A Scorcher

Distance: 2 miles
Time: ?

I ran the same route today that I ran August 6th in Barstow. Two miles up and down desert terrain, all on dirt, out in the middle of the Mojave. I forgot my stopwatch, so I wasn't able to time myself, but I know I did a lot better than the first time I ran it. When I ran this route the first time, which consists of 2 mile-long loops, I had to stop a couple of times out of sheer exhaustion. Today though I stopped once and the rest of the time I maintained a much stronger pace. I felt like the hills weren't quite as tough as the first time. All that said, though, it was a difficult run, especially because of the heat. It was only 10 in the morning, but it was well on its way to the triple-digits. The sun was scorching, and I'm sure it deprived me of much-needed energy. If the route had been longer than 2 miles, I may not have made it.

I'm glad I was able to run this particular run today. This Saturday is the Apple Valley Mud Run, and I'm sure training in the desert on hills and diverse terrain is perfect preparation for the obstacles that lay ahead in the Mud Run. My next run (which will be Wednesday since I'll be at the beach tomorrow with the cross-country team) will be 3 miles. I need to get the extra distance in, whether I'm ready or not. The Mud Run is a 5K, and even though it won't be a typical 5K race I will still need to be ready for a test of endurance.