(G) There’s something about running lots of miles that makes you quotable or think you are. At least that’s what Swaggy J thinks. On Saturday when the humidity dropped from 98% to 77% (but the temperature was climbing) he says “it almost feels like air conditioning.”

Hmmm, really? I almost felt like punching him.

There are other more “inspirational,” or at the very least dead-on accurate, quotes that are particularly fitting at times like these. And one almost always comes to mind during a race:

That was me at Howl at the Moon for the last 6 miles or so. It was crazy humid and while we had cloud cover early it abandoned us late in the day and things got HOT. Possibly my poor preparation for the race also had something to do with it but a girl’s gotta take a break sometime, right?

I had a pretty good idea we were in for a long one before we started. As I mentioned last week I have been having some foot issues. I think I have figured it out BUT in the meantime I had a foot that hurt. So what do you do when your foot hurts? An 8-hour ultra, of course 🙂

My other clue that Saturday might involve some difficulty is that during the Baby Howl on Friday night, which is just one loop of the 3.29 mile course, it was pretty sticky. Normally, it’s warm but I don’t break too much of a sweat as we saunter along the course. This year, I was in a full-on sweat.

And then lastly, I know I am slow to really catch on, it was so humid that my shirt was totally wet as was much of my hair after less than an hour on the course. My arms were dripping with sweat and my quickly dissipating sunscreen. I don’t really understand how one “reapplies” when it rolls right back off but that conundrum is for another day.

The day was hard and my foot held up in some respects better than I thought. I did get to the point where running on the uneven grass was doing me more harm than good so I stuck with walking those sections. The last 6 miles I believe there was ONLY walking because of the whole “trying not to puke on my shoes” thing.

But just like almost every race, in the end I was still was glad I did it and would do it again.

Starting to sound a little like the definition of insanity but finishing feels better than quitting (or puking).

(L) I have been back from Nashville for a week now and I am slowly getting back on track. I have been getting out walking the dog most mornings and I have to say I feel like a flatlander. Seriously, I know it’s the lack of exercise, but even walking has caused me a bit of…shall we say, discomfort. It’s pretty sad really.
I am fortunate though because I have G to get me back on track. In fact, G has been texting me all kinds of lovely ideas for getting me back on track. She is always looking out for me that way.

Here are my choices for personal training via G:

New Jersey Trail Series One Day

Outrun 2016

Boulder 24 Hour race in 2016

In fact, these are the words that G used to try and woo me into running the first race, which is in a mere 13 weeks!

“We have a tent, sleeping bags and cots. There should be one for each of you since I am really going to try and do 24 hours. I know it’s nuts. No pressure you could just sign up and run/walk when you want. We have all day, literally.”

And just in case I didn’t fall for that, it was followed up by this:

“Or I think we’ll go back to Outrun again so that’s always a good choice. It’s a perfect time of year and the weather won’t be hot, humid, etc.. I think we’d also like to do 24 hours of Boulder in October 2016 so that would be close to you.”

I don’t know about you, but I am exhausted just thinking about all of this.

Sunshine & Sarcasm,

Lowi & G

The Torture Report began in January 2014 as a weekly update of our journey to completing a 50-mile race. Since then it’s continued on to become a chronicle of how we try mightily to find fitness, health and sometimes the finish line. We aren’t always successful but we keep showing up and telling you all about it on Tuesdays.