24 mile run for 9-11-11

I parked my car at the Casino so that I could use it as an aid station. I wasn't in the mood to carry 3 quarts of water on my back this week. Last week for my 22 mile run, I carried 3 qts and just about ran out.

I had a planned out run in my head going into the run. I mean seriously, coming up with 24 miles in a small town is a little tricky, but I had plans for the big hill at the end, from miles 20-24.

Well as I started out, I decided that I was having too much fun. In the first 10 miles, I was in and out of 4 trails and I ran on the beach. The first trail that I tried did not get me very far so I turned around, then I tried the other trail that always freaks me out and it goes way up for 2 straight miles, I decided that I wasn't in a mood, for after a short while, I turned around. I headed down and back onto the road for a short while and said "ooh trail" It was another new one. It was very hilly, had horrible footing, but I stayed on it the whole way. It just got me back up to where I was originally. I went back down and ran on the opposite side on the other trail that I never tried before. It was very well groomed.  Well I was happily running on it with my IPOD in my ears of course. I have to stop. Do you have any idea how many people that live in my town that always say, that they would not wear their IPODS in the trail, they would run with a dog, that they are afraid of running into a bear of cougar. They just can’t believe that I ignore all advice. Anyway, I was thinking to myself that I would do an out and back. Well the trail ended up getting a little spooky, like Wizard of Oz spooky. Just then I saw something running away from me, it looked like a deer and I said "OH SHIT!" A minute later (maybe) I see on the same side, a huge elk and she is looking at me and I swear licking its lips and ready to kill me. I got to thinking maybe the deer wasn't a deer but the elk’s baby? Well I decided to be smart and not do an out and back. You know it is elk mating season right? I was really nervous and I thought how much longer is this trail? It ended shortly and I was back on the road again.

I stopped running to call my husband in front of a blackberry bush of course. I told him what happened and that I was going to run back and towards the other coastal area and back up onto the trail that I normally run on. Well, I was still in fun mode. I headed towards the beach, knowing I needed to go to the bathroom, but I thought, well I will run on the beach for awhile and stop at the bathroom on the way back.  On the beach, I saw another dead sea lion and got to wondering where the other nasty one was at, this older dead one was a skeleton the last time I saw it, this new one is still in one piece. Hmmmm. The sand was really soft this time and waves were a little bigger. Great for all the surfers that I saw and they were girl surfers come to find out later. I got to my turn around on the beach and saw this bird just sitting in the sand. As I got closer it tried to get away from me, it was not flying and didn't look like it was hurt, but had a lot of trouble moving away. I left it alone, but of course felt bad for it. I got off the beach, used the HORRIBLY nasty bathroom, it was really gross, should have used the bushes, got the sand out of my shoes and socks and headed on my way.

I saw the Tobacco shop and noticed that they had a flag out. I really did think to myself "how stupid!" Tobacco kills more people every year than the # of people killed on 9/11. And they put a flag out? My personal opinion on this, but people who smoke really irritate me. They look dumb doing it, they smell. There are a lot of people around my town that smoke. It's gross!

Okay, back to running. I'm really hungry by the time I reach my car. I usually eat a 1/2 of a PBJ sandwich at mile 10 and it was 13.5 or so. I re-fill my camelback, spilling some of it, grabbed my 3 PBJ sandwich halves and head out towards town and another beach. I ran 3.22 miles one way, turned around. Not much happened until I am about 1.5 miles from being back at the casino. I see ahead of me 2 dogs fighting. The owner of one had his on a leash and was trying to get the other dog off of his. I see he ends up kicking the mean dog and it gets knocked to the ground. At the same time, these men are running out and they grab the mean dog, then they slapped it, then they kicked it in the butt and I seriously thought "geez, no wonder it is mean!" But, if the mean dog had been my dog, I really don't know what I would have done, so who am I to judge? At least they got their dog off the other, but too bad they aren't smart enough to keep it behind a fence! Especially since it obvious is mean!

So when I get back, I was at mile 20. I was headed for the trail in the forest via the big super huge hill that I always talk about. But, I noticed there is a horse trailer parked in the parking lot and the horses and riders are about to enter the trail. I said dang! The rider of one sees me, doesn't offer that go first. Normally this would be fine, because they move faster, but his horse was acting like it really did not want to enter the trail. I don't blame it, probably sensed a cougar. Poor thing. So, I thought "great, now what am I going to do?" I instantly remember oh yes duh, there is a drivable road that runs parallel to the trail. Cars use it to get into the forest area. I could use that. Plus, I honestly don't know which is steeper. I ran up the whole distance. I mean, I would want a car see me walking! I get up to the normal trail and I see 2 other horses and riders and I honestly have no idea if they were the same horses. All horses look the same to anyone running over 20 miles. These people had 2 dogs that obviously wanted to go with me.  I do that out and back and hobble all the way back with my oohs and ahhhs.

24 miles in 4:41. Next week I am tapering in preparation for my 9/25 50K, a training 50K.