Run Dead Redemption

After a couple weeks of taking a bit off my speed to nurse my calf back to health and dealing with lovely GI issues on the majority of my runs, I finally turned running angry last night (not outwardly angry, just got myself worked up for my long run). I started taking some digestive enzyme supplements with my meals, and Pepto-Bismol tabs at before bed. We ended up picking up pizza at Gino's North and knowing how my GI system has reacted to everything, I told my stomach...




I woke up at 6am today, as it was going to stay in the 60s late enough that I wouldn't need to start my run that early.  Took a couple more digestive enzymes with my toast, got my coffee in, and got the all clear from my body at 8:15.

I was not having a bad run today, I would not let it happen, I primed myself mentally, I tuned into some Fear Factory in my mental pandora and walked to my starting point feeling like I was in this video game:

I checked the weather beforehand and knew I would be facing a nasty wind from the north on my loop back so better make the first half count.

I should thank a couple runners for making my pace pick up. I started off a few blocks away from this one shorter, bigger guy that was running fast and hard.  I figured that the pace he was doing wasn't sustainable. Goal one..Pass him.  I didn't do anything crazy and burn out, but I noticed he lost a step every 400 meters or so. I finally caught him and his steps were hitting the ground like a bass drum. I hope he doesn't hurt himself, not usually a great sign.

I continued my run and saw my second challenge. Around Waveland another short guy, but pretty upper body built with a tight tech Ragnar shirt on jumped on the path. He seemed to be going a bit too fast, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt. After a block he passes me, that's fine...but he stops increasing his speed and sits in front of me.  I give him a block to figure out his speed, I'm about 5 feet behind him as his pace slowed a little. I went to go around him and he swayed to the side and sped up. Not today man, not today.  I then thought about what some other blogger ladies that did the Ragnar has said about a lot of the men talking about "Kills" in the race and I pegged him as one of them. That settled it. I took off and wanted to say- Kill - to him, but he had on headphones. I never really slowed down to much except to sip my Gatorade. I figured he would make a run for me, but I guess he just burned out on his run early, and I didn't see him again.  I saw checked my watch a couple times and saw I was at mile 4 at 26 minutes now and tried to take a step off. I hit mile 7 (the turn around at Michigan Avenue for me) and was at 46:30. Not really a pace I can sustain for 13 miles yet, but I built a decent buffer for the wind I thought.

I turned to loop back and wow. The wind out of the north from Michigan Avenue to Belmont was just sick. I felt like I was running with a parachute on my back. If the wind was just a little more forgiving I know I would have finished under 90 today.

I know I didn't need to go that fast for training purposes, but I needed a good run for my mental status and I got it. I was starting to feel dumpy thinking I was burning out early or something.  I finished at an even 7 minute mile (marathon pace) and didn't feel tired after.  Good thing as we walked to the Pride Parade pretty quickly after I got home. Round trip that was about 5 miles, which after cooling down, felt rougher than running 13.

Now here are some parade pics!

Getting our station ready

Selfie!

And two videos:







Well if I kept your attention this far, thanks for following along!
One question for you! Do you ever have running advice you give, but you rarely take yourself?