A Sunny Seven Point Two

This weekend, I drove out to Miami Whitewater Park to run the outer loop there, which I thought was 7.8 (according to The Interwebs), ended up being 7.6 (according to their sign), but didn't matter because I think I only ran about 7 - 7.2. So much for 8.

I felt OK in the first 3 miles. There was a smidgen of shade in the beginning. Then, the trail basically became a steady repetition of sun and hills, surrounded by ragweed and other various Nature. I was happy to take my gel at the 4 mile mark. After that, I never felt too great again. Hot, yes. Hotter and hotter and hotter as the sun baked me. I had motivation to get the run over with, since I was sure I was slowly frying out there in the sun, but just couldn't find the oomph.

The trail is nice – a curvy, rolling path that makes you feel like you're not really anywhere in particular. But its snaking shape through the fields and constant change in elevation also prohibits you from seeing where the heck you're going. So even though I vainly scouted for an upcoming batch of trees every time I crested a hill, I never saw any. But that's because there weren't any. I kept pulling my tank top up and back to save the chest from a nasty burn.

In the last mile of the trail, I stopped to walk. I tried running again, but it was a pitiful shuffle. So I just tried to speed walk. After I got back to my car, I grabbed my wallet and bought a Pepsi at the concession stand. I find when I'm exhausted after a run, I really need the bad-for-you sugar boost found in colas. I stretched a little and got in the car for the half hour drive home.

It wasn't awful...I mean I at least moved for an hour and 30 minutes. Today I am a little burned (though it's getting better) and just slightly sore. I'm hoping to hop on the bike in the morning now that we have Raid and I can fend off the creepy spider that made a web in my trainer. (Supposedly it's gone, but I need the bug spray for the nail in the coffin.)