Next to me

 Friday night my stomach was upset.  With temps in the 20s and winds at 20-30 mph there was no doubt my resolve was being tested.  The plan was to just get in 25 miles.  No goal pace, no specific place, just show me the baby.  

 I wanted to start no later than 5am, but I was in bathroom mode.  It was a good thing I was going solo as this might end up being a beat down.  Thoughts of moving to Sunday, or just doing 3 hours both days made sense.  But I made myself a deal.  Get in the 25 and a Big Mac and fries awaits.  I quickly hustled out the door at 7am.

 The initial plan was to run at Camp Whitcomb by the house and return for refreshments every 5 miles.  I came back after 6 and after a crunch and snack I bolted. As the second tour unfolds I already know I’m going to move this from 5 to 4 segments.  However around 10 miles my watch was shouting I was Betty Whiting it out here.  Energy was low so after a few Starship Enterprise allocation of resources moves I had remembered from Star Trek I rambled into the house at 13.3 miles.

 Coffee.  Twisted Steel.  Liberty Valence.  Chaka Khan.

 Out I went.  Did a 2 mile road extension first to completely fool my brain.  Now I’m over 15 miles.  Less than 10 to go.  I round the boardwalk across the marsh to see two mink coming right at me.  Amazed, they got the hell out of the way as I bone chipped across.  Now on the top acreage of the camp I am over 18 and think about getting back for the final top off.  But I’m running better than I have all day so I just keep extending sections.  Occasionally a 1 mile road extension outside the camp is done on the rural roads and then I dive back into the shelter of the wind.

 I’m never more than 1.5 - 2.0 miles from the crib, so I just stay out there.  I have the perception that the reserves are being compromised for tomorrow, but I also know flying along without anything mile to mile is freeing.  I commit to at least a marathon and end the run at 26.3 miles.  11:49 pace about half trail and half the macadam like road surfaces used in rural areas.  It is another benchmark run that points to reaching the finish line at Ice Age.