Creature of habit

Pre-run photo. Please forgive the funny face. The sun was brutal!

I am a creature of habit. I think most runners are. We eat the same things before long runs/races. We do the same things on race morning to prepare. We have the same routine to prepare for a run. Once we find something that works, we keep it up.

Today, I was scheduled for 8 miles as my last run before Zooma Annapolis next Sat. (June 1). I had it played out in my head - where I would run, which direction I would go in. how far out before turning back. As I came to the cross street where my parking lot is, I was stopped. There was a 5k going on and I was being redirected. I couldn't park in my lot. I couldn't start my run at it's normal spot.

I was re-directed away from the race, so I parked my car in the next town over where I was planning on going. But, I had no idea what to do with myself. I had never done this before. I always run to Mt. Wolf, not start there.

And here is why I say I'm a creature of habit. I had to figure out an 8 mile run on the fly. Yea...it didn't work. I managed to find 2 miles, then turned around for 2 more bringing me up to 4. Yea! Just 4 more to go. But, now I had no idea how to get those 4 more miles. I tried. I managed one more mile before becoming so frustrated with the run, my time, and my hamstring that I stopped. I went back to the car. I came home.

Oh that hamstring comment? Yea. My right hamstring, right behind my knee hurt randomly throughout my run. It's the same hamstring I pulled back in 2010 after I ran the Baltimore Marathon Relay. It's the leg that my herniated disc effects. I have one week until Zooma Annapolis (have I mentioned this?) and I will not mess around.

So, today's run was not what I wanted. It was slower than I hoped. It was a bit more painful than I anticipated. It was frustrating. What I'm hoping is that it gets the bad run out of the way. This got the kinks out and come next Saturday while I'm running around Annapolis, I will have a great run! It will show today what a good run is.

But it sure does suck on the day of the crappy run....
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