something new for april - 1 day, 2 training runs

I had big plans for the weekend.  Friday night was the kickoff to Milwaukee Beer Week, and I was going to a tasting at the Harley Davidson Museum with my friend Renee.  Then Saturday, I was going to wake up and run and Renee was going to make us pancakes.


You know what they say about the best laid plans, right?

OF COURSE we went to the beer tasting!  And it was super fun.  I drank a lot of new beers that I liked, and only a few that I didn't.  (Peach wheat beer = disgusting)  I was in beer snob heaven.

Renee and I at the beer tasting!

I made a new friend at the tasting, and he gave me this sweet necklace!  It's made of pretzels!  Genius!

Souvenirs from a fun evening

Needless to say, all of that craft beer and no dinner made me a very... fun... person.  But a drunk one.  And then after the tasting, we got food.  And more beer.  And then went to a couple of dive bars.  Oy.  It was a fun evening.  I needed that.

I woke up the next morning with cotton mouth, the room spinning around me, and a pounding headache.  I didn't get off the couch until 10am.  Thinking about food or beer made me want to vomit.  I finally brushed my teeth.  I took a shower.  It wasn't until almost noon that we went to Major Drugstore Chain, bought some Kraft Mac n Cheese, and were able to eat. 

So clearly, I wasn't capable of running.  So I didn't.  Even when I got back to Chicago and I felt human again, I figured I was still so dehydrated that running could wait another day.

This morning, I woke up and set the Garmin for 12.4 miles, the total of today's and yesterday's runs.  About 2 miles in, I thought to myself, what the heck am I doing.  I don't want to do double digits today.  The whole point of this training is for my double half marathon in 2 weeks (aka running when you're tired).  I need something new for April and I'm running out of time.  Sooo... double training runs!  So be it!

Note:  I ran high school cross country and track, and my coach would encourage double training days.  But I never participated.  (No doubt it was out of laziness.)  I really have never trained twice in 1 day.  (I know, I know, "What about Ragnar?" and I will reply with "Nothing done during Ragnar counts for anything other than Ragnar.  Nobody cares about my 6.8 mile PR.")

I started my first 6.2 at 9:45am.  Finished in 52:59.  Took a shower.  Got food.  Had my lazy Sunday on the couch.  After the hockey game went into OT, I got dressed and headed out for run #2.

For my second 6.2, I left a little after 5pm.  Finished in 51:29.  Felt awful.  I have no idea why this one was faster.

I did it.  Got all my mileage in, completely justifying the horrifying amount of pizza I shoved into my piehole a few minutes ago.  I'm glad I did it this way.  I would have felt terrible for missing a run.  And you are lucky, because I didn't fall asleep while writing this blog.  Everybody wins.

Until next month...