Trail Trial

I am finally fully recovered from my "test run" Saturday morning. I went approximately 7.5 - 8 miles on a very hilly trail in Briones park, which boasted 1,000 ft. elevation as part of one of the climbs. While I did not run much of the uphills, particularly the steep parts, I was able to make up the lost time on the downhills, to complete the run in 1.5 hours. I also managed to save myself some money by running with my Camelback back pack, full of water, rather than buying myself a new hip-belt for the upcoming race. I can do a 7 miler with a Camelback, though anything longer or more speed-intensive and I may want to invest in a hip-belt, to avoid chafing or general discomfort from carrying that much on my shoulders.

I was exhilerated when I finished the run, not exhausted at all. I didn't get sore until the next morning, and the soreness was primarily in my left hip area, and my shins. Also had some gnarly blisters on the arch areas of my feet, which is to be expected I guess, my feet are COMPLETELY flat (we're talking flipper-flat here, I was clearly meant to be an aquatic creature) and tend towards over-pronation when I run. This creates friction along the inner-lining-meeting-sole-of-shoe area in my more active moments, and blisters inevitably follow.
The good news is, I can power through it for the 7 miles, and deal with those annoying after-affects AFTER.
I'm REALLY looking forward to the race. Not sure how happy I'll be sans music/motivation, as they refuse to let us use audio equipment, but maybe I'll see it as meditative time in my own head. I must remember to bring and wear lots of chapstick, though, my lips are dry and crackly today after a combo of outdoor conditions and mild dehydration.

Body/perception note: I worry less about how much I weigh now, and I find I FOCUS less on how my body looks. It could be because things are just fitting easier/better now, or it could be that my focus is not on my appearance as much as what my body is able to DO actively now. It feels healthier, mentally, in any event.