You GUYS. This was Much Better.
After Thursday's improved run status (as in: status being I can actually run), I crosstrained carefully but not wimpily yesterday and then there was a sort of plan to go to Sleepy Hollow State Park (yes, actually called that, how is that ok?) on Sunday with a local friend, with whom I will be running the Capital City Half Marathon in two weeks (oh yeah forgot about that a little bit?)
Anyway, this morning when I was very expertly getting zero work done and yawning like a lunatic, she texted me asking were we really doing this and when... and I remembered it's supposed to be really much hotter tomorrow, and she couldn't do Monday... and somehow suddenly it was on for today.
The upshot was something like 8.5~9 miles, at between 10 and 10:30 minute miles (our Garmin technique leaves a little to be desired) and considering the humidity and the trailness (and the bit about how I maybe wasn't running at all a week ago) this feels like a distinct win. WIN!
We ran around a lake, and apart from the weird bit where the path takes you almost up to the interstate, halfway up a culvert, and then back around 180 degrees into the woods again (obviously the product of some trail planner's typo and quick fix: "oh, wait, they can't cross the interstate... uh, let's just have them do a ... er, loop... look, it'll be character building...") it was quite nice. Lots of shade, lots of open fields as well, far too many bugs but only one of them flew into my mouth (although that one was a complete bastard, as I felt its crunchy exoskeletal body honest-to-god *smack* into my front teeth, jesus, bug!), nice little lake though mysteriously lacking in water fountain (wtf), one random guy with a horse and buggy, and mostly just us trucking along on single or dual track. Somehow the entire run was slightly uphill; let's not think too hard about whether that's possible (we did a loop.) There was some sun and some wind and waaaaaay too much humidity, but lots of soft dirt for tired legs.
... and yes, my leg? The back of my left leg felt about the same the whole time, and better than Thursday I think. We stopped a few times and I massaged it like before, and I made sure to take small strides and never even get close to running hard (see slow but steady pace.) And though when we came back from our dog walk a couple hours later I felt a little hmmmph on that side, I really think it's going to be ok, if I'm smart and stay cautious.
I realize 9 miles doesn't sound like caution to everyone.
But when we finished, I could definitely, definitely have done more.
The training schedule which I am possibly dumping as per last post said to run 18 miles today. Well, I did half that.
So then this week? ... I will run carefully. Swimming for crosstraining. Bunch of strength stuff. Lots of foam rolling. And then next weekend there are some bigger plans. Well: some idea to get back on the distance plan (perhaps slightly easing into it by running in the morning and the evening of the same day.) ... But one day at a time, right? Right. Right, right. I will keep telling myself that.
P.S. Remember when I said 7 weeks to go last week? No, that was wrong. I am apparently incapable of understanding when October 20th is. But NOW, now there are 7 weeks to go.
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