Advice

For some strange reason unknown to me, people ask my advice about running, biking & swimming.   For those of you who know me well, you realize they are wasting their time asking about biking & swimming!   As far as the running stuff, I know just enough to be dangerous.   And usually the danger part involves my own sanity or personal health.

Christine has been steadily progressing with her marathon training plan.   Her long runs have been increasing and have reached 13 miles already.   The only problem is that where we run around our house is pancake flat.   When we run in Baton Rouge, we have one overpass we go over but the rest is flat.   Unfortunately, the St. Jude Marathon program has some hills on it.

During a discussion a few weeks ago, she wanted to go to Highland Road Park for her long run.   I “advised” that she go there on one of her shorter runs to get used to the hills.   It is difficult to tackle two problems at the same time (hills and increasing the long run.)   That sounds like pretty good advice, doesn’t it?

Well, it was flat out ignored.   The first run on any real hills since the beginning of the summer and on top of that more miles!   And it had to be Highland Road Park.   The exact place I said shouldn’t be visited.   But of course, Christine wasn’t the one who ignored my advice.   I was the idiot.

I headed over there on Friday and not only did my longest run of the year, but I did it on the hills.   And to top it all off, I completely underestimated the heat and was severely dehydrated (I have given advice on that as well).   I managed to make 16 miles, but the last 1.5 were pathetic.   I averaged about an 8:50 pace for the first 14.5 miles and around 12:30 for the last 1.5.   Both legs were cramping.   I was imagining cow skulls and vultures.   And I still had to dodge Frisbees, dogs, falling trees and golf balls (even longer story).   But I survived it.   And the entire time I was replaying my conversation with Christine.

I guess I need to start writing down what I tell other people.   Maybe I might learn something from it.

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