Long Run # 6 - Hot, Hot and Hotter

I had my long run yesterday. I am starting to really hate this heat wave. It needs to end! It's not only hot in the evening - its hot in the early am.

Only six of us showed up for our long run - and there were only 2 of us in the half marathon plan. The marathoners ran 18 miles (3 loops of 6) and we were supposed to run 11 miles (2 loops of 5.5). We did loops so that we could add the gym as an extra water stop. We had more water/gatorade stations than ever before. The other person doing the half marathon plan didn't feel too well after the first loop and left early. I decided to do the six mile loop so I would have someone to run with (I still have a tendency to get lost). So I ended up running 11.5 miles total. The first two miles were really hard - I kept questioning why I was running. This is the first time, in all my long runs, that I wanted to run back to my car during the first two miles. Two miles felt like five miles and I was already soaking wet from the heat. I kept going - but it was really hard. It was not my best run ever (very far from it)- but I'm glad I did it. I hung out at the gym for awhile afterwards to just cool down. This may be my longest run before the VA Beach 1/2. Next weekend we taper- and I'm running a 5k where J, our running instructor,is the race director. There is a 12 mile run the weekend before the VA Beach and I'm still debating whether to run it or not. My legs feel fine today after the 11.5 - so I think I may do the 12- but I need to think about it.

On a more positive note- I am starting to get very excited for the VA Beach 1/2. Its going to be so much fun with DW, MH, and AH!