The Doctor is IN

Finally, on the last day of May, a warm day in Fort Collins! It was warm outside of the sauna.

I ran 32 miles up at Horsetooth Reservoir today on the hills after yesterday's off and on rain after the Houska Houska. Today was cool to start, I was freezing until noon, I had my long sleeved fleece turtleneck on until the last 6 miles! Everyone else was out in shorts and I was freezing.

The air was cool but the ground was warm, because I saw two HUGE bull snakes on the asphalt at the turnoff to Reservoir Ridge. I couldn't pull out my cell phone camera fast enough and they slithered back into the grass as cars went by. They were big!

After my run, I stopped by Runners Roost to exchange a pair of shoes. I cannot even wear 7 1/2s anymore. I put them on and the toes on my left foot go numb from being squeezed together. Just 5 months ago I was able to wear them. I ordered 7 more pairs of Brooks Addictions, mostly 8s, but a couple of 8 1/2s, to get me through Badwater. I will break each of them in before July.

Houska Houska was fun as always, it was a Saturday Night Live theme and there were Coneheads, Killer Bees, the Blues Brothers, Father Guido Sarducci, and so many other creative costumes. I got the honor of running with my friend Morgan, whom I never see anymore. We ran the entire run together.












After the Houska Houska I went to the sauna, lifted, did a few more miles with the girls, and took a long nap. Then I had to go to the store and buy supplies for this week's running. I'll have to get more at mid-week, for making sandwiches, because it won't last if I get it now.

Today I went back to the sauna, it's been unusually hot in there lately. I've only been able to tolerate about 35 minutes each day this week. Unfortunately today I resembled this one guy's therapist again. I said as little as possible and kept the towel over my eyes. This guy loves to try engaging people in conversation even if they are not looking at him. I watched him do it with 5 different people. If they were quiet or ignoring him, he would lie there and sigh loudly, over and over again.

Most people didn't want to talk, myself included. Call me a cold heartless b**** but I'm not being paid to be his therapist. I'm in there to relax, to think about Badwater planning, drink a lot of fluids, and concentrate on staying in the sauna. I don't go there to socialize.

I am sure the poor guy is lonely but I'm not able to help him. I have run into him twice now, only when I go to the sauna later in the day. Usually I'm there before noon and I don't tend to run into oddballs.

The other thing that always seems to happen this time of year is road construction, and always between my house and the sauna. This time it's at Horsetooth and Lemay. I guess it will lengthen my heat training sessions, if I roll up the windows and crank the heater as I sit there through multiple light changes in backed up traffic.

The next two weeks will be a challenge since I'll have to go to the sauna after my runs each day. But after I get back from Arizona, I will be tapering and can go any time I want. For now, I need to remember my sign, psychiatric help $150 an hour. If I got enough clients, I could pay for Badwater!