It's been a couple weeks since I posted, so I guess I'll work backwards in recounting my recent runs.

Today should have been an easy run day. A step-back week--just 6 miles. However, some poor choices made it a very difficult one. Yesterday we spent the day at Dean's house for the Chillin' and Grillin' for a Cure fundraising event. So much fun. But lots of food and drinks and a late night lead to hitting snooze about 10 times this morning. I didn't step out the door until after 9 a.m. and it was already steaming hot out. In addition to getting a late start, I chose a very UN-shady route. A brutal combination. 

Last weekend was SO much better even though it was twice as long. 12 miles last Sunday--the weather broke for us just in the nick of time. The entire week, the daily highs were 100+. But a cool front came through Saturday night. Sunday morning was about 75 degrees and cloudy. Thank goodness!! I'm not sure we would have gotten 12 miles in if the heat wave had continued. It was the first opportunity that Sunni, Emily and I have had to run together. We ran on a path in Naperville that was new to Emily and I. A very nice 6 mile loop. Very little shade, but the sun stayed behind the clouds for most of the run. Awesome!

Even through the heat of the week, I managed to get all my runs in. Although I did end up at the Y on the treadmill on Friday. When it's already 80+ degrees at 5 a.m., it's just too hot to run outside.

The Sunday run two weeks ago was 10 miles. Busy schedules prevented any of us from running together. So it was 10 miles solo. I have to say that, although it was a little lonely, I enjoyed the solitude of just me and my music. And it was complete solitude. I did not see another person until I got into downtown Oswego--and I was only there for about 1.5 miles. I took the opportunity to greet fellow runners and struck up a quick conversation with one runner who I could tell was in the middle of a long run (he was sporting one of those camelback water packs). He was running 13 that morning and seemed envious that I only had 10 to do :)

So far things are progressing very well. My back is feeling great (I'm down to just one PT/chiro visit a week), shin splints are pretty much gone. And I'm excited about 14 miles this coming Sunday. Never gone that far! Praying that it isn't too hot!!

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