A Bridge (or Two) Too Far

I've been recuperating since Saturday morning when we ran across the George Washington Bridge and down to Palisades Park for what was billed as a challenging run. I've been through that park on my bike, and there are some beastly inclines. It is gorgeous over there and just wonderful getting out of the City. It's so close and feels so far away. I enjoyed running by myself in that environment. I would probably have run at a faster pace with someone, but I was happy to have time to program my head and sing to myself, of course. The first mile or two is where company is most essential. After that, I'm on autopilot, lost in my thoughts.

I'm definitely still sorting out the sleep, nutrition, hydration variables with mixed success. I tried Bugs's camelbak and practically didn't make it across the GWB with it. It was unbelievably heavy and cumbersome. I was really dragging across the bridge and grateful that Steve took it off my hands. I could have used the extra water though. My fear of needing a bathroom led me to stop each time a bathroom was within shouting distance, even if it took me out of the way. On the return trip, I had to backtrack several hundred feet because I overshot it. As it turns out, I didn't need it, but I wasn't going to take any chances. I tiki tiki/roogie toogied my way up the hills as much as I could, but the hills won out several times, forcing me to walk part of the way.

I tried different socks to see if it had any effect on my right foot. Unfortunately, it did not. I stopped a number of times to try to work out the pain. The foot situation has evolved from simple numbness, which I have been working to mitigate by curling my toes under and wiggling. I don't stop running because it's dead until I can't take another step. The bigger problem I have trouble ignoring is the feeling that I have a huge stone in my sneaker. The stone is the mass of scar tissue on ball of my foot that extends to the area by my big toe, all the legacy of Verucca Sweetheart (more on her latter). I have to find a way to cushion the area so that I don't keep hitting it. I stopped reluctantly. It's hard to keep starting over.

I was a little dizzy after the run even though I had taken gels or bloks at 45-minute intervals and drank as much water as I had. I had to hightail downtown so that I could make it back to Times Square for a 2 o'clock matinee of "Gypsy." I think I needed more food after practice. I crashed very early and didn't wake up till 5 a.m.

I didn't want to let the exhaustion keep me from running today, so I went out to visit the Williamsburg bridge for an easy 4.8 mile run. I was still tired and I wasn't moving like greased lightening. One wouldn't expect too much after a long run. Plus I must remind myself that the Williamsburg bridge is a very long, slow climb. I'm going to check the old map to figure out the incline's distance and use a handy trick I read about in Runner's World to determine the incline. Inquiring minds must know exactly how much punishment I'm putting myself through. Truth be told, when I see "4-5 Miles EZ" on the schedule, I actually look forward to it. It is easy, relatively speaking. What's hard is the same old issue of getting out of the house and getting started. I spend the first mile reminding myself that if I can get through it, the second mile will be a lot better...and so on.

Yesterday: 12.4
Today: 4.8
Miles to date: 161