Wrung out

This is funny, I don't care who you are.

I often talk about writing my memoirs, the next great American novel. I've tossed many possible titles around, including my personal favorite "Die Cat, Die!", but today I decided on another candidate:

"Oh! THIS Is What I Hate About Indiana Summer!"

It was the first great foretaste of what is to come - temperatures in the 90's, dew points in the 70's, humidity in the 60's. Yup, that's crappy weather for just about anything you want to do outside. It didn't matter. There were unalterable events and schedules that needed to occur, and they did in spite of the weather.

First was the girls' practice. I run with the front group, and today they did 5 miles. It wasn't fast, as we had run harder yesterday. Still, under the conditions it wasn't easy or fun. I was drenched when I got back to the car. My schedule dictated I do a quick turnaround after all the girls were gone and get right on the bike for a 44-mile ride. It wasn't going to be easy either.

I got off before 9, which meant I had no real time to re-hydrate. I did take 2 Enduralytes, which probably saved me in the end. I had to have 30 miles, but 44 would mean a shorter, easier ride tomorrow. Combined with Tuesday that would give me the 100 miles I needed heading into Saturday.

The first thing I noticed was my mind would not focus. I was mentally drifting around, and suddenly I became aware I was still on Washington Ave. It seemed as if I'd been there forever! It's probably because I'd just run there, perhaps. At any rate I knew things were going to be hard.

Here's the funny thing about all that - my legs didn't hurt, my breathing was easy, even my heart rate was comfortable. My mind just wasn't in it. I used that to keep me going, the fact that the mind has to be overcome sometimes. I would get to Highway 60 and assess; maybe I could find some motivation to go on by then.

I drifted from thought to thought until it hit me I'd made a new Strava section out of the Amish Super 2. Though I would have a headwind pretty much all the way down, it was one of the rare times I was on it alone. Might as well up the pace on the record a bit. That thought got me to Orange County and beyond, and soon I was sitting at Huck's.

I was a little nauseous from dehydration by the time I got there. I would have to be careful going home if I didn't want a meltdown. Who could I count on to get me? Allen was out of state, so was Galloway, and everyone else was indisposed.

Lucky for me the tailwind home really helped a lot. By halfway back I began to notice my heart rate rising on the climbs all too quickly, a clear indication the bottom was beginning to fall out. Finally, once atop the cut, my left hip flexor began to cramp in quick spasms. Yup, time to bring it in.

I laid around trying to re-hydrate the rest of the afternoon. Later, I lifted and mowed grass, which also necessitated the second shower of the day - sweaty!

Hoping for better tomorrow.