Sept. 8-15

My week back from Burning Man was a recovery week, emotionally and physically, but I kept up running 6-8 mile runs.  I've missed two long runs because of my ankle being tender and being in the desert, so that has me a bit worried.  I am determined to do my long run on Sunday and mapped my route from home down to the river and along the path to Shawnee park and back for 17+ miles.  I started today out at Molly Malones for Ed's Sunday Funday which consisted of watching everyone have drinks and I chug my water. I started at 4 and ran at a slow pace and had a good start.  

I compromised on getting a water belt and got a hand strap with a water bottle.  (Andrea is going to love this)  By the time I got a few miles in, my water bottle was empty and I figured I could get a refill at Shawnee park, but not a water fountain to be found.  The running trail was beautiful though.

When I hit the golf course before the park, I was greeted by this signand a bicycling couple climbing over the rail.  Apparently the trail was safe but had been "closed" for safety reasons during flooding and never reopened.  I climbed the fence and continued my run.  The trail looked like something from "Life After People" and was safe but overgrown and neglected.  To the left of the fence was the golf course.

 I finally made it to Shawnee to the end where Broadway ends, and turned into the park looking for water.  I couldn't find a water fountain in the park so I re-entered the trail and headed back the way I came thirsty with the big Ohio River to my right (water water everywhere...)  I had been texting pictures to the Sunday Funday crew of my progress and this was my response.

By my mile seven they were on cocktail #7 so our days were pretty similar after all.  I made it out of the park and found water around mile 13, and continued, just around the bend and downtown in my sights.  I was feeling pretty bad, but at least determined to make it to the 15 mile mark.  It was a struggle, my legs were screaming at me to stop and my neck pain was bringing me down, but I hobbled the last couple of miles to the Muhammad Ali Center, my 15 mile marker and walked.  I had a 2 and a half mile walk to my house with a sufficient amount of pain.  

At home I found myself with chills and shaking, but showered and went to meet up with Sunday Funday, took a Glucose Tablet from Stephanie and ate a bit.

Black Rock City Mad Flava Running

My trip to Burning Man was delayed to Saturday evening so I was excited for a 14 mile run that morning.  It would have been the longest I've run to date.  I was in bed early and up at 5 to meet the girls at the y at 6, ready for the challenge, ready to break in my new shoes.  About five blocks into my run, I stepped on loose  concrete and twisted my ankle.  I stretched a bit and thought maybe I could run, but two steps in and I knew it wasn't happening.   I hobbled back to the Y and on to home, upset and feeling clumsy.  i iced my ankle and it swelled a bit.  We left for the desert that night.

We drove for 24 hours and the next night stopped in Wyoming for the night.  I went to bed with my running shorts on with the intention of getting up and trying to run.  I woke to lightning and rain and a pretty dismal stretch of hotels and fast food chains, not conducive to running.  We drove another 16 hours, waited three hours to get in, set up camp around 3 am, rode bikes til the sun came up and crashed in the cold.  At 9 am, the sun warmed up the tent and woke me.  I rolled over and saw an older man running by in a tiny speedo and got up and followed.
I ran about five miles and saw some amazing sights, sounds and people.  A lady yelled at me that there was a 5 k race the next day at 8 and I told her I would be there.
I got up and met people for the "Mad Flava Racing Black Rock City 5K."

  The lady I met yesterday was  named "something something Beaver" which I remember that part because she was wearing a bikini made of what I can only imagine was beaver fur.  I felt a bit under dressed for a bit (I wore running shorts) as people were in costume, wigs, tutus, until I ran next to someone really underdressed, naked barefoot guy.

Had a good run, met some nice people, even naked guy (who was faster naked and barefoot!) and ran 6-8 miles every day while I was in the desert.