I was thirsty...so very thirsty...

I didn't exactly have the best run yesterday.  It wasn't terrible, either.  I just had these high hopes of it being this great pre-cursor to my half that's coming up next week.  I know I'm putting so much pressure on myself and I know that it isn't really all that fair, but...well...here's how it all went down....

I got to the park a couple minutes late (oops), but that's okay because I wasn't the only one and my team was just standing around and sharing some stories.  Some of the guys had run the 10 for Texas race the week before and were recapping.  They explained what we were to do...run 3/4 of a mile warm-up, then 1/2 a mile counting our steps.  I had missed the week (due to my whole food poisoning issue) when my team first did that.  That's hard, y'all.  Have you ever tried to count your steps?

Next, we were to head from Meyer Park around the fishing lake over to Collins Park out to Cypresswood Drive and run past TC Jester and out to Kuykendahl and then back.  We were then supposed to finish it with a timed lap.  We were told there was water placed out for us and where it was, BUT (and this is the part that sucks) I got confused and didn't find it (more on that in a bit).

Before heading out to Cypresswood, Collins does have a bathroom/water fountain house, so I did stop to take advantage of this as I did not know how far away the water was and/or if I was going to have to use the bathroom.  It always makes me nervous to leave the park because it's awkward if you need to use the bathroom.  I mean if you are in a race, at least there are port-a-potties in case of emergency, you know?!  Anyway, this was all at mile 3 according to my Garmin and I was quite thankful I at least had drank that water.

I then headed out to Cypresswood.  Shortly thereafter, my coach passed me on a return trip (he was JUST putting in 5 after having done 22 the day before - can't even fathom that).  He reminded me how to pump my arms and once I put it into practice, I started flying (well...for me, anyway).  Seriously, though...I was maintaining sub 13 miles and feeling great!  Funny how when we had done our 7 miler how far away TC Jester seemed and now...eh...not to bad at all!  I love that!  I will say it was much cooler out than that 7 miler day, too, though, but still!  So, we were told that we would have to cross the street and there was a little park and the water was on a park bench.  I thought this was perfect, so I planned on eating either my Larabar or some of my Shot Bloks with the water.  I kept going and going and going and finally I hit Kuykendahl.  I was totally ready for some water.

So, I got there and crossed the street into a subdivision...a little bit up the road, I saw what looked like a park...as I approached it, I saw that it was all closed up with a sign that said private park.  I couldn't see any gate open or any water on any of the park benches inside.  I stopped and stood there and honestly just wanted to cry.  My Garmin was at 5.75 miles and I knew I was going to have to run 2.75 miles back to the Collins water fountain.  I went ahead and took out my Banana Bread Larabar...ate it hoping it would give me  energy...and then a fresh piece of gum hoping it would somehow hydrate me...and I wished I had been smart enough to throw a couple dollars in my Spibelt because there was a gas station on the corner (I will definitely not leave home without a $5 with me next time).  I then started a much slower run back to the park...I was defeated.

When I finally made it to the Collins water fountain, I surely gulped gallons (slight exaggeration) of water from the fountain.  I was so thirsty.  I had gone 5.5 miles without water...I was now at the 8.5 mile mark and ONLY had 2.5 miles left to go on this jaunt.  I (still) slowly headed up the trail in Collins back towards Meyer Park.  I finally made it to Meyer and headed to our picnic table.  It was our breakfast day - our coach had made us oatmeal with egg and raisins.  He had brought bananas and honey for us to add into it.  I had thought he would have been gone by the time I got there, but he was still there along with one other girl.  I told him I never found the water.  We went over where it was supposed to be.  Apparently I misunderstood...it was at a little park off of TC Jester, not Kuykendahl - he said that way we could get the water twice - once going past it to Kuykendahl and once heading back to Collins.  Well that only makes sense...too bad I'm a dum-dum!  He told me I didn't have to do the timed lap, but I still had 1.1 miles left to go to hit my 11, so I gulped down my entire bottle of G2 (taking Amanda's advice that maybe I needed some calories coming from my drink - although it probably would have helped earlier in my run - ha)!  My coach said he would have oatmeal ready for me when I got back.  Um...okay.  The last thing I want when I first finish running is food.  I headed out do to my lap, but at the 1/4 mile mark, the charlie horses started making their presence known.  I continued to the 1/2 mile marker and they were just there at the surface threatening every few steps...I finally said "screw it" and ran on the path that lead back to the table not caring if it shorted me the 11 (which it did - I only got 10.8 in total).

My coach insisted on the oatmeal, so I had some.  It actually did hit the spot and the bananas were good for the charlie horse issue, I'm sure.  He gave me some water since I had finished my G2 before my last little bit of run and then the three of talked for a while.

I'm left not feeling as confident for my half next week as I did after my 9 miler a few weeks ago due to my poor hydration issues the past couple of weeks.  The only thing that gives me some comfort is knowing that the race offers up hydration stations every 2 miles and that my race plan is to walk through each and every station taking full advantage of the opportunity to hydrate.

So, one thing you can bet your bottom dollar on this week - you won't catch me without a bottle of water in one hand at all times!  I'm not taking any chances!

Special shout out to my friend Lauren who is running the Nike Women's half today in San Fran!  Wish her well!