Trail-ing behind

Having long runs and/or races on Sundays totally messes up my weekly run schedule.  Ideally I like to run M/W/F/Sa in order to take advantage of the fact that my daughter is in preschool on Monday and Wednesday mornings.  Because of Sunday's race, however, I took Monday off (can you say sore legs?), so today was my first day back at it since the race.

Sunday's race weather: 43 degrees (ish).   Today's run weather:  80 degrees (also ish - it could have been a tad warmer).   Undaunted by the 40 degree difference in temperature, I decided to do some exploring at our local park and run the trails.  Usually, the "trails" I run are paved paths.  Not so today.  

See? Dirt and roots and stuff!

Aside from the random horse poop I encountered along one stretch of the trail, it was really a very nice run.  Of course, I only lasted about a mile because I was convinced I was going to get lost, twist an ankle, get eaten by a snake, etc, etc.   So I made my way back to the paved paths... and totally lost my mojo.   It was hot, I had no water with me, there was no real shade, I was tired, excuse, excuse, excuse.  I just gave up, honestly.  2.33 measly miles at an agonizingly slow overall pace, and I headed back to my car. 

I did, however, manage to find a pond that I never knew existed!

Geese! 

As I was driving home, I thought about an article I read in Runner's World magazine about mental toughness.  About how you can't quit in training and expect that your race times are going to improve.  I guess mental toughness is something I need to work on.

So.  More running, less geese! Or something.