Loony Long Run

Wanted to run long today to make it easier to watch the men's Olympic marathon tomorrow morning. I was also feeling energetic and plus it looked like I would have cloud cover to help counter the high humidity (95%). Turned out to be the case, thankfully the sun never came close to breaking out and it made the soup surprisingly very tolerable.

Your typical stock photo of a loon

Wanted to run on new roads so I ran over to Little Ossipee Lake. I'll have to run there more often... scenic roads with little traffic. On two separate occasions I was serenaded by loons, which was a real treat. Henry David Thoreau would have approved.

Plan was to run whatever pace felt right. Given yesterday, I anticipated a pace of 8:15-8:30/mile, especially with the soup. Never pushed it and the 7:53/mile pace came really easily. Energetic throughout with a pace that picked up as the run went on. Good hills on this route to boot. Quite pleased.

If I could have done one thing different, I probably should have refilled my water bottle. It was drained halfway through the run. It would have been easy enough to get some from the outside faucet of somebody's seasonal home/camp that wasn't there or simply ask someone.. plenty of people outside working on their gardens. But I was no worse for the wear and I didn't really feel all that thirsty until I got home.

Ran 20.1 miles @ 7:53/mile pace.
Paved roads.
Moderately to very hilly.
Lower 70s, overcast, extremely humid.
Saucony Kinvara 3, shorts, handheld bottle (water)