Camelbak saves the day

by Maria Torres

The training schedule called for a 9 mile run this weekend, and it was a lot more difficult than I had expected. I actually ended up running 9.9 miles because I decided to run for time (90 min.) instead of distance, but that's not what made it such a hard run.

Sunday was an unusually hot and dry day in Telluride. No clouds were out to help shield me from the heat, and no afternoon showers rolled in to cool everything down. I shouldn't complain because it would probably feel like the Arctic to my Dad and Stacy - the blistering summer heat in Arkansas and Oklahoma has undoubtedly added an extra obstacle to their training. But I've been spoiled by the consistently mild temperatures here lately. Usually the most I have to worry about is being struck by lightning, and even then I think I could outrun it ;)

I ran a new trail along the San Miguel River this weekend, and with that came a new challenge. Initially, I planned to run the 9 miles on a different - and far easier - trail, but when I got to the trailhead I saw that no dogs were allowed. Since the dogs needed exercise, I chose a trail I knew nothing about (except that dogs were allowed). The trail ended about 40 min. into my run, and until I turned around to head back, I didn't realize I had been running on a very gradual downward slope. No wonder I felt so great! But the slope became very apparent as soon as I started the second half back up the same way - my legs felt like lead and it seemed like I was barely moving. It took me a while longer to run the second half than it did the first half, and I was exhausted! I think paranoia also set in somewhere around the halfway point after I spotted some bear droppings on the trail. The rest of the run I was constantly checking over my shoulder, convinced I was being stalked. Getting eaten alive would probably have been less painful than running at that point ;) I did like the trail - I'll just have to mentally prepare myself for the uphill part next time.

On a couple of the longer runs, I have finished so dehydrated that I can't even work up spit in my mouth (how's that for a nice lil mental image?). So before running on Sunday, I decided that I needed to figure out a way to carry fluids with me on my longer runs. Because I'm pretty sure I'd look like a big dork toting around a "water belt," which is a fanny pack-type thing that you can carry water in, I decided to check out some Camelbaks. Luckily, the store I went to had one with my name written all over it! It lays flat against my back for running, and even has pink in it. What's that? You want to see a picture of it? Okay!
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I filled it with very diluted Gatorade for the run and it worked out really well. You all will be glad to know that I still had spit in my mouth at the end of my run! haha

Next weekend is my 10 mile run, and hopefully it goes at least a little more smoothly than Stacy's did (see her latest post). Check back soon!