Cooler by the Lake

It has been hot here in Wisconsin this week so for my weekend log run, I wanted to go somewhere where it was a little cooler. Well, when you live by a lake as large as Lake Michigan, you learn that during the summertime, it can be cooler near the lake. Sometimes by as much as 10 to 15 degrees if the wind is right. So Paul I met Paul early this morning for our run right along the lake.

Paul was only going 10 miles and I wanted to go 15 to 17 so we parked his car where mile 10 would be and I drove us to where we would start. While is was cooler, about 65 to 70F at the start, it was still humid. We started out a little slower and by mile 5 we were averaging 8:46 but i was starting to feel good so we picked it up to close to 8:15 to 8:20 pace. At about 7.5 miles, we turned around and headed back and Paul picked it up more and I tried to hang on. He only had less than 3 miles to go and I had 9 or so but I kept with him anyways as we clipped off 2 miles at 7:38 & 7:49.

After Paul stopped and I continued on after a brief walk break, my goal was to finish the final 6.5 miles to average the entire run at 8:30. I felt sluggish for 2 or so miles and I was thinking maybe those 2 miles fast were a bad idea. I did recover though and dropped it back to 8:30's. By mile 13, I noticed a problem with my sweat soaked shirt. I had not put on band aid and now I had a red mark on my shirt from a bloody nipple. I know that may sound gross to a non runner, but most of you runner understand this if not having experienced it once in your lives. I really wanted to take my shirt off and run to stop further chaffing but I was wearing my fuel belt and without a shirt, that would have caused more problems on my back and sides. Just gut it out until mile 15!

At mile 14, a passed another runner who stopped me to ask if there was any water on the trail as he hasn't ever run here before. I said I hadn't seen any fountains (bubblers here in WI) but offered him some of mine since I had some extra. He took some and off we both continued in different directions.

I arrived back at my car at 15.3 miles but wanted to continue for a full 17 miles. I dropped the fuel belt at the car which allowed me to take my shirt off. That helped a lot plus suddenly I felt a little lighter. I finished to run still feeling like I could have kept up that pace for a least a few more miles. So all in all, it was a good run this morning. I wouldn't give it an A+, but maybe an A- or B+. I got in an ever 40 miles now for the week and maybe I will get a few more in at the Family Fun Run tomorrow evening.