Screaming Peacocks!

Yesterday we ran 14 miles, again in Palos Verdes (land of the never-ending hills). Our practices now begin at 7am, which means a 5:30am alarm for me. After a week of work, this can be a rough endeavor, but completely worth it after the fact. I was very conscious during the last week of hydrating and stretching more, which I think paid off in a big way. I tried Nuun for the first time, after reading a great post on www.bananasauce.com. I am definitely a fan! I also tried Jelly Belly Sports Beans and don't think I will use them again. They were WAY too sweet, in my opinion.

Due to IT band/knee issues, I ran by Road Runner Sports and picked up an IT band compression wrap. What a difference! No IT band pain post-run and very little during. Now I just need to tackle the kneecap pain (which is the worst post-run, resulting in a strong burning sensation).

I also tried to incorporate a run/walk strategy during part of this long run (5 min run/1 min walk). I am not completely sold, but might try it again for our 16-miler next Saturday. I tend to feel better when I just push through, even if it means significantly slowing my pace to recover at times.

Below you will find a link to the course, which included a tour of the Palos Verdes Golf Course. The best part of running (unless you are moving along with an annoying partner or group) is the solitude in the early morning. The area around the course was particularly peaceful and lush. Shortly after getting into my groove around mile 2, I heard a terrifying noise that sounded like a child screaming. After another half mile I heard it again. Thankfully someone pointed out the local peacock population, and this their typical mating call.