Sweet 16.

Woo hoo. It's the weekend. Well... almost.

My plans for the weekend? Besides my brother's birthday dinner tonight (which I will undoubtedly have to pass on gorging myself on ribs and cake and ice cream, because of this stupid little contest I'm involved in) all I've got planned for the weekend is a long run. My first official long run for the Grizzly Marathon. How long? 16 miles.

Now, 16 miles isn't that far. But, as I've lamented on this blog before... the 16 miler is my least favorite long run distance. It's not far enough to make you feel like a total bad-ass that can justifiably inhale a plate of chicken nachos when you're done, but it is far enough that one must consider location, energy supplements, and water (especially this time of year). Ugh.

So, initially, I was thinking... maybe I'll head out to a local park and log these miles. Maybe the flat, boring, dog-shit infested Greenway that is close by? Or, I could go to the park that is beautiful and offers up loads of challenging, hilly routes that are sure to burn both my calves and my lungs simultaneously? Sound like two really fun options, huh?

In the end, I think I'll just stick to my normal routine. I'll get up at the ass crack of dawn and log my miles around my house. It's convenient, it's easy, and I can stash my water/shot blox at my place, instead of wearing my skin rubbing hydration belt.

Let's just hope I make it. I'm notorious for bailing early on these 16 milers.