchbacks and sprinted the quarter mile up those, but apparently I stopped either in the beginning or end of the segment, third time that's happened there! Next time I'll really get it. Then cut across the country club, sprinting because there might have been people golfing, luckily I didn't see anyone. Took the Lundstrom canal and headed back to the car. Didn't feel too great today, my hip imbalance felt extremely un-balanced, but glad to get the miles in and a little bit of hill work, maybe it won't feel as bad next time. 7:23 ap.

Good run on a beautiful morning with Sylvan. It's funny, the same thing happened as last time pretty much, I showed up to our meeting spot 15 minutes and assumed he was long gone, so just kept going and hit the river trail, but then we just happened to intersect when I crossed the road to the Icon trail. So that was lucky, again. So then I had some nice relaxed miles with Sylvan as we had good conversation. I had brought a headlamp but I stashed it under some leaves after a half mile. Sky was clear blue and the sun peaked up at the end of the run, just a great morning. And I got more distance than planned, which is great! Always easier with a friend. 7:25 ap.

AM: Wow, alot happened in this run. Parked at BSFC side of the Deer Fence. Beautiful, warm morning, even with then shade of the mountains. There was a sign that said the trail was closed from December to the second Saturday of April, but I pretty much ignored it, I know, dumb (it is located in a wildlife management area). So I was running for maybe 3 minutes, and going up a hill staring at the trail in front of me and then I came this injured but alive deer laying in the middle of the trail, and it flinched and stared at me. I just kept going. Saw multiple dead deer on the trail. 3 miles in I heard a loud howling that sounding like a thousand demons emerging from hell, so scary. Apparantly there's a coyote farm below the fence, but I didn't know that. Then I got to the highlight of the run. I had been planning to go for the CR on Millville hill (a nasty .8 mile climb), I went for and I got it, crushed the the person haha (I once held it but got moved down to fourth, but justice has been served) Crossed Prov canyon and then I was actually in a nonrestricted trail. Just took it easy going out there. Saw Dillon Maggard and some other Aggies so that was cool. Hit Dry 7.5 miles out and found the water bottle I stashed yesterday, glad I did that. Headed back and tried to keep a decent pace. Started to get a nasty blister on the right pinky toe after I crossed Prov, it only got worse and worse especially running back down that climb. Hit Millville canyon and the DNR was waiting for me (basically law enforcement) so they talked to me a bit, and would have let me off with a warning, but they were nice enough to give me a ride back to my car, and THEN he asked for my ID and gave me a citation, so that blows. My bad though for ignoring the sign. (saw a few other people on that trail though too).  Jogged one more mile for 13. We'll see if I'll have to return those shoes or not, I liked them other than the blister problem. 7:37 ap, so not bad especially for having less downhill then uphill.

PM: Well, after my longest work day ever (9.5 hours) I hit the road for  2 or 3 miles, maybe four if I was feeling good, to make up for the shortened run this morning.This was just before midnight. Ran out towards the river trail then back through Willow Park. Felt pretty relaxed!Ended up going 4.5 then I did some strides which added to 5, so and 18 mile day and 64 mile week. Pretty happy with myself, just hope my body can recover for another good week of training next week.