Thanks for the Inspiration

Last night after work, I decided to go for a run. It was chilly so I bundled up and took off. As I ran and listened to my ipod, I was feeling pretty good. I crossed path with some runners from the high school as I started off. They were running a pretty fast clip in the opposite direction so I picked up the pace a little, I wouldn't want to look like the slow old lady I am in front of those gazelle-like teenage girls after all! As I ran I was thinking about all the folks I read about on the RWOL forums and various blogs. I thought about Pat who is running a half marathon this weekend. I thought about Athena, who is gearing up for marathons. I thought about all of the stories I have read online about them and countless others and I kept running. I passed the turnoff for my small route, then the medium route. I was on the long path. I was getting dark so I made sure my arm flashers wer going and I donned my headlamp. For a while, I was feeling icy stings on my cheeks, which I thought was my breath crystallizing as I exhaled. After a while, I realized it was actually spitting rain/sleet. I headed up the path behind the high school toward home. As I reached the left turn towards home at the 4 mile marker, I decided to take a right instead and make a new route - my extra large route, unchartered territory. After all, Pat's running a half, Athena's running a marathon - I could do an extra 2 mile loop, that's nothing compared to them! The rain kept spitting and I kept going and when I stepped in the door at home, I had 6.23 miles logged on the Garmin - pretty sweet. It felt good and I never stopped to walk. Yeah me.

when I got home, Mike and the boys wanted to go out for supper. I wasn't real hungry but showered up anyway and went along for the ride. I began to feel a little nauseous. My legs felt like rubber and were starting to burn. Then they started to feel tight and crampy. I got colder and colder and started shivering. We pulled into Red Robin and I was feeling a little lightheaded as we walked in and took our seats. I didnt' order anything, I planned to just eat a sliver of whatever Mike ordered, which was my favorite A1 Peppercorn Burger and Fries. I drank about 4 Diet Cokes as we sat, hoping the fluids would make me feel a little bettter. The food came and I sliced off a thin piece of Mike's burger and picked at a fry. I wasn't hungry, so I just picked it apart. AS we drove home, I was shivering and achy. I grabbed a bottle of water and crawled into bed once we arrived and slept for 2 hours off and on, then got up and drank some more water and ate a grapefruit.

I have to admit, I am not very conscientious about hydrating when I run. I drink a bottle of water before I take off and I drink when I get back, but I don't carry a bottle or stop for water breaks. Usually I don't do big runs, so it just hasn't been a huge issue. Tonight it was. I know that the way I felt was a direct result of dehydration and frankly I don't want to be there again - it was uncomfortable and kinda scary. I won't lose the lesson here. I will make a better effort to stay hydrated and carry at east a little water with me when I run so I don't do this to myself again.