May 2020 Monthly Running Challenge

Glad to see the new members. Welcome!
@katharmonic The 4 x 4 x 48 challenge sounds very intimidating. But you are doing great! Good luck!!!
@eleanorhawkins great job! You made Hal proud!!!!
Looks like many are getting new shoes for the new month. I am in good company

10 miles this morning. Started off sunny and hot/humid (68F 85%). Then about halfway it started to rain, then cloudy and a little cooler. Just did a bare minimum long run to test out the new Ghost 12's. I think they are keepers. Didn't feel like I was running on cardboard anymore 😁
HR getting back to near normal (124bpm). And didn't feel like I was dead at the end. So I'm counting this as a successful run.

Wow, thank you all so much! Your encouragement means a lot to me. This is hard.

9 out of 12 runs done, 36 out of 48 miles.

Running thoughts:
Run 1, 9 am - Good morning! Lovely day on the trails, a little muddy, I better do roads from here on. I can totally do this. I'm in!
Run 2, 1 pm - OK, we're good, it's a good temp, I still got a few things done today between runs, feeling fine. This is easier than a long run. I can do this.
Run 3, 5 pm - All right, it's still fine, but it's gotten a little chillier and is starting to mist and I'm not super into this. Drove to a new location so the change is good. The misty rain is starting to get a little more intense. OK, now I'm soaked and this is less fun, but I'm done. I hope I can do this.

Run 4, 9 pm - I'm not sure I've ever run at 9 pm before. It's no longer raining, thank goodness. It's a little chilly but I over-layered. Trying to mix up the route a little. Quite a few Christmas lights up! Why am I not at 2 miles yet, good lord. I just want to go to bed, thank goodness it's finally over. This is going to be tough.
Run 5, 1 am - Oh, I am tired. My fellow challenge runners are texting how amazing this is and I can't relate. It's a little foggy out and hard to see with the headlamp reflecting on the droplets in the air. It's very quiet out here at this time. Staying close to home, just looping back and forth through the neighborhood. Just two miles out and then double back. I've only seen one car and no people. Not necessarily worse than the 9 pm run. Oh wow - a fox! And I'm home, ready to fall back into bed. Gah, 5 am is coming soon.
Run 6, 5 am - Can't comprehend how it is time to run again. My fellow challengers begin to worry that I'm not up, so they call me. Grr, I'm awake, leave me alone. It's down to upper 40s and I'm cold. This one is rough. Starting to see cars out. I feel like I'm moving at a snail's pace. The sky is getting light and that gives me some hope. 4 miles is too much. This challenge sucks. Ah, there's the sunrise. Ugh, I cut the loop too short and can't go home yet. Wonder if my neighbors have seen me out here multiple times. Thank god. Done. Back to bed. Half way done with this challenge. Is that freaking all?
Run 7, 9 am - Ok that was not enough sleep but the sun is out and it feels like a civilized thing to get out of bed. It's actually a gorgeous day. I need to change up the route, so driving to the canal. Parking lot is nearly full and it's starting to get crowded along the path but at least it's wide. The distraction of people and spotting some wildlife (turtles, ducks, snake) is helping but 4 miles is still long. Try to remember that at least it's not a long run and stopping at 4 is a lot less than I'd normally do at this time on a Saturday. We won't mention total miles in the last 24 hours. If I can just get through these daytime runs ok, then survive the night, it's over. 5 more runs.

Run 8, 1 pm - Tried to stretch more and do a little yoga before this, not sure how much it helped. I'll just try to run out 2 miles on the main street and then run back. Too mentally challenging to think of routes. Listening to Wait Wait Don't Tell Me is a decent distraction. My feet hurt. I forgot this long hill. I'm walking the worst part. OK, now just bring it home. I almost calculated the distance correctly this time, only a tiny bit past my driveway. I don't really want to do this again.
Run 9, 5 pm - A friend to the rescue, she is chatting to me from 6 ft away and getting me through this run. Usually she is slower than me but I'm dragging and she seems full of energy. She is awesome and her constant dialogue keeps me from totally focusing on how tired I am. She coaches me through the hills (why do I live in such a hilly town, may need to move) until we are at the peak of the last one. Then it's coasting back to the car. I am practically in tears with being grateful for the company and so tired of doing this. She tells me to order food and be sure to eat and drink, so that's what I do. Just 3 more. It's going to suck but I can do it. I'm feeling like it's mile 20 of the marathon. I want to be done so badly, there's still too much left but comparatively it's getting close.