Hills and Blisters in New York, But It Was COOLER!

What a dummy I am. I wore tennis shoes on the plane to New York to save room in my suitcase. On Saturday, Benjamin and Lauren were going to have a session with the wedding photographer at 3 pm so we went in to be there at 11 for Lauren to get her hair done, have lunch, and then meet photographer at Central Park. We drove in from New York so we had to park the car a pretty long way away from where we were going, 3 different times and places, and walk a lot. Now, I don't mind walking at all but I was DUMB enough to wear flip flops. The minute we started walking, I could tell these shoes were not comfortable but I didn't have any others. They rubbed a blister on top of my right foot, just a little one, but they rubbed a LARGE, tender one on the ball of my left foot.

I drained it Saturday night and found some bandaids and an old corn pad and bandaged it all up Sunday morning. Unfortunately, bandaids on the bottoms of feet running long distances tend to come aloose and move around!!! I knew I probably should not run at all or maybe just do 8 miles. But, most of you who know me from years past know that I am stubborn and a SLAVE to the numbers on my watch!!!!! I was determined to do the 16. Pain or no pain. Lauren planned out a route from her house, an 8 mile route. Plan was that I would stop at the house and refuel/rewater and do the loop again. Well, the air was beautifully cool and dry but there were some SIGNIFICANT hills along the way. And remember, we were staying at her parents' house in the town of Dix HILLS---duh, there were hills! She had said I could vary the route and run most anywhere so, when I realized I had missed one turn but was still very close to the house, I decided not to go back to the house. I didn't want to repeat--I hate repeats of the same route like doing the lake in Clinton more than once. So, on I ran. My foot got sorer, and sorer, and sorer. I could have called my son but I decided that running in pain might be good training for the marathon. What a twisted mind I have. So I ran up a street and then turned on a main thouroughfare. Bathroom stop and water refill at a Dunkin Donuts. Ran for a long time and the businesses got a little less impressive as I went along. Boarded up buildings, pawn shops, thrift shops, foreign languages, people aimlessly ambling about. People going into closed businesses and coming out---? drug deals--would I even recognize that if I saw it???? I didn't want to turn around until I was at 10.75 because I thought that would put me at 16 getting back to her house but at 9.99 miles I decided running alone in a sketchy part of town probably was NOT wise. So, I turned around and ran back forever, past the street I was supposed to turn on. Then I turned back around and turned back the right street but was still not sure whether I was headed back the right way. Intervals were MUCH easier in the cooler air and the first ten miles were done in fine form and style. Doing the marathon shuffle or walking after that. When that watch said 16.00 miles, I called my son's cell phone and he did NOT answer! So I kept hobbling forward and he finally called just about the time I recognized the street I wanted to turn on. He came and got me and saved me about 3/10's of a mile more--I walked about a half mile extra.

I wasn't as sore after 16 as I was after the 13, thank goodness because we went out on Lauren's parents' sailboat which was delightful. Then we changed clothes and went to a foodtasting at the temple where they are going to be married--Wedding Crashers we were because there was a real wedding going on and we got to sneak in and sample all their food while they were in the ceremony!!!!!

Exhausted today after adventure getting home on the plane, as always. Look forward to seeing you all on Saturday!!!