afternoon - 26 Leeds. What the crap... is all I can say about this run. Started off without a plan really, just a water bottle and some Cliff Shots. So I headed out past the Junction and down the hill toward Quail. I thought I might push out to anywhere from 20-30 just depending on how I felt. I was pretty warm out and I drank my water much quicker than I thought, but refilled when I hit the Leeds park for a short pit stop. I never felt very good, but was moving along pretty decent and hit just barely over 7 min ave. on the way out (15 miles) even with all the hills (3 big climbs over bluffs and the continuous uphill). But the last two out past Leeds - Leeds was at mile 13 - were a little struggle and I started to feel crappy. Turning around, I told myself just to relax and remember that there are ups and downs in a run - especially one this long. I took my second gel at the 18 mile mark, but it immediately started disagreeing with me. I got to the overlook at Quail and decided to just sit. I even thought about calling Ally from someone's cell phone, but thought that I would just push on through. But then I had to walk a bit along the lake - I just felt horrible, legs were gone and stomach was trashed. Got down to where there are a couple businesses and wanted to use the phone, but everything was closed for New Year's. So I started up the hill and thought I would call home from the gas station at the Junction. Ran about half a mile and had to stop again and start walking. I figured this was a pretty interesting site for people - a guy walking up this big hill clear out from any part of town and then add to it my puking. Eventually I got to the phone, but no one answered at home. So I had 5 miles to get home. I just started jog/walking as much as I could and hoped my wife would check the messages. Eventually she pulls up. Luckily she had checked the message and came and got me or it would have been a horrible 4 more miles. Just over 1:47 for the 15 out, but 2:15 for the 11 back (including the walking and breaks). A perfect storm hit me: hotter than usual (for this time of year), sick the last few days (up a lot the night before with stomach pains, but no throwing up), not hydrating enough (on the run and the days before the run), long fast the day before, crappy shoes (I'm not a huge fan of these Neos anyway, but the wrong sizing makes them fit very weird). (Neo 39) | 