There has been something charmed about this training season for me. All my PR’s, my amazing workouts, the great people I’ve run with and met, the elites I’ve watched and been inspired by–they have added up to the best months of running I’ve ever had. And, just for added value, the rain held off for my 20-miler this morning. If you’d made me bet on it, I’d have put my money on “torrential downpour,” and now be out at least $9, if not $11.
Granted, I was still soaked through when I finally made it home after 3 hours and 20 minutes. The humidity was intense, and even though it didn’t wear me down, it definitely wrung me out! I think I’m still (now, at 9:30 PM) dehydrated despite 32 ounces of Gatorade during my run and 64 of water throughout the day.
I ran the same route today as I did for my 19-miler a few weeks ago, except I added on a 2-mile “Sunnyside Loop” around my neighborhood at the very end. This plain sucked, as it’s mostly uphill and I had to repeat many of the same blocks I’d run on my way out and way back in. I was gunning to get this big boy done and done, so I had another fast-finish–which can only help me on race day. Some knee pain, but not a flicker in the hammies which is verrah verrah goo’. The highlight of my twenty? Running through bunches and bunches of buff cops and firemen spectating or participating in the Tunnel to Towers Run/Walk through the Financial District. I mean no disrespect at all (the race is in memorial of their fallen brother Stephen Siller) when I say: Yum.
Pigtails Flying 
It never ceases to amaze me how much more pep is in my step when I run through a crowd of even slightly delectable man morsels.
It’s like a peacock effect. Only in Mizunos and a sports bra. And I generally don’t shit on the sidewalk either. Well, not usually.
Way to go!
There was a torrential downpour at that time, but just in New Jersey. I was driving into the city from NJ at 8:30 or so and it was pouring rain. I was thinking about the pour souls running in the 18 miler in Central Park. But when I got to the city at 9:30 I was happy to see it hadn’t even started raining yet.
And, thanks for answering my question about why I couldn’t drive my car down West Street when I came out of the Holland Tunnel.
Of course when I headed out on my 5 mile run last night, it picked that moment to rain again and rained the whole way 🙂