Day 3 :: 5 miles, solo group run & almost puked

Tonight was our 2nd TFK practice. (a few pictures here from our first gathering last weekend).

I'll tell you, there is nothing sadder than running alone during a group run. I joined the intermediate group tonight--led by a coach and followed by a "sweeper." The pack near the coach broke away from me pretty quickly and I guess I left the small group of gals with the sweeper in the dust because not even a mile in, I was alone. Alone on a group run. It got to me. I almost cried, actually, because I felt so lonely and that self-doubt of "WTH?! 26.2 miles?" crept in.

After one loop of the bridle path (about 2 miles) I waited near the water fountain for the sweeper and the other gals. Finally, a lone middle aged woman came around the bend so I introduced myself and joined her. The joy of running with a buddy became hmmm...I run faster than this nice lady and hmmm....I guess she doesn't talk while she runs. So I had to debate leaving her behind to run alone again or just running slow, but not talking. I opted to run slow. After our 2nd loop we waited a while for the sweeper and final ladies to round the bend. We joined them and although they were much slower than I, I tried to remind myself that one of the coaches said running slow will aid me in going faster in the end. It build capillaries in your muscles or something--giving me more O2 on race day.


A couple good things from what started as an emotional & lonely run:
- met a girl from FL who went to UF (in my hometown) and got her MSW at Columbia (where I did mine). She not only is a social worker, but shares my faith.
- wow the bridal path is beautiful at the end of the day. What a skyline! What a sky! and the lovely reservoir to run around. The light was just beautiful.
- Bearden and Konjit were waiting for me in the Diana Ross playground and no one complained that they'd waited an hour & a half when it was all said and done. Nice to have the support.
- today marked running 3 days in a row. Something I've never done before (have always taken a day off between runs...but NYRR marathon training has us running 5 days a week).
- realized tomorrow is a rest day. whooo hooo!

And now for almost puking...
I had extreme nausea by the time I got home. I couldn't eat anything and had to simply lay in the dark and breathe deep. Was able to google it a bit and found that I was either dehydrated and/or had eaten something inappropriate and too close to practice. I think it was all of the above. Last night was the hottest I'd ever run temp wise (was probably low 80s or high 70s in the park). I stopped at every fountain because I knew I should, but probably didn't hydrate enough prior in the day. Also, I ate a piece of peanut butter pie mid day and then had some string cheese probably too close to practice time. Thus, am going to work on cleaning up my eating on running days. Wednesday I'll be back at it: another 5 miles... but this time on my own because I cannot make practice due to date night. Wonder if Bearden would mind if I ran from home to Lincoln Center for our show?