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Long run around River Falls

December 22, 2014 (Morning)

Exercise Type: Run

Weather: mid 30s...wet, but icy

Comments:
It was long run day: figured I'd do multiple trail loops in town and try to get *some* vert. Got out the door just after 9, knowing it was going to be a busy day and a potential 4-hour run would cut into that.

Ran from Mom's to the Whitetail mountain bike trails north of town, but when I got on those, the singletrack was filled with ice. I ran maybe 200m before pulling the plug, so I ran around the industrial area a bit, then headed back into town. From there, I ran downtown and into Glen Park to hit the Kinni Trails south of town.

I had just crossed "the swinging bridge" into Glen Park when I planted my left foot in a little puddle, to turn right, and I went FLYING. Straight up, and HARD down: on my right knee and left forearm. It was a HARD, HARD fall - maybe my worst, ever. I cursed several times, "FUCK!" and tried to walk it off. It was bad.

Then something weird happened: I felt like I was going to pass out! I checked my head...I didn't hit it, yet I felt like I was in a terrible bonk. Yikes. I was a good mile from mom's house, so - after sitting, then LYING down - I started walking, ready to bag the run, entirely. But...after several minutes, I started to feel better. And, miraculously, neither my knee or forearm really hurt at all!

So I kept going: down into the Kinni Trails, which were only a touch icy, running some classic loops and finding a new mountain bike trail, then all the way out to Birch Cliff Road, an old loop I used to run. There's a "Birch Cliff Park" - this butte-like mound in the middle of it. There's signs for a trail going up, so I followed it...to nowhere. Wound up bushwacking through prickly shit up and over for nothing...but at least I got some vert!

Then, I ran back onto the country roads, up and over one more big dirtroad hill, then over to the high school. By then, I was feeling pretty roughed-up - again, the two-days post Skinner downs soreness (or in this case, two runs). I was ready to be done, but I added on the campus loop to get three hours, even and 21 miles.

Felt...OK. I was VERY lucky not to break anything, for starters. The HR stayed fairly low, but really crept up over the last 5-6 miles. But, my pace was still solid. So...OK run.

PM: had a coaching chat with Thomas Reiss (he's doing better, but we're having to slow him down - he likes to run fast, A LOT). Then we piled in the car - mom and the bros - to Minneapolis to go to the Surly Brewery, where we met my mom's cousin. We then made a couple stops in DT Minneapolis to a nice cocktail place Steve wanted to see, then finally hit home.

Good day.
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