Day 44

I have nothing profound to say today. My weekend was busy and I've been really tired so I haven't had much time to reflect on my running experiences. I feel like I've been operating on auto-pilot, just going through the motions to get through the past couple of days.

On Saturday I ran 9 miles and made some changes to my normal routine. First, I changed my hydration method from water to a mix of water and Gatorade. It worked great and kept me going through my entire run. I wore sunscreen and I also brought my iPod with me. The time passed much faster and I was able to focus my attention on something other than myself. I also wore "compression" shorts which were awesome! They were very comfortable and cooler than the long run shorts I've worn in the past. All the changes were positive so next week they will become part of my normal routine.

Preparing for a long training run is becoming an event in and of itself now. My inventory list for Saturday's run included: sunglasses, chap stick with sunscreen, iPod and arm band, water bottle, watch, Shot Bloks, house key, and $3.00 in case I ran out of Gatorade and needed to stop at a gas station. Thankfully, I didn't need to stop for a refill.

Overall, I felt great after my run Saturday. I had such a sense of peace when I was finished. I still experienced some pain in the balls of my feet but I am trying some new insoles this week to see if they help. I figure I'll never be completely comfortable after running long distances anyway.

Back to auto-pilot mode...