10 mile run that almost wasnt and weekend away recap!

I took off work Thursday and Friday because the hubs starts his new job today and we wanted a long weekend away before he started at the new job. We drove up Wednesday evening and Thursday and Friday were spent working on finishing up our blinds and getting things lined out.

 

 

 

Saturday morning I had planned on doing my 10 mile run, but I woke up with a pounding headache, so I stayed in bed and the hubs went out to the stand to try and get a big 300# pig that had been messing with our feed pens. He came back around 9am with a fox, he didn’t see the hog, but pretty got a pretty cool fox, which was neat. These guys eat birds and their eggs and can attack baby fawns too... so these are on the always shoot list, along with coyotes.

 

 

Sunday morning was set for my run, set my alarm for 6:30am, got up and had peanut butter on a slice of bread, got dressed, grabbed a water, and my shot blocks and headed out to start my run. I found the gravel road along the edge of our place was a mile up to the top, so I ran my 10 miles on gravel. I could have gone to the highway, but every time we drive it, I see a dead deer from someone hitting it and I didn’t want to get squashed and I could have run through our property, but I was worried about rattle snakes and getting bit. So my 10 miler was going to be a trail run, on gravel, with hills. I almost sprained my left ankle twice and almost bit it BAD once.

Half a mile in I noticed a cactus pricker in the arch/heel region of my right shoe, and I landed on it from time to time and would get a nice jab. I did get to see deer at the high fence, I noticed a doe on our side and a buck and fawn on the other, it was like they were at the fence talking to each other – it was really cute. During mile 2 I started to feel like I needed to go to the bathroom, never again am I going to carb load at a Mexican restaurant!

Got to see the most beautiful sunrise during mile 3, it was breathtaking. 4 miles in I finally gave in and stopped to go to the bathroom and try to remove the cactus pricker from the bottom of my shoe. The bathroom in our trailer in not big, and by this point I was already a sweaty mess from the first 4 miles. I cannot tell you how many times I told myself, I am just going to stop here, 4 miles of trails and hills is good, can I do 10 miles, much less 10 tough miles??? I couldn’t get the pricker out, so I used my fingers and pushed it as far down in the shoe as I could and then I tried to put my compression capris back on- while a sweaty mess, it was a nightmare! I was about to strip down and hit the shower and quit, but something in me decided I NEEDED to do this. My half would not be fun if I didn’t get in a couple more long runs beforehand. So I got it together and went back out to run the last 6 miles.

 

Miles 4-7.5 one of my girls ran with me, miss Maddie enjoyed her mommy and me time, and I was going only going to take her 2 miles, but when I got back to get here sister, miss Belle was not feeling well, she left the trailer to use the potty and then went right back to bed, think she had an upset tummy, so I left to go run without her and Maddie followed a bit longer. We got to see some simitar horned oryx in the high fenced ranch next door which was pretty cool and we heard a coyote, which made me a bit nervous, but we never saw it. She was getting worn out so I dropped her off with her daddy and he got  her in the trailer so I could finish the 10 alone. Poor thing probably would have finished with me, but I have never taken her more than 2/so miles because I usually split my runs between the two girls, so I didn’t want to burn her out.

 

 

the little white looking dots are the oryx- sorry its a crappy Iphone pic

 

I finished and I was so proud I kept going. It seems like that’s how things always work out, life happens and gives you multiple outlets to excuse yourself from doing what you had planned to do workout or eating wise and I for one a lot of times take those outs, so I am really proud of myself for sticking with this one.

 

I wasn't fast, its my slowest pace to date, but I DID IT! I finished and that's whats most important. My heart rate monitor said I burnt 2,000 cals over the 2 1/2 hours it took to finish, between bathroom breaks and dropping off the dog...

 

 

 

A summary of my pace and the hills I ran:

 

Why do you run? I run for a lot of these reasons, but also to prove to myself that I am capable of doing things I never thought possible!

 

 

 

A picture of 3 of my 4 babies in the truck on the way home last night, they are too cute!!!

 

Last week I got in one 3 mile run and my 10 miler, so only 13 miles for the week. Today I am resting, but I am back at it tomorrow. Weekly goals will be posted tomorrow.

We are also half way through the month and I am STILL planking!!!! Its VERY hard planking longer than a minute. I WILL finish this challenge if it kills me! Are you planking?