Bad Day Running

I set out for my long run today around 8:45. The plan was to do 16-18 miles depending on how I felt. It was cool, in the 60's, but windy 20mph and humidity around 80%. I started out ok, running around 8 minute miles. At 2 1/2 miles by the 3rd bridge at CC Park, I took a bad step up from the dirt path to the bike trail. I barely caught my toes on the edge and stretched out my Achilles and calf and my toes on my left leg. For a while my toes hurt like they were sprained, then my calf/Achilles area started getting tight and I felt a pull. I stopped right away and stretched it, this was around 3 1/2 miles. After stretching for a couple of minutes I started running and felt ok, I thought maybe just a cramp, but this early into a long run, even a cramp is bad news.

It started to get tight and hurt again, so I stopped a couple of more times to stretch it and rub it. A little over 5 miles into the run I used the porta potti and thought it's decision time, do I go and risk injury or turn back and lose a valuable long run in my training schedule....

I took some electrolyte pills and some water and the GU and decided it wasn't worth a long term injury and headed back. As I was heading back, both my calfs were tightening, including my right. That leads me to think I was dehydrated, and it must have been before I even started because it happened within 5 miles. It was a humid day.

Anyway I walked/ran home the shortest way, ended up running about 8 miles and walking 2 on and off I think. When I got home I iced the left right away and elevated and iced the right. I am also hydrating.

I hope I can run mount Evans tomorrow. I tested running up hill on the way back and it hurt, but I could run.

I don't know how I got so dehydrated, if that is it. I have been drinking a lot of water at work. Although it has been humid with the rain, I have sweated a lot during speed workouts last week. I did have 2 glasses of white wine last night, 1 with dinner and 1 after. Surely that little amount did not do it, but no more white wine before a run.

Garmin Data from today's disaster run