Day 3,419—Remembering Shawnee Hill Part I—

Lap 1: 35.x miles 

   

I felt fresh and relaxed as I started. I was running with a former teacher and wrestling coach from DC. He also had the same first name as my dad, and both of our significant others had the same name. We were both pacing the same, and he was good company as we made it through the first lap. 

I had bug repellent lotion, spray, and four different mosquito bracelets. Still, a hornet stung my left ear within the first 10 miles of the race. The bugs were not as bad as they had been, but they kept returning, and I am still so itchy today. 

We were in 3rd and 4th during the first lap and were taking it easy, not pushing the pace. We got turned around twice but quickly got back on the right path, both paying attention to the spots that were not clearly marked. And we let other runners pass us, and I kept drinking nonstop. I could not empty my water bladder, and it was so heavy. 2 liters might have been too much for this race. At the end of the second lap, Jay started getting lightheaded. Navigating through the rocks and stones seems never-ending on the back half. I changed my socks and coated my feet with baby rash cream, but the rocks kept cutting up my feet.