I’m just looking back at my comments at the end of the midweek stretch about feeling good .. its been a brutal weekend, mainly because of the heat and humidity in the northeast. I made a mistake yesterday in my 19 miler by not really looking (or considering) the course that i had planned to run. If you recall 2 weeks ago, I did a 19 mile course around the Back Mountain here and couldn’t find a water machine that worked, well I decided to run that same course, only backwards. WOW, what a mistake. I didn’t realize the grade on the hills the other direction were so different .. it seemed like every time I turned the corner, there was another hill.

So finally after doing 17 miles in the heat, with limited water (I was severely dehydrated), I came across the hill going up ‘hill street’ reaching to center street. I made it a 1/4 of the way up it, and turned around, and decided to run my normal course back (instead of this course). This hill is about 3/4-1 mile long, and all uphill. I was smoked, totalled, just no way it was going to happen. I don’t feel bad about it because I really did do a lot of hills and still hit my miles … I just had to think on my feet.

As I stated, my big issue was that I was dehydrated pretty bad towards the end. This probably could have been prevented (if I would’ve taken money, I could’ve stopped somewhere) … I also failed to bring any snack (either a gel, a banana, or something along those lines). that was a mistake I don’t plan to make again.

So todays run featured another 10 miles, at pace, which I wasn’t able to keep the whole way again because of the heat. It really is brutal out, and i was literally SOAKED with sweat after only 2 miles (shirt off and all) … I seriously struggled, and almost shorted my course (actually i did) .. and after i got back to the car after doing on 9.5 miles (or so), I rested for 2 minutes, and then went back out to make up the half mile. I can’t afford to short my runs … again, the issue was that i was dehydrated and very hot… Its tough running in the ‘dog days of summer’…

I’ve noticed that I’ve just about burned out a pair of shoes in about a month’s time, not good. Fortunately, i pulled out some older shoes i have (which aren’t quite as worn) and decided to use them instead of buying new ones right now. The current shoes i was using are totally worn out on the heels … whereas my other ones aren’t quite as bad.

I am very, very sore and tired at this point .. this is so far the most miles I’ve run ever, so I expect it to be tough, I think I logged 55 miles this week. Next week we add just one more mile … I think i’ve come close to my max, we’ll have to see.

Tomorrow should be a nice easy run, just to recover .. just to get things stretched out. I really need it (god i’m sore!)

Late Update — I didn’t mention that tomorrow morning is my important ‘weigh-in’. I was at 199 last week and think i’ve gotten back on the diet track again, I’m hoping to have at least lost a pound or two.