You know those times when preparation meets opportunity? Yeah. Me either.
Long runs like this can go either way. Just to try something different, I'm going to look at this from a positive perspective.
I left my house and ran 6 miles to the mouth of Farmington Canyon. At mile five I got a drink. I forgot my dollar so I couldn't buy a water bottle to carry for the next 10+ miles. This was a critical error. I should put a dollar somewhere. I ran nearly 5 miles up Skyline drive. Ran, well, ran and walked and powerhiked nearly 5 miles up Skyline drive. I made it past halfway creek, and decided I better turn around. It was mile 16.5 before I got another drink. In that time my lips hurt real bad.
So the last 4 miles were pretty rough, after stupidly getting so dehydrated.
All of which makes this a great run, because I won't have to run up a 5 mile long hill in the marathon, or go without fluids for 11 miles. Things can only get better.
On the even brighter side, I got high enough to see the clouds running over the peaks, and the eagle playing on the updraft. There was no noise but my footfalls, and distant sound of rushing water in Farmington Creek. No cars, no people, just me and the butterflies. Truth. Tranquil.
I had my wife meet me at smoot park. I sat in the cold water of ricks creek and made my skin turn very pink. I took a hot shower at home and downed a couple pills and worked in the yard and garage for the rest of the day. My legs are still a bit wrecked, but my knee felt fine and still feels fine.
Elevation peaked at 6200', and my unreliable phone says 3372' of climb. Sure, the average pace was a pedestrian 9:40...but you can't win them all. 3 weeks till Boston. No more 20 milers until then.
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