Sunday Long Run

December 20, 2009 / 9:00 am

Santa Fe Trail

13 miles

2:14 hours

Indecision, indecision. Tracey and Louisa needed 16 miles and I just wanted distance. They first planned to run up Rampart Range Road 16 miles and drive back down. I said no to that. I told them I would run with the Incline Club and do the planned route with the pack.

Then Tracey called me and said they were not going to drop a car off after all and planned to run only 8 up the road and run the 8 back down. Okay, I'd do that. However, my mother's plane was late coming in Saturday night and it was 12:45 am before I knew it. My older daughter, Whitney, also came in from school Saturday night and offered to ride a bike beside me if I wanted to sleep in and run later. Deal!! For multiple reasons! Yes! I did not have to get up at 6:00 am; I could run a long run without power hiking; and best of all, I would be running with my daughter!! So, a hasty email at 12:45 am to Tracey letting her know my change of heart and I was able to sleep in until 8am!

The weather was in the high 30s with not a cloud in the sky when we started at the Baptist Trailhead of the Santa Fe and we ran up to Palmer Lake. Okay, I ran and Whitney biked. It was wonderful having mother daughter time together. We chatted about finals, her last date, friends and about how I needed to find a tree!

Once we hit Palmer Lake, I ate one of my peanut butter sandwich quarters and she walked beside me until that was finished and then we began again. As soon as we rounded the north end of the lake, the wind hit us. Yikes, cold and steady. I stopped immediately to put my windbreaker on and Whitney did the same. I don't like running with too much stuff around my waist; but the wind on this day made me very happy that I tied my windbreaker on me and kept my gloves.

I checked later in the afternoon, the wind was steady at 16mph with gusts to 21mph. I told Whit on the way to the trailhead she would have to pedal up to Palmer Lake but would coast on the way back. Wrongo sportsfans. It was work for her as well as me on the way back. 6.5 miles of that wind. I just had to tell myself that a month ago, it was worse and it was for 13 miles. The Indianapolis Monumental Marathon was on a very windy day - gust 20-30mph. I hated that race.

However, the fact that I was out with my daughter on the run more than made up for the wind. I love spending time with my girls and I love being outdoors. That usually translates into forced marches and hikes in all kinds of weather on holidays. But this time Whitney volunteered! Despite the distance and wind, it was a very good run on that account.

13 miles later and Whitney and I were both sore but very glad that we got out and did it.