If you can't find 'em, grind 'em

I ran through Tacoma's Point Defiance Park today. It has an exactly 5-mile loop, and it looks the forest moon of Endor from Return of the Jedi. (It's so rad.)

Here's the thing about running a new route: you can drive it all you want, but until your feet actually hit the pavement, you don't really understand how hilly it really is. This happened today. Right off the bat I was forced to run a fairly steep hill. Afterwards, my legs tightened up and I didn't think I was going to make it. I stopped and stretched and kept going.

I stopped after each 5-mile loop at my car and drink a little water and ate a GU packet. (By the way, I gave the 'bu back on Wednesday and am rockin' the Civic again.)

The run followed my typical progression:
first 5 miles = shit
next 5 miles = remarkably awesome
last 5 miles or so = not as bad as first 5, but certainly not as good as the middle 5

Anyway, I'm home free on the long runs for a couple of weeks now, which is good because I'm going to be in Minnesota next weekend for Neil's bachelor party and to see my family. I didn't want to depend on running there, and then have the weather be 90 below zero, or 2 feet of snow.

Today: 16 mile run
Tomorrow: leisurely walk, perhaps?