Sea Breezes

With last week's 20-miler out of the way, it's smooth sailing until Marathon Monday. My mileage is dropping, the weather is getting warmer (sort of), and I'm feeling mostly ready to do this thing. (Did I have a stress dream last night about running the marathon? Where I was the last person in the entire race? And the course ran through people's living rooms, to the top of the Space Needle, and through muddy streams? And I was so exhausted I bailed two miles from the finish line? No comment.)

For the holiday, my family met up in Martha's Vineyard, which meant this week's long run took place at the beach! I was excited to get back to running on the Vineyard, after an almost 5-month absence.

And?

WIIIIIINNNNNDDDDD!!!!

The weather might have been a little warmer and sunnier than the last time I was there, but it was so windy I felt myself getting blown backward every time both feet were off the ground.

I was a little dubious about how my long run would go, but since the weather report said sunny skies, I decided to pick a route along the water and go for it.

Sunday's Run
Distance: 12 miles
Time: 2:04:54
Pace: 10:25 min/mil
Most Challenging Moment: Trying not to get blown off course
Most Inspiring Moment: Blue skies, blue seas

The run actually got off to a pretty good start! I was feeling good, despite the metric ton of holiday food I'd ingested (a weekend of feasting that included lobster, fetticine alfredo, turkey dinner, chocolate caramel cake, and an assortment of fine cheeses).

I slowed down only long enough to take a picture of the Vineyard wildlife*:

Throughout my run, I'd debated whether I should run 6 miles and turn around, which would keep me mostly inland, relatively sheltered but not very pretty, or if I should just go ahead and do a straight shot out along the beach, which would be very pretty but would mean I'd need someone to pick me up and drive me home.

Six miles was just about at this point:

And it was so lovely I decided to keep going. Damn the wind! I had views to enjoy!!!

For some reason, I didn't realize that this beautiful beach road, nestled between marshy ponds and the open ocean, was, like, the perfect wind tunnel. Also: two miles long. This is the face of regret:

It *was* very pretty, but it was hard to notice the view while bits of sand and trash were flying into my face. For two miles, I struggled headlong into wind so powerful I had to run sideways just to keep going straight.

But look! I'm wearing a tank top! No hat! No gloves! I'll take wind over frozen rain any day.

I ran all the way into town, where I found Dave, ate a cookie, and collapsed into the car in about 8 seconds. And somehow, despite running 26 miles this week, I'm pretty sure I'm coming home three pounds heavier (those Cadbury Creme Eggs, man).

I'm still in New Jersey this week, watching my mileage shrink! One last longish run and then it's MARATHON TIME.


*This is someone's pet llama, who hangs out in a massive front yard with several llama friends and one donkey While we were on the island, we visited its cousins at the alpaca farm, where we learned you can buy an alpaca for the low low price of $500. As alpacas apparently do better in groups, the farm offered to throw in an additional alpaca for free (alpaca must be of equal or lesser value). I was unimpressed, but Dave got bit by the alpaca bug.

"We could have our own farm! We could sell their hair! And their poop! Wait, don't you think this is a good idea?!"