I really wanted a long run today. I also wanted something different from what I've been running lately. I decided to run what the satboys running gang calls the Cirelli Loop. It's a standard in our repertoire, but it's been months (maybe even a year) since I've last run it. And I've never run it by myself. And word had it that a trail along one section of the route had been extended that would eliminate a couple of miles on a narrow, 2-lane busy-ish road. Definitely some variety in the air.
Husband Kendall rode his bike alongside me the first few miles until I picked up the trail - then it was 3+ hours of solo running on a day that started in the low 30s and was approaching 50 by the time I finished. Hawks in the air, gorgeous views on the new trail, a decided lack of speed, but a fair amount of fortitude that kept me going. On Coalton (the steepest of the hills) I was passed by a wide-hipped, jiggly butt, splayed foot, low stepping woman. I used to be the queen of Coalton, running it multiple times in one run just for grins. The pass happened a couple hours into today's run and jolted me into a new gear. Up Coalton (passing her back just after the steepest pitch), then out to the next road, I ran the fastest I had run all day (not that I'm competitive or anything).
I must confess, tho', I was pretty tired during the last hour. One gu, a couple of cliff shot blocks, and two bottles of gatorade (yes two bottles! I have a new double-bottle water belt that is proving to be a most excellent addition to my running gear - and the reason I could even do this run without support along the way) were just enough to keep me going. Total run time: 3 hours 50 minutes. And home just in time to shower, make two peanut butter sandwiches, and dash off to the CU Women's Basketball game missing just the first 4 minutes. Kendall informed me, however, after I snitched most of the snacks he had bought for himself, that this was the last time he was taking me to a game right after a 4 hour run. ;-)
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