October 25th, 2009
As mentioned, today was a planned 24. I decided to take it to the trails because there was a regatta at the river which meant the river loop would be a clogged pain in the ass to deal with and I’d have to fight my way through 3 times.
Before I left, I did some calculations for how long it might take because I knew my Garmin might lose satellite reception on the trail. I figured 3:30 should do me fine. I left my music at home along with my HR monitor, taking only my sunglasses and my larger, 20 oz handheld, which I’ve avoided using the entire summer but needed for this route, and a couple gels.
The run was great exercise. The trail section is 12 miles of constant undulating rollers and gravel footing with some rocky patches. I went farther in than I ever had and was surprised to find a covered bridge I didn’t know existed. The trail ends at a major road so I turned around there – the only problem was I’d only covered 1:41, which would mean my run was short, so on the way back I wrestled with myself about what to do.
I knew it wasn’t a speedy run, thanks to the uphill of the trail, so there was no doubt it wouldn’t be 24 miles, which I could totally live with (24 is very much “extra credit” as far as LRs go) but I had a mileage goal for the week I had my heart set on…my first 80 and I thought I needed at least 23 for that.
So a mile from home, I did what I call a Garmin Penance Mile, backtracking some to make a needed mileage goal. I can’t tell you how much I hate doing it since there’s nothing worse than being so close to home after running for hours and voluntarily delaying the finish when you’re already half-zonked, but for that 80, I did it.
Got home tired but satisfied. Immediately went to Google Earth and found I did 23.75, so that’s fabuloso. Slowish, at 8:47 pace, but considering the trail portion, I’m really happy with it. Then double happiness to find this brings my total mileage to 82 for the week, so a mileage PR with room.
Speaking of home sweet home, I wasn’t going to mention this because I’m a bit embarrassed by my constant complaints with this place, but last week I thought someone had left a bathtub overflowing. There was a constant sound of water glugging above from one end of my apt to the other. It sounded like the whole ceiling had turned into a pool. I actually called Nick because I was afraid the evil upstairs neighbors had done something stupid and the ceiling was going to collapse. Nah, turns out that’s the sound the heating system makes and what I have to look forward to all winter. Glug glug glug. Great. I’ll probably pee myself in my sleep.
Then yesterday, I’m sitting here at the computer and think I see a fleeting shadow. I look over and see nothing, so I figure it’s my imagination. Today, I go to eat my regular pre-run bread and peanut butter and find the bread looks weird, like a chunk is gone from the corner. I inspect the bag and find something has gnawed its way through. I have mice.
So after my arduous run today, I shower and immediately leave to get mice traps before Rite-Aid closes. Because I really am living in the lap of luxury. 
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Sounds like a great run on a great trail. 23.75? Way more than I’ve done.
Mice? We get them too now and then. We hear them running in the ceiling and vents. We use traps. Fortunately my wife is not afraid to remove the deceased. I am. She’ll say to me, “Don’t worry, it’s gone.” I pretend I’m brave enough to have done it myself. I’m not.
hahaha, I hate the Garmin Penance run too! UGH!
NICE JOB! Man, I can not wait until I can get my milage near yours.
Maybe I’ll bring a cat with me for the marathon.
Are you sure a mouse trap is enough… could be a warf rat. Those things can be the size of small dogs or children.
WTG on the LR! Seriously awesome stuff there. I definitely wouldn’t depend on a mouse traip. Hire an exterminator; it will be worth the money. Ugh, water I could deal with, rodents, not so much.
Mice are better than rats I guess. We only have possums (in the roof).
That is a fabuloso long run – I like the sound of the trail section. 8:47 pace sounds fine for an easier long run – you’ll be strong as a Jackhammer on marathon day.
Wow great long run! As far as mice go, I have them and caught one and still trying to get another one. I put peanut butter down on the trap too – they seem to be just as attracted to it as me
1. I am so impressed with your 80 miles a week!
2. Would you like a cat? We have a new stray mommy and 3 kittens here. Cats really worked for my friends Brian and Beth.
Good run. I do “penance miles” sometimes too. We’re sick, sick people.
