Running in the rain

This morning I awoke to the sound of drizzle. By 11:00 it was more like light drizzle so I decided to head to the park for my long run. Drizzle be damned.

There weren’t many people in the park. Can’t imagine why. After some stretching and a short warm up run, I headed to the trail. I was dressed in lightweight running tights under semi-waterproof track pants, a long sleeve shirt, my spiffy new Brooks jacket and a fleece headband that covers my ears. Ten minutes into the run I was still cold and worried I was under dressed for the 35 degree temperature. 20 minutes into the run I was sweating and actually thankful for the on-again, off-again drizzle.

At the eight-mile point, I felt a side stitch coming on. I tried breathing deeper. I tried exhaling when my left foot hit the ground. I tried to pretend I was blowing out birthday candles. Nothing was working. Then I tried something that a friend had suggested. I sucked in my ribcage and held it for a few seconds. It hurt like crazy at first, but magically the stitch was gone. Yay!

At nine miles, the drizzle changed to rain. I kept running.

At ten miles my feet were beginning to hurt and my knees were a little rubbery. At this point I had run the entire park twice and just had a mile and a half to go to get back to where I had parked. I kept running.

At 11 miles every muscle in my body was tired and begging for rest. The spot where the trail met the parking lot was just a little farther. I decided I would try to make it to the end of the trail, but at 11.13 miles it was time to stop so I slowed down and started walking.

When I got to my car I stretched and gulped down a bottle of water. My legs were tired, my feet were sore, my clothes and hair were wet, but I’d done it. 11.1 miles - a new time and distance PR.

Stats:

11.13 miles, 1:45:57 minutes, 9:31 pace