Bad Run, Bad Run

Not every run can be a good run. Bad runs are part of the process. Some runs just suck, maybe because you're not mentally there or the weather didn't cooperate or you're too hot or too cold or your stomach is acting up or something hurts or for no reason at all.

I had a "bad run" yesterday. My usual route. Should take me a little more than 30 minutes. No problem, right? Except for when it is the first spell of warm and humid weather. I walked. Really? I never do that, at least not on this route. It probably wouldn't have been so bad if I had carried water, but I was already dehydrated to begin with. All I could think about at the end was, "I need water. I need water." Oh well. I got out there and did it.

Then I went out today for an hour and 30 minute run on the bike path. No real distance goal. Just go out for 45 minutes, turn around, and go 45 minutes back. It's still warm and humid. My sunglasses broke, so I wore a white wicking baseball hat.

I'm usually ready to start the run by 8 am. I wasn't ready to start til 9:10 or so.

The parking area was crowded. I have never seen so many cars there. In the spaces, parallel parked on the other side, on the grass.


Hello, Providence


This is my least favorite part of the bike path. A half mile out with no shade. But the water on two sides is nice. On a day like today, the breeze was welcomed.


How I do enjoy running next to Narragansett Bay


More water


All throughout the winter and spring, there was a port-a-potty at Haines Park. It was gone. But oh! It's park season. I figured there had to be bathrooms somewhere in the park. So I took a little detour into the park. A real bathroom! With soap and running water! It's all about the little things that make runners happy.


I turned around just after Haines Park with a little less than 5 miles on my Nike+. The first hour or so was fine. I tried a Vanilla Bean Gu. The flavor was OK, but I don't like that I have to eat the whole thing in a short amount of time. My stomach doesn't sit well if I give it too much fuel or water. I will be going back to shot bloks ... not as messy, can eat one every 5-10 minutes, easier to keep track of, and can be rinsed out with small amounts of water. I was getting hot. The last 20-30 minutes were not fun. It gets easier to run in warm weather, right?

I ran 9.5 miles according to Nike+/ about 10.1 miles according to a map in a little bit over a hour and a half. Not quite as bad as I thought.

Thumbs up on the Lululemon cool racerback tank top. I've ran marathons in it. This was the first time for a hot run. It got drenched but never felt uncomfortable. My Fuelbelt stayed put. Also thumbs up for the white wicking baseball hat. I used to be anti-hat for a long time. And then I started wearing one when it rained. And when it was cold. And at night because I had another hat that's reflective. And if I didn't have my sunglasses. Having shade on my face was nice, I don't think it contributed to feeling too hot, and the white color is a plus on a sunny day.