Running, resumed

If you read Mike's Toilet Triangulation masterpiece in the previous post, you know why most of the MRC membership doesn't show up here. Who can compete with that stuff?

I'm not going to compete, either. Just the facts.

After a layoff of almost 2 weeks I finally hit the road again today. I have to admit I was pretty apprehensive about this run, since I knew my foot was not fully healed. It definitely has improved, however, and my physical therapist was not against this run at all. She thought I could run, that I would be sore afterward, but that I should recover quickly. She just wanted me to take it easy.

I planned to run with Mike on the trails at Smithville Lake. Before we left, I jogged up the street a half block and back again. Not good. I just didn't think I'd be able to go 10 miles. We talked it over and devised a route that would keep us close to the car at all times in case I had to just give it up.

We kept the pace slow, averaging 10:25. I was doing OK on the flat and downhill portions, but any kind of uphill quickly brought on the pain. By the time we hit 4 miles I was sore enough that we discussed driving all the way to English Landing Park so we could finish on a level, soft surface. But once we got to the car at the 5 mile mark, I decided if I didn't finish right then, I wouldn't want to 45 min. later at a new location.

After a short rest we headed out on what we thought would be a flat route. The first mile felt so good that I announced I was sure I could make the full 10. Almost immediately, it got hilly, I got sore, and doubts crept in. I kept going, though, and at the 8 mile mark we turned around and headed back. Now we were running into a 35 mph wind and it forced me to lengthen my stride.To my surprise the discomfort in my foot eased up a bit. I'd been keeping my stride short thinking that would minimize the possibility of further injury. Turned out that a more normal stride was better.

Anyway, I did 10 miles. The layoff didn't seem to have hurt, and I had no problem with the distance. There was plenty of effort, though, and it all came from dealing with the foot. It was constantly on my mind, and I favored it enough that my right hip got a little achy in the later miles. I still don't know if I can go 26 miles, but I have 2 weeks to heal so the chances are good. -- Rob