Hilly? No, THIS is hilly!

My husband and I had to take an unexpected trip to Illinois last weekend.  And like the dutiful runner I am, I HAD to continue with my training schedule.  I had a 12 mile run scheduled for that weekend as I prepare for my Diva half marathon on the 12th of September, and of course the half Iron relay on the 27th.

I had been to IL before, lots of times.  It is where Mr. Honesty (the husband) grew up and all of my in  laws were there.  I had also run there before and enjoyed it.  So I knew a good 5 mile out-and-back that I was going to just do twice, and then maybe add some side streets on the front end to round out 12 miles.

Since I had run it before, I knew the route, but I think it had been a minute since I had run that route because I mistakenly thought Illinois was flat...you know, corn fields and all.  The breadbasket of the US isn't it called? Or is that Indiana?  Iowa maybe?  I don't know, there are lots of "I" states and I am not from here.  Needless to say, I thought Illinois was flat.

Heavens to Betsy, was I wrong.  I got through mile 11 and  had to give up because I was convinced my lungs were going to start bleeding.  I was SO slow with my pace (let's be real, I am slow anyway but this was EXTRA slow) and like the low self-esteem diva I am, I figured I was just slow and couldn't possibly compete in a half marathon.

THEN I looked at my elevation gain.  1049ft in an elevation gain!  So much for thinking that Illinois was a flat state.  Apparently when I was running around the neighbourhoods in the first few miles of my run it was pretty flat.  And then I went down a major hill.  In Georgia, I am used to hills.  When I ran the Publix half marathon I thought that was hilly.  But this was nothing like anything I'd seen.  I just felt like that last major hill went on forever.

So I learned to do my research.  When training for a race, it is best no to over do it close to race day.  It can lead to injury or over training.  Although I did not feel like I injured myself (hurt maybe, but you can shake off a hurt) I think I certainly over did it.

But the little loop on the west side of my run looks like a little heart, so that makes me feel good.