Back at It

I take back all of the things I've ever said about how easy it is to recover from a marathon.

I didn't realize how sore I was until about ten steps into today's run. An awful run, full of sweat and slowness. I started to wish I would just poop my pants, so when people wondered, "Why's he running so slow and looking so miserable," they would just nod and say, "Oh, he pooped his pants." But no luck.

I'm guessing I ran five miles (1:02.50). Meanwhile, it's 95 degrees and my body is full of the piles of post-marathon celebration food, and I spent more than one night this week, staying up until 2 a.m. watching Star Trek: The Next Generation. So I recognize I'm dealing with several issues, and I don't feel awful about the run, but today I find it hard to believe I ran a marathon when I was younger.

Back on the Road

Dragged the crapradoodle around the 3.4 mile loop (35:27) today, and crap she did: she hasn't lost her touch. First run since, well, let's just get this part out of the way up front:

February 01                

Wednesday: 16.0

Thursday: -----

Friday: 4.0

Saturday: 4.0

(Week 37.4)               

February 05                

Sunday: 9.9

Monday: 4.0

Tuesday: 4.0

Wednesday:-----

Thursday:------

Friday:-----

Saturday:-----

(Week 13.9)               

February 12                

Sunday: -----

Monday:-----

Tuesday:-----

Wednesday:-----

Thursday:-----

Friday:-----

Saturday:-----

(Week-----)                 

February 19                

Sunday:-----

Monday:-----

Tuesday:-----

Wednesday:-----

Thursday:-----

Friday:-----

Saturday:-----

(Week-----)                 

February 26                

Sunday:-----

Monday:-----

Tuesday:-----

Wednesday: 3.4

February: 45.1 miles

Year To Date: 175.7 miles.

Running Days: 29
Days off: 28

I have not been a pleasure to live with for the past three weeks. Turns out running is such an integral part of my life that when I'm not getting out, I get kind of miserable. Not downtrodden or desperate, I don't suppose, but I have definitely felt grumpy for the past month.

*     *     *

In other news, here's a picture of my spouse's foot:

She calls it her zombie ankle, but I wouldn't suggest walking on it, even if you are a zombie.


And, here's further proof that she is a better human being than I: she injured her ankle on Sunday during a roller derby practice. She rested, iced, compressed, and elevated her foot immediately and for the next two days. She took arnica and brionia to help heal her connective tissue and reduce swelling. She was thoughtful about her movement and took care to not inflict additional damage. Today she started doing lunges and squats again. She walked cautiously but normally on it. She took care to continue in the healing process.

Me, when I got hurt, I whined about it, got sullen, and used my newly found time to eat more. I did not one time, during my convalescence, go to the gym to lift weights or go for a bike ride or do yoga on the Wii. Clearly, there are any number of things I could have done to help recover more quickly, but, I've said it before, I can be a bit of a jerk when it comes to my own health -- I think it's very human of me to behave this way, if it makes you all feel any better.

*     *     *

Today's run, by the way, was tender. I tried to run thoughtfully, but was afraid I would put too much pressure on the muscles in my lower back. So I tried to run casually, but was afraid I would slip and fall and injure my back even worse. In this regard, I should have stayed home, so I wouldn't be caught up in lousy paradoxes. But, really, I settled into the slowest pace I could muster and the world felt great. Within a quarter mile, I started making plans to run an ultramarathon or a thousand mile race or from here to the moon (metaphorically).

We'll see how my back feels tomorrow. For today, I'm just very happy to be a touch sweaty again. The rest of the family is withholding their opinion about that.

Recovering from the Long