I second the cat recommendation. If you don’t want to be a cat owner, ask around and see if you can “host” a cat for a week or two. Once word gets around on the mouse street that there’s a cat around, they don’t tend to return, at least not until it gets cold again next year.
Aw, I’d love a cat, not allowed to have one though.
Joe, funny on you being a scaredy cat with the mousies. Unfortunately, I’ve had enough experience with mice that if Rite Aid had those reusable traps, I’d have gotten one. What I can’t deal with is those glue traps. I used to live with a boyfriend that had bought some and one day I’m alone and hear this horrible horrible squeaking – a mouse was caught on the trap and trying to chew it’s leg off to get free. Something you just don’t want to see. It was the only mercy killing I’ve ever done (leg of chair).
Not that I’m a glue-trap angel. When I lived in New York, I used to looooove glue Roach Motels. I’d look in them sometimes to take pleasure in how many of the fuckers I caught.
So, the second I turned the light off for bed last night…”Snap!”. One down, 100 to go.
Agreed, Runforlife, peanut butter is primo mice bait, wouldn’t use anything else.
Holy crap on the 24……I saw that on the forum board and was very impressed. You are a running machine, way to go on this new mileage PR.
As for the mice, the whole thing give me the willies…..no comment, eekk.
Nice 24, especially with the trail piece. And the 80 too. I usually manage to figure out mid-run if it’s going to be short, so take my penance miles then. Those miles are easier!
Any flexibility on the no-cats rule? Perhaps the mice could help you out with that.
Nice on the 80, looking forward to some of those next cycle and congrats on the first confirmed kill in freeing the apt of the bread terrorist. Are you doing the 18 @ GMP+20 seconds this weekend? Have you pick what that pace number is going to be yet? Not sure I need to try this run since I did the 15 last Sunday @ what was they GMP
and raced this past Sunday. Maybe just 12 at GMP…7:26 with 3 or 4 easy before and after, what do you think?
Jhowdy, why don’t you do the run as written? It’s meant to be a hard LR so I don’t know what you’d gain by making it an MP run. Yep, I’ll be doing it, looking forward to it actually (in that simultaneous dreading way). I’m working off the same pace I’ve been doing from the start, 7:30s (so 7:50s with the 20sec).
Nice job on the gruelling run and woohoo on the mileage PR!
You’re much lucky in having quieter, less crowded places to run in. Here, in India, it’s always regatta time and it’s a serious b&*@h getting a long run (heck, any run) done on the streets!
Mice…eeps, they give me the shivers.
You’re right, thanks.
80 miles WOW!
Yeah, the neck breakers are the way to go. We used to get chip and dale up the dryer vents all the time.
Congrats on the 24, Flo – the trail sounds glorious! But regarding the penance miles – I thought you weren’t a slave to the numbers, hmmm? At least now I don’t feel so bad about trying for a PR of 300 for this month…
I say go old school on the mice/rats. Old-fashioned spring trap. They’re usually (though not always) successful in a quick finish to the vermin. The glue traps just seem unnecessarily cruel. We caught a roof rat in one some years ago – it sprung sort of late at night, so I put the trap in a bucket outside to deal with the next morning. But the rat and trap were both gone the next morning. We have mofo raccoons here – shudder.
ps: Did you get in on the Brooks ID program? With your times, you’d be shoo-in, and, assuming you could run in Brooks shoes and gear, it could save you some serious coinage. Somebody should definitely be making it worth your while to wear their gear.
Congrats on the 300, Barb!
Mileage Slavery: I don’t care about annual or monthly mileage enough to do penance, but with that first 80 mile week right there, it was worth the extra mile. You only have a few of those (70, 80, 90…not sure I’ll ever get to 100).
Brooks ID: I don’t like their shoes and only one style of their shorts, so it wouldn’t be worth it to me. Now if Mizuno had one of those things, I’d be on it like white on rice.
Nice work on the long run, especially with the trail parts — that always makes it seem longer because it’s more work. I’m glad to hear that others out there are going beyond 22.