Homestead Trail 50k Long Run, Humidity, Sweat, and Flies oh my!

Trail Head

Sometimes you just need a good solo long run on the trails.  
YOU AND THE TRAILS.

This past Saturday was one of those days.  Logistics worked out great for my wife and mother in law to drop me off on the south side of Lincoln, where the Jamaica trail ends and the north end of the Homestead Trail begins.  My Journey would be heading south on the Homestead Trail to Beatrice.

This is a nice, basically flat (see strava data) rails to trails, multi-use trail that runs 30 miles. 

So a little after 8:00 (in July I know, couldn't have started earlier, but I figure, hey if you don't ever train in the heat...then...) off I went with my Spry Vest, my Ultra Spire Permanent Cup, which may be the the greatest "little" gear invention ever.  That cup is indestructible and works so well in races with 0 waste.   Kudo's to UltraSpire for saving some much waste with that cup.  I have to say I get some classic "what are you doing looks" when I pull this out of my vest, fill, drink, and smash it back in my pocket!  check it out.

https://ultraspire.com/products/ultraspire-c2-cup/

Ok soooooo back to my run.  The run was pretty uneventful really, not great storytelling material for the first 22 miles. Once I got about 8 miles from the trail head, didn't see too many other bikers or runners as, it was later in the morning, warm, and humid.  Cruised along for 14 smooth miles, then the trail passes through the small town of Cortland.  I took this opportunity to veer off to the convenience store for a water refill and a granola bar.

  

Spent 10 minutes chatting with a couple that were biking 30 miles that day and off I went heading south with my journey not quite half over.  I was very thankful for the cloud cover as a good portion of the next 10 miles was exposed.  Just wild flowers, corn and soybean fields.

Now as I approach mile 22ish I felt the need to perhaps take a stroll and walk a little bit, humidity was around 90% and I was completely drenched.  My calf was telling me to walk a tad.  AND THEN... I ran into a posse of biting flies and they meant business.  Sorry calf, no time for walking, I HAD to run and I felt them "pecking on my legs and back as I ran down the trail far faster than I wanted to go.  My all natural bug spray which works awesome (but that's another story), had long since been sweated out all over the trail.  My pace was that when I started and my body was not happy about it, but my mind couldn't stop lest I get carried away by this band of ruthless flies.     

Me breathing after the flies went away

Rinse and Repeat for about 7 more miles until I reach the edge of Beatrice where there was a bit of tree cover which apparently they didn't like much, I walked and my calves rejoiced!   Ahhhh half mile walk to refuel, regroup, and pull my sanity out of my hat.  After the fly episode, the last 2 or so miles were a cake walk (and a little bit of cake jog), with a total of 31.5 miles and 6 hours (5:20ish moving time).

So much great time for thinking, meditation, and prayer for all that I'm blessed with!  NOW as Eric says on UltraRunnerPodcast .. GET OUT AND RUN..