The family went across them hills to the other side of Colorado and ended up in Delta late Friday night. We went to help my grandmother-in-law move up the road to Cedaredge, closer to more family and in a newer and safer house for her to live in. I know it can't be easy. I heard my Grandma V go on up to when she died about not living in her home or being able to drive. That's what 4 or 5 decades in one place will do to a person. It was a long Saturday and I missed postpone my run, though I was an ass hole about not getting one in though I have to remind myself that my family bends a lot letting me run when I want so when they ask to share time with family, I need to give that back. I intended to run when we got back but it was past 10 p.m., we had heard a number of stories about mountain lions and bobcats in the area since that was their land too and my wife helped me realize it was smart and safe to delay to the next day. It was a good day overall and a lot was accomplished and myself and my in-laws got to share time with their family. Only shitty (pun not intended) was the next morning, my wife woke up with a stomach virus when we had intended to get out of town by 7 or 8 a.m. My mother-in-law stuck around in case my wife had to stay instead of leaving and took Sophie to the other side of Cedaredge while my wife rested in our hotel room and I got a run in. It was much needed. I had slept erraticly and the long two days before had stressed me out, especially since my runs have become my "fix" which is better than the soda and sweets I was "fixed" too but now just use VERY lightly.
I got going around 9:20 a.m. and the weather was good, though it was already warmer than you'd like for a 7 mile run. Fortunately the later start helped me "clear out" and I felt comfortable. Bad part was this was not my usual run of maybe 100 ft in elevation change but over 500 and got past 6000 ft elevation. It was also a foreign area and these were smaller town roads where there was only a shoulder for the highway run (thank goodness for that since cars go 55-70 on Grand Mesa Drive and it was my first run over 6.2 mi). It was a very beautiful and quiet area I ran along the first half but I kept thinking, damn I am moving seriously fast and DAMN this is all downhill and I have to end back uphill and have I gone too far and missed my turn. After realizing I had a good mental GPS and finally seeing the road, I was good but the first hill was massive but after all that downhill my legs felt great up it. I felt like Rocky at the top of the steps, but my celebration was short-lived because I knew I was headed uphill the entire way. Cool part was along this quiet slight uphill, quiet road I saw a horse all alone and I talked to him while I ran and he started taking off running with me and stopped and galloped after showing he'd whip my butt. Thing is he wanted more so I talked to him more and he went for another sprint and as I reached the end of his land he let out a thunderous neigh that echoed around the area. It was a beautiful run back up hill looking up Grand Mesa after I turned off the street I met my horse friend. Only problem is it was even worse uphill after a very light uphill up and down climb to where this was going to be a long last 2.5 miles up and I needed to keep pushing. I also knew checkout was not far away and wanted to make sure I got there in time, so I kept pushing with no water left after finishing my 16 oz. and the sun beating down on me.
I've ran further the last 4 weeks on my weekend runs than I had in a single run in my entire life. Yes, 7 miles is the longest I have ran. I am sure too many people will tell you the same thing. I have learned in these 3 months that unlike Bobby Boucher's mama may tell you, running is not the Devil. Instead it is a relaxing, stress relieving time of the day that burns calories and has allowed me to lose over 30 lbs in less than 3 months without completely getting rid of a food. It is also going to be easy to maintain because I have chose to live and run than get fat again from being lazy after this marathon that is still 37 weeks away. 174.4 today.
So anyway, back to the trip. We left yesterday at just after 5:30 and allowing my wife to relax, it allowed us some time with family. We got home just after 10. It was good considering we stopped after going over Grand Mesa and I didn't drive assanine speed back over either. After trying to troop through today at work, my wife's dizziness and nausea every time she got up and going was a recipe to just get worse so she is at home resting. Hopefully by tomorrow that crud will be gone and we can all get some rest and back to normal for tomorrow.
I am getting a run in late tonight after it cools down. I have realized my lunch runs may be very few and far between and I will need to get up early or run late.
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