Garmin & Night Fright

The Garmin watch arrived this week! I had to play with it and change some settings. I then walked around the block to see how it reacted. I think I got it. Tuesday night I tried it on an actual run. Rachael took me on her cross country practice courses. We did about 3 miles and then headed out for another 3. It was a tough run and I confirmed the idea that I am NOT a trail runner! I just don't have that running style/form to be able to be efficient with it. The grass just zaps all energy out of me.

Wednesday morning I got up and wanted to work on speed so I did a fast Ethanol Loop. I started with a 9:07 pace and ended with a 8:25 mile. This was an average 8:59 pace! I was working hard, but in a different way than the previous run. It was a great run and I felt like I could have done the marathon today. I was strong the whole way through!

This morning I got up early and ran to Ellsworth and then caught up with J and did a couple more miles and then picked up another runner and finished the Ethanol Loop. My goal was 14, but I actually did about 15.5 miles. It seemed like a tough run all the way through! http://connect.garmin.com/activity/106116065 About mile 11 the watch beeped saying it was a low battery! WHAT?! Dang! Everything I read said that if the battery dies, you lose all your information and settings. Shoot! We ran home and I stopped the run to plug it in. As soon as I plugged it in, it said I had 20% left. Really?! I think I could have finished the Ethanol Loop without it dying. Oh well, at least I had the first 10.63 miles documented.

OK, now for the Fright Night. I started out about 5:15 AM so it was pitched black out. About mile 1 I saw something move in the ditch. I looked in that direction and saw a deer running. My heart stopped. I saw another deer; I thought they were going to jump up on the road where I was running. Animals are so unpredictable.

When I got to Ellsworth, I turned around and started heading back to Jewell. On my way out of town, I was under the last street light before leaving town back into the black of night. A car zoomed passed me and then slammed on his breaks and pulled off on the shoulder on the other side. He sat there for awhile. I wasn't sure what he was doing because no one got out of the car or anything; it just sat there. Eventually he turned around and started driving slowly back in my direction on the shoulder on the opposite side of the road! When he finally passed me again, he turned around and back on the highway, but going slowly. I was ready to reach for my phone, but he kept going. I don't think I've ever been more concerned that this morning. Glad to have this one done!

Total weekly training mileage: 26 miles