Each Day Is a Gift

Awaken every hour through the night, perhaps fretting over this long run.  Legs are definitely not fresh (with 30 total miles in the last consecutive 4 days).  Out of bed at 6:15am, 41F, cloudy, 5mphSSE.  Wore shorts, compression sleeve, l/s shirt and green Boston jacket that has zip off sleeves, and pockets to hold flask of water and Gu's.  Nearly full bright moon to the west.  Ran 2.25 miles before meeting Karen at her house.  Plan was to run east up to Alpine then south to AF/Highland for a 20 mile loop back to her house then a mile home to make 23 miles!

Beautiful morning, bright full moon to the west, sunrise illuminating the clouds in pink and orange to the east, snowcapped mountains against gorgeous crisp blue sky and bright white fluffy clouds.  We ran up north on Suncrest Dr. then traverse east to Alpine Park where we gu'ed and drank from the everflowing fountain (7+miles).  Then ran south to SR92 and east up to the mouth of AF Canyon.  Happiest surprise of the day was when Toby honked and stopped to talk with us on her way up AF Canyon where she would grab some vertical miles! :)  Just love that girl and so very proud of her! :)

After saying goodbye to Toby we continued on SR92 to the trail head by Canyon Rd.  The golf course trail was abruptly closed for some construction (possibly to bury some pipes).  We climbed up the hill side to find a more accessible spot to cross the construction site without success so we hiked back down and found a lower dirt pile to cross.  All the drinking fountains and bathrooms along the Cedar Hills trails were closed.  We got on the MCT and continue east to the parking lot/bathroom by Canyon Rd.  We gu'ed and drank (mile 15ish).  By now it was getting warm and I could tell I had not kept up with my hydration.  Karen shed her l/s shirt.  I tried taking the jacket off to tie around my waist but the water flask flapping bugged me so I zip the sleeves off and put them in the other pocket of my jacket (now a vest).  That works well especially when the wind started to pick up and my wet shirt didn't chill me!

I started to bonk in the 17th mile.  Now Karen was doing the talking while I listened and tried to ignore the pain on my feet.  We stopped at the bathroom south of Lone Peak HS to drink.  The next 2-3 miles were painful.  It was also getting very windy.  We stopped at Mitch Hollow Park bathroom and when I reached for the sink to get some water I got very light headed and dizzy.  So I put my head down and got my heart rate to settle a bit, gu'ed and drank.  I was so depleted that I had forgotten to restart my watch from the last stop.  After running Karen home (her watch read 20 miles), I ran home (which is almost a mile from her house) to make 23ish miles.  That last mile was a crawling 11:15-12:00 pace with a stiff headwind.  Feet and shins were hurting very bad. 

Got in the house and could not find any recovery drink so I mixed a pack of instant breakfast with milk and gulped that down in seconds.  I was so dehydrated I think I drank less than 18oz of water and 3 Gu.  For breakfast I had 6 oz OJ and a yogurt.  This 23 miler zapped me like a marathon except I had lots of stops; and my left foot arch and shin and heel are killing me!  So glad for a 3 weeks taper and hopefully I will recover.  No fun getting old and slow!