Monday, July 13, 2009

r is for run for your life

Good morning! How was your weekend? Good? Good...good.

Oh how was mine? Mine was ok, nothing special. Saw the folks, the mother-in-law, our friends we're going to Africa with. Went for my long run.

Oh yeah. And I was almost bit by a RATTLESNAKE during my run. I would say he looked like this, but honestly I went from walking along minding my own business, to hearing a strange rattling sound on my right, to running for my life. Of course that was after screaming like a 12 year old girl. I swear--fastest. sprint. ever.

So this was my run (or was supposed to be), and I knew that there was the potential for rattlesnakes on the Devil's Backbone, but it was early, and after heavy debate and weighing of factors by myself, Mr. Bump, and my mother-in-law, we thought they would still be sleepy, and sluggish, and Mr. Bump's recollection was that he'd never seen a rattler on a great portion of the trail. And to be fair, maybe they were sleepy. Who knows how many I didn't see? Except for the one sunning itself right next to the trail. It was cranky to be disturbed, and starting to rise up--more than the one above. I'm still freaked out just looking at this picture.

Even before the rattler the run was not so good. There was a lot of elevation gain/loss, and I was wearing road shoes, so my feet hurt from all the rocks. I got about 2.5 miles out on the trail and decided to turn around. I wasn't able to run as much or as fast as I'd like, because of the steepness and uncertain ground on a lot of the trail. So I thought I'd just head back out to the road and find somewhere else to run. I was debating getting back in the car and driving down to the river trail, or maybe skipping up to the neighborhood just further west that I'd seen on the map. I'll admit I probably wasn't paying the most attention to my surroundings, although I had been looking pretty carefully as I went along just in case. But he was curled up on a rock outcropping, on the far side as I rounded it, so probably even if I was paying attention I wouldn't have seen him.

The adrenaline that was pumping through me as I pounded on down the trail for the next mile was just spectacular. I was way over my target heart rate, but did I care? Eventually I slowed to a walk, and then picked it back up again as soon as my breathing would allow. The first three miles took me way above my normal pace, the last two were probably half the time. Once I had warned everyone going the other way on the trail and made it back to my car, the sense of immediacy to the threat had diminished, and I began to debate if I could bring myself to continue or just call it a day. I ran around near the parking lot for another half-mile, and decided that I was just done. I'd screwed with my energy and pace by sprinting, my feet hurt, I was shaking, and just over it. 5.46 miles would just have to do.

Of course once I got home, I felt really crappy about quitting. I've never done that before. I've always finished, every run. I kept trying to convince myself that running "just" 5 1/2 miles was pretty good, and I'd run extra up at Bumpalot the weekend before. But. But. Now I've screwed myself out of a long run for the week. I felt like I wasted a day of training. Still feel that way. This week is going to be a busy and hot one, and it has thrown me off my planning. I'll figure it out, I know I will, but I'm mad at myself, probably more for trying that insane trail than for quitting. But I learned something, at least. Stick to the road, Mrs. Bump. Stick to the road.

Also, can someone tell my why I am so compelled to eat crap all weekend, every weekend? I've got to get a handle on that. Suggestions are much appreciated. It isn't just that I get in tight situations where I don't have good choices. I seek it out. I want ice cream. And those damned m&ms. It makes me pretty tired, I think, which doesn't help. I need a better "I'm training for a half-marathon diet." Thoughts?

1 comment:

sasha said...

Mrs. Bump, YOU rock my world.