the dark

getting used to running in the dark has been a hard transition for me.

i don't really enjoy it.  my headlamp isn't the best, and i get freaked out running by myself in the pitch dark.

like yesterday...i had 12 miles on the schedule.  and i usually run my mid/week runs over on the trail a few miles from our house. the trail is usually super dark except in spots where it comes closer to the road and you can see the traffic lights.

well yesterday, it was cool, 55 degrees, and a little bit of fog. the light from my headlamp was bouncing off the fog and made it really hard to see and somewhat scarier than usual LOL.

i'm on the trail pretty much by myself (with peperspray in hand)...a handful of other runners with headlamps are out and of course there are always a couple "ninja" runners, which scare me half to death, cuz i never see them coming ( i guess that's why they are ninja)   :) 

my intention was to push the pace a little bit, which was no problem, cuz i had a little adrenaline rush going on with being a little freaked out in the dark. LOL   so yeah...i'm cruising along, trying to get in a zone & control my breathing...and out of the corner of my eye, to the left, i see someone. without thinking i get my pepperspray ready to shoot, and then i realize its my shadow.

i sorta half-laughed to myself...but i'm still freaked out at this point.  just keep running...i'm telling myself to keep going...its only about 50 minutes on the trail and i'm already about halfway.   at the turn around there seemed to be more lights...or maybe it was the stars or maybe i was just starting to lose it.

i see a couple people on bikes... and then i'm by myself again.  the trail starts to head around and behind this little hill...almost around and it happened again.  my shadow was there to scare me half to death.  but boy, i'm telling you...i'm so ready to shoot that pepperspray.  my breathing is through the roof at this point...CALM DOWN!  i can see the end of the trail about half mile in the distance and am so thankful. i head off  the trail and was so happy to be running in the glorious glow of the streetlights.

only 1 more midweek med/long run to go...

stats for yesterdays run:   12.39mi/ 1:52:50/ avgHR 156/avg. 9:06

                                       9:21,9:31,9:26, 9:01, 9:07, 9:03, 8:59, 8:49, 9:12,9:13,9:01,8:57,3:10(8:09)

                                       (highlighted miles are the trail miles :)

today was 5.5 recovery miles, nice and slow :)

only 7 more runs until taper...and only 18 more runs 'til the big day.  EEEEK!!!