~28.2 mi @ ~13.6 min/mi

"We used to be fast - now we enjoy!" Two ladies lead Roadkill for a segment of the 28-mile Mad Dog Zimmarathon-Plus reenactment on a soggy Labor Day morn. They tell of running Boston, chat about local courses, and turn back at KenGar to trek downstream. A pair of deer stand in the stream; a chipmunk scurries across the path.

"Today is an experiment," Roadkill explains. Adventure begins at dawn: take Rock Creek Trail to Lake Needwood, circumnavigate, and return, with selfie-pauses along the way. En route take four Succeed! electrolyte capsules, eat four Clif Shot gels, quaff two big bottles of Tailwind, and drink a couple of additional quarts of water. Grease feet, and get one blister, side of left big toe. No chafing except on back where singlet seam meets pack strap. New shorts with pockets work well. Fingers swell just a little. Left hip and hamstring ache slightly after a dozen miles. Vertigo minimal, ditto double vision. No stumbles or falls; lose only 4 pounds from dehydration. Overall verdict: despite oppressive humidity, feel great!

"Run 30 seconds or less, then walk!" Pace restraint is tough, but after a too-fast first mile splits settle into the 13-15 min/mi zone. Amble up hills; trot at most half a minute; pause at every water fountain. Hmmmm - will the same strategy of self-control work at marathons with dear friends during the next few months? Worth a try!

(cf 2004-08-29 - Mad Dog Zimmarathon + 2006-10-28 - Mad Dog Zimmarathon Plus + 2007-08-18 - Mad Dog Zimmarathon 2007 + 2011-07-16 - Mad Dog Zimmarathon 2011 + 2014-05-18 - Solo Zimmarathon for past journeys along this route; trackfile) - ^z - 2019-09-19