Beaten up, bruised and battered

Have you ever just had one of those runs that started out poorly and ended even worse? With a lot of suffering added in the middle, well, only when you weren't just absolutely miserable?

No? I didn't imagine so.
I do. And I did today.
Today was 15 miles, with 6 miles at marathon pace sandwiched in the middle. Gah it was humid. My legs felt like lead, my peanut butter breakfast was weighing in my gut, and oh, did I mention that I just wasn't feeling it? I could tell from mile 2 that I was going to struggle. Even before we hit mp I was gasping for air like I'd just run strides...and I was cruising along at an 11 minute mile.
Not good.
Patient Michelle stayed with me throughout all 15 horrendous miles. Listening to me gripe, wheeze and whine of my general malaise. Bless her.
I'm more sore today than I was at 20, I'm pretty sure my index toe (is there such a thing as an index toe?) is going to lose a nail and my knee is swollen. I'm a mess!

Eh, some days you're on, some days you're off. Plus, if this was easy, more people would train for a marathon. Tomorrow will be better.
Especially since I'm on STAYCATION BABY! Whooooo! (see, I had energy for that now, didn't I?) Plans to stay home, work on some projects, get some reading done and sleep in! Okay, well to be fair I still have to get up to go running, but I can go-back-to-bed or, gasp, nap if I want to! Bliss, pure bliss. And I should be well rested for next Sunday's 18 miles.
I'll leave you with two things. A photo of Perry enjoying my ice bath...

...and the winner of my giveaway! Thank you to everyone who commented (and posted links!) I loved reading what you love about running!

Drumroll please...the winner of The Complete Book of Women's Running is...Morgan from CAUTION:Redhead Running!!! Morgan says one of the reasons she loves running is that "because after a 20 miler you have full bragging rights to astonish everyone you meet by saying 'I RAN 20 MILES TODAY!'" Coincidentally (I promise) Morgan and I both crossed that 20 mile mark for the first time last weekend. Congratulations Morgan! E-mail me your addy at thatpinkgirl at gmail dot com and I'll get your book, er prize, on it's way!