The Voodoo just about Runs Jeff Down
I was worried about running 16 miles today after having such a great day yesterday. I had never run this far before. My longest previous run was 15 miles and that was pretty hard. I figured I'd take it easy and see what happened. Stacie went to Provo to run with some friends from the blog. I wasn't sure what route I'd take, but I knew I had to take a different approach this time. I usually do long runs where I can just go out the whole distance and have Stacie meet me at the end. This wasn't an option today, so I had to do something out-and-back. I was in a hurry when I plotted my course this morning because I needed to get out before the sun got too high. I decided to go out towards Draper, and then come back up Wasatch Boulevard since it might be more in the shade. Of course, I got out too late to take advantage of that possibility. Now, after having run this, I can say that the best way to run the south end of Wasatch Boulevard is in a sitting position--either in the passenger seat of a convertible, or in the sidecar of a motorcycle. Further down the list is running from north to south. At the very bottom is running from south to north--which is what I did. It was a little more than 8 miles out to the end of Wasatch and I felt pretty good at that point. (I'm getting better and better at running 8 miles.) I was cruising up at a relaxed pace and I was feeling pretty good about doing a steady four mile climb at that grade. At some point, I turned a corner and saw it. I let out an audible gasp. The road was as steep as the top quarter of the Eastdell hill and probably five times as long. I almost made it without walking--which at that point, I could do faster than running. When I finally got to the top of that, the road still kept going up, but at a much more reasonable grade. The run was not too bad from here and eventually, I could look down on Dimple Dell Road where I had been running the other direction an hour earlier. It was also where my marathon plans came within inches of ending. I tend to run on the left side of the road. I just feel safer that way. I used to run a lot at night while listening to music. I want the most distance between me and the traffic that I can't see as possible. Now, running down Dimple Dell is difficult. It is very steep and the road is severely pitched. I have to run so hard that the only comfortable place I can find is the middle of the road. Now, there usually isn't a lot of traffic at this time in the morning, but today I heard a car just behind me. I was listening to music, so I didn't hear it until it was right on my heels. I was probably running to the right of the middle stripes, so the driver probably thought I was running on the right side of the road and was annoyed that I was so far out in the road. She hurriedly passed me on the left. However, since I was running on the left side, my instinct was to move over to the left as soon as I heard the car. I moved left as she was passing and I was inches away from her front tire when I realized what was happening and moved back the other way.
Now, this was my fault. I should not have been in the middle of the road--especially not with music on. But is it too much to ask a driver to slow down, honk the horn, and wait to see where I go before deciding how to pass? A horn would have startled me, but I would have moved to the left and the car could have moved along in its own lane. I'd much prefer being startled by a horn than the scare I got this morning. I am glad to be writing this from my home and not the hospital. Good run today. The uphill was difficult, but I felt much better at the end of this run than I did at the end of my previous 15-mile best. I'm feeling pretty positive about it all right now. Workout Data
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