11 Miles....done!

This week has been HELLISH! Weather-wise and otherwise. Chicago experienced three consecutive 100-degree days, something that has only happened two other times in Chicago history (and none in my lifetime.) And before those 3 days, we’d had 90 degree days for about a week. YIKES! So running was already going to be difficult, then factor in a project deadline, and everything goes haywire. My girls’ field trip to the beach was cancelled because sand temperatures had reached up to 140 degrees on some beaches. 140 scorching degrees! Is that not insane?!?!?!?!

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, I got up at about 3:30am to work on said project. I’d work for a few hours, then go to work and work all day. On Wednesday, the holiday, I was able to get in a run, but honestly, there was no extra time to spare all week. I sent the project in on time at about 4:50pm on Friday. So quite literally, no spare time. But I felt confident in my running over the past month that I would be fine come “long run” day.

Saturday, my typical long run day was still “blazing saddles,” upper 90’s. Plus, there was a HUGE annual event taking place at the lakefront where I go (and blocking roadways in between.) The Chosen Few (House Party) Picnic draws tens of thousands…it’s lots of fun…but traffic anywhere near the lake is a nightmare. And people camp out to set up at the crack of dawn. Hot + Traffic = Lindy is running on Sunday. There was a projected cool front for Saturday night…which for once, the weatherman was right!

Sunday morning…72 degrees, 74% humidity (which wasn’t even a problem after the crap we’ve dealt with all week.) and pretty friggin windy. I parked over on Stony Island by the AKA headquarters (for those of you who know where I’m talking about…) and began my run right there. Down the sidewalk, passed the Museum of Science and industry, and under the pedestrian underpass to arrive at the lakefront path.

Museum of Science and Industry

As soon as I got on the path, the wind hit me. It wasn’t horrible, and it kinda made the humidity a non-factor, but it was definitely noticeable. (Not complaining—just reporting. I’ll take the wind ANYday over heat.) Below are my miles. I walked through my sips of Powerade Zero (@2; 4; 6; 8; and 10). Right at Mile 5 I had a GU, and turned around at 5.75 miles (so that I could finish before the underpass. As soon as I turned around, I caught a second wind…for a bit. Had my spare GU at Mile 9, but by the end I was feeling pretty tired.

Garmin Report

Mile 1—12:00.94

Mile 2—12:09.85

Mile 3—12:17.67

Mile 4—12:10.99

Mile 5—12:24.35

Mile 6—11:52.92

Mile 7—11:57.34

Mile 8—12:13.24

Mile 9—12:12.07

Mile 10—12:10.64

Mile 11—12:19.59

2:13:50 (pace 12:10)

About as ready as I'm gonna be for the Rock n Roll Half Marathon on July 22. (Still kinda annoyed that it's so early this year, but whatever. It is what it is.) Next week's long run will be a stepback week. I guess maybe I've officially--at least for now--decided to continue going it alone instead of the CARA group. Nothing personal! I just like being by myself.