A Tough Run

And a hot one in Baton Rouge. After a smooth flight from Denver, despite a 4:30am wake up, I grabbed a Dodge Charger for my rental and drove towards Baton Rouge. I had hoped to have lunch with a friend in New Orleans, but the timing got messed up and he had plans earlier than expected, I arrived later than I had thought when we made plans (confusing this trip with OKC in 3 weeks) and so I stopped for some New Orleans BBQ on the way.

Great BBQ, but my stomach wasn’t happy. So I worked a bit in the hotel before heading out to University Lake for a run. I’ve run here for the last two years, and enjoy it. Nice houses and fraternity/sorority houses line the two sides of the lake, and I’ve run around most of it.

But never around it. I’ve always started down one side and then turned around. Today it didn’t feel too hot, I’m in better shape, and was thinking to go 15 minutes and turn around. However I was feeling good at 12 min and thought I was nearly halfway. So I kept going, thinking I’d go 20 minutes and see. At that point I thought I was over halfway, so I kept going.

I was over halfway, in more ways than one. I was wiped out, and at about 30 min I had to walk for a minute. I kept going, and the lake seemed to keep stretching, and I ended up walking probably 1/4 of it, or nearly a mile. I alternated walking with jogging, and was soaked with sweat and struggling a bit in the 101F heat (according to my Charger). I certainly didn’t finish strong, and I needed to sip water for an hour after to feel better.

But I was proud. Almost 4 mi in 43:00 in hot weather.

A good run, but tomorrow’s will be closed to a mile, and early (7am) to avoid some heat.