The Longest Mile(s)

The longest miles of any run are nearly always the final ones. And such is the case today.

People (runners, that is) come and join the fun - 

At first it's just Dan, Chadwick, and Ella. Ella happens to be a four-legged runner, not that there's anything wrong with that. They run South from the Medina Square, out and back on the Champion Creek / Roscoe Ewing trail. Now there's a bunch more that join: Michelle, Andy, Harold, Debbie, Kelly, and Beth. (Note that last names are not being used here to protect the innocent. Not that there are any of those.)

People begin dropping like flies - 

After a four-mile sojourn on the new Medina Turkey Chase course, they return to the Square once again. "Sojourn" is probably the wrong word. This portion of the run is actually quite fast, at least for Dan. Beth has to go, but the everyone else does the Champion Creek / Roscoe Ewing trail out-and-back once again. Now, it's time for Harold, Debbie, and Kelly to take off, leaving Andy, Michelle, Chadwick, Ella, and Dan. A couple additional, final miles, and it's time for everyone to leave.

Alone again, naturally - 

Everyone, that is, except Dan. Dan has to do at least three more in order for this to be considered a long run. Why is that important, you ask? Dan wouldn't be able to articulate an answer. Maybe because he needs one to train for next week's 50K. How hard can just three additional miles be?

Quite hard - 

Yes, Dan struggles trying to run alone after everybody else is gone. On extremely rare occasions, he can turn these final (longest) miles into good ones. Today is not such a day. Today, they are long. He gets over to the Claggett Track, where they will at least be on a soft surface.

Get back - 

It's not all quite as bad as it seems here, but getting back up to the Square is still a struggle. Dan manages to get there, somehow.