Running of the Lights leaves me heavy

Ran in a special event last night: the First Annual Running of the Lights.

This may be the start of a whole new series. We did a (roughly) 5k course around residential streets -- following a course carefully contrived by Toledo Runner Patty Ross to take us past all the houses with the most exuberant displays of Christmas and Hanukah lights.

OK, you got it, it wasn't a PROPER race or anything, just a souped-up training run. OK, busted, it wasn't even that, just an excuse for a holiday party.

In the interests of still being able to put one foot in front of another at better than walking pace the following morning -- early -- I did keep an eye on what I was eating and drinking. But even so, come 7:45 a.m. I was stumbling up the trail to meet a typically bright and bouncy Patty M for my regular dose of nurturing Thursday morning pain.

Ah yes, the pain. So today, not being awake yet, as usual, it seems I instantly agreed to Patty's suggestion to do a new route that would give me 6 miles and her 10-11. Oh yes, I remember now why I agreed so quickly; I was awake, and she said something about the first 3 miles being downhill. Yes I know what that means, but at the time, it seemed like a brilliant idea.

Funnily enough, the climb back up towards home wasn't too bad. I only required the supplemental oxygen once. I was working much harder than I wanted to be, of course, and was frantically stripping off hat, gloves and my top two outer layers as my work rate rocketed.

So here's the thing... I always run with a Garmin Forerunner -- it's a combined GPS speed-distance and heart rate monitor gizmo. But I'd left it on last night and ran the battery down. So I had no numbers to tell me I was running too fast and that my heart was about to explode. I did feel a bit rough, but put that down to the two beers I had at the other Patty's. OK, three.

Without the machine feedback I think I ran faster than normal. It was easier to tough it out without the monitor saying "Slow down!" And "Dude, final warning, you can't keep this up -- cease and desist!"

Got home and lay down for a while and drank tea. (You have to be British to be able to do that -- it's a genetic gift.) An hour later my legs were still trembling. But that's cool. I know this is supposed to be an easy week, but one day won't hurt, will it?