Sunrise 6:57 am, 1.5M out
Freestone Co. Rd 720, TX
Ah… The weekly long run, which should have happened on Thursday and instead happened on Friday. Why? Because I’m not a morning person and rolling out of bed at 5:45 am is a torment. And training days are always negotiable. Right?
If I’m being honest, the alarm went off at 5:45 am. I swiped the snooze a couple of times and finally made it to my feet just before 5:55 am. Between morning bathroom routine, running clothes, shoes and gear, AND icing the water in my hydration vest, I didn’t get outside and press the start on my activity tracker until 6:29 am.
I was about to note that it was a “balmy” 80 degrees (F) outside, but to be balmy is to be “soothing” and “pleasant.” It wasn’t either of those. What it was, was warm with a slight breeze (8 mph out of the SE) which made it a not unpleasant morning for a 6 mile run. Weather Underground shows the temp dipped from the 80F at 5:51 to 78F at 6:51 am. It had come back up to 85ish by the time I finished an hour and forty-five minutes later. I beat the 90s, which arrived by 8:51 am, so I’ll take it!
I usually “walk with purpose” for the first half mile. At which point, I start my GymBoss interval timer and begin run:walk intervals of 1:2–one minute run, 2 minute walk. If I’m feeling really good and breathing okay, I’ll do a 3 minute run interval at some point early in the run and make the switch to 2:1 intervals. If I need to, I do the same in reverse and transition back to the 1:2. At least, that’s my intervals right now. It’ll change the fitter I get and build my base mileage.
Friday wasn’t one of my “good” days. My legs were tired at the start and I couldn’t stop yawning. The yawning went away the more run intervals I did, but the fatigue remained. I managed my run intervals, even up the inclines (yay me!), for a little beyond the halfway point where I turned and headed back to start. Heart rate was staying elevated at that point and I turned off the intervals for the remaining 3ish miles. I returned to my “walk with purpose” pace which was better for the last hour than it had been in the first 15 minutes. I shouldn’t have been surprised. I’m like a horse returning to the barn. The closer I get, the faster I want to go. Get it over with already! 😀
As I worked through the intervals, I considered the fatigue and how my body was feeling. More importantly, I reviewed the previous few days that would have been preparation for the long run. It didn’t take much searching my memory to know I was dehydrated AND under-fueled. I feel the dehydration affected me less on this run than the fact that I’d only eaten one meal the previous day.
I’m taking Mounjaro working on my insulin resistance and trying to manage my blood sugar levels. Side effects of this medicine is a reduction in appetite and nausea. Means I don’t eat as much. Weight loss more or less a given, so I don’t worry about tracking my food intake. I know it’s reduced, a good thing for me normally, and I’m taking a multivitamin. No need to bother with tracking. I eat when I’m hungry and not nauseous, usually once or twice, a day.
Training during a Texas summer– Hell! Just having to be outside to run errands between air-conditioned interiors during a Texas summer, it’s a given I have to intentionally hydrate everyday. (Still barely 32 oz a day–less than half of what I need.) Yesterday’s “short” long run gave me a timely reminder that my aging body requires “intentional preparation for strenuous workouts.” LOL Looks like it’s time to get out those books with the “diet-quality score,” whole food “portables,” and “clean eating” recipes and do some meal and snack prepping.
The only other thing I wanted to mention about yesterday’s long run is that I was charged not once, not twice, not even three times. I was charged by dogs SIX different times. Most times it was a little yapping dog with a larger, more timid companion. The yapper convinces big bro or sis that they need to defend their territory. Fortunately, I’m familiar with most of the dogs along my route and know how to handle them. At least three of them are sweeties. They bark but will come up to me wagging their tail and sniffing the hand I hold out to them. The yappers stay out of arm’s reach as long as I’m facing them.
Only two close calls. The first of which was a momma pitbull that isn’t usually roaming free. She stayed within her fence (making a ferocious racket!), and as I went past the open gate at the drive. She stayed at the inside corner of the gate inset not going around to the open gate. I was past her section of fence. Her young, goofy “brother” was happily keeping pace with me, nudging my extended hand. I hoped she was satisfied I was moving beyond threat distance. Or better yet, NOT a threat. I wasn’t scared, but on high alert.
Suddenly, I heard her claws scrabbling on the asphalt at my back and her barking-snarling-snorting fast approaching my heels. I stopped dead and spun around to face her. She really didn’t slow down, but instead veered sharply into a wide u-turn (she’s a w-i-d-e dog, chuffing like a train, she needed the space for her arcing turn). Brother stopped with me. At my side I can see him looking at her, ears raised and head cocked in the classic dog query: “What’s your malfunction,” he asked her.
Momma pit went back to her drive and barked and snorted at me from there as I began walking again, backward for the first several steps. She seemed content to stay at her drive and I turned, continuing on my way. I realized afterward that I hadn’t been afraid. Of course, I’m sure, that would have been totally different, if I’d had to switch to active defense rather than passive. 😉
The second close call was with a familiar, extremely timid dog. She stayed on her side of the fence, not really barking, but rather checking in with her yappy Yorkie sibling, who was also staying on that side of the fence. (FYI: The timid ones are the ones that’ll come in silent to nip or grab you when your back is turned.) I was 8 or 10 feet past them when I heard the yappy Yorkie rushing toward me. Sure enough, timid girl was following yappy Yorkie’s lead and was coming in fast and low–and silent–straight at my heels.
Fortunately, I think she was actually sneaking in for a sniff, rather than a nip–pretty sure I felt the tip of her nose touch my heel as I turned. She scampered back away from me and yappy Yorkie stopped its mad dash toward me, if not its yapping. <sigh> I walked backward for a few steps, turned and continued on my way to the next doggie encounter.
Just so you know, NEVER run past a dog that is off-leash and/or loose. No matter how people friendly, your “flight” can trigger their chase/catch instinct.
