Everything Went Wrong :o)

This week was a bit rough to fit my running schedule into my life. I didn't run on Monday, cause that's one of my rest days, and I just didn't feel like it. I ran Tuesday morning (3 miles) and Wednesday evening (5 miles). I had a very important appointment with a Russian lady named Vesna at a day spa on Thursday morning (ouch) and Jackie's 21st (33rd) Birthday at Talara on Thursday evening, so I couldn't run on Thursday. As a direct result of Jackie's party, I was unable to run on Friday morning (rum) and I had Kickboxing on Friday evening. Therefore, I was missing my 2nd 3-mile run for the week. I planned to do it on Sunday morning (in DC or Baltimore) and still keep my long run (9 miles) on Saturday like normal. But Saturday ended up being anything but normal.

On Saturday, I left my apartment at 11:30am to run my 9-mile run. I had planned everything perfectly. I had my course mapped out online and memorized all my turns. I had added new jams to my iPod playlist. I was wearing pants with a pocket for my housekeys. I was well-rested after a Friday night spent eating Indian food and watching "Jumping the Broom" on my sofa. In short, I was excited about my run. Given my running speed, traffic lights, and warm-up and cool down, I expected that I would be back to my apartment no later than 2pm. This would give me ample time to eat, shower, primp, pack my PJs & toothbrush, and make my way out to frolic in the streets of Baltimore and DC for the evening.

Sigh. We all know the story about the best laid plans of mice and men, right?

I arrived home at 4:55pm, nearly 5.5 hours after I left. Here is how it all went down.

About 2 miles into my run, I stopped to use the bathroom at the mall. When I came out of the building I noticed that it had gotten cloudy and windy. At this point, I was less than a mile from my apartment and could have easily turn around, headed home, and finished up on the treadmill in the gym. But I didn't do that, because I stupidly believed that the weather on my Droid was the right weather (no rain, Blind Melon style) and that what I was observing (obvious storms brewing) was not actual reality. You can see where this is going.

At about mile 4.5 (somewhere in Fells Point), it started raining pretty hard. Luckily, it only rained briefly, and I was able to take cover under the awning of a corner bar. I picked up running again, headed farther from home. Then 1.5 miles or so later, the skies opened all the way up and poured all the way down. I was in Canton by then and managed to take cover right before the rain party started. I ended up being stuck sitting on a bench in a bus shelter for 50 minutes while the skies cleared up to a light drizzle. At this point, I was able to run about another 3/4 of a mile with clear-ish skies, until the skies reopened and let it all out again. I took shelter at the Merritt Athletic Club this time, where they let me finish my last 3 miles on one of their treadmills, bless their hearts, and gave me water and a non-soaked sweat towel (sweat, not rain, surprisingly).

I felt relief to be done my 9 miles, despite the starting and stopping, BUT I still had to make it home and I was at least 3-4 miles from home. So I sighed, strapped my iPod back on and hoofed it home on my amazingly strong and wonderful legs and feet. At least I wouldn't have to run on Sunday, I told myself, I was doing those missed 3 miles right then and there. I made it to the Circulator stop in Harbor East, where for once in its life, the Circulator arrived no more than 2 minutes after I did. I plopped down in a seat and rode the way back to my apartment, smelling disgusting and looking worn out.

It was an epic journey to say the least. An epic journey to cap off a not-so-picture-perfect week of running. Once I got home, I had to eat mad quick, shower and dress even more quickly, and pack with energy so frenzied that later I didn't even know what I had packed in my bag (3 pairs of heels, 2 miniskirts, make-up, no real pants). I was late to my godbrother's party which in turn made me miss Karen's dance performance. I had to skip out on Muse (and Teatro apparently) with my fave ladies and was able to collapse into bed at 2:30am, exhausted but happy.

Things I am grateful for during my long-long run:

1. Bus shelters
2. Mall potties
3. Merritt Athletic Club
4. My legs

Things I wish I'd had on my long-long run:

1. Money (for water or a taxi or both)
2. Elizabeth's phone number (cause she lives near the Merritt)
3. A second sweat towel
4. A sudoku or something for the time spent in the bus shelter (not really, I like to daydream)
   

After this run, I decided to get a prepaid Visa card to keep on me while I run (in the little pocket with my keys), so that I can buy water or anything else I might need. I have also decided to write a few phone numbers in Sharpie on this prepaid Visa, just in case I need to call someone to bail me out (pun intended).

But the biggest take away from this experience is that some weeks are going to be like this one was. I'm not going to feel like running on Monday, then I will have stuff to do on other weekdays, and then it will rain and I hate treadmills, and then I will have other events to go to and time constraints and every possible thing that you can think of (including a huge snowstorm, like Snowmaggedon 2010 pictured above). But I know that I can squeeze my running in no matter what, outside forces be damned.

I made a promise to myself and this race is important to me, I'm gonna get it all the way in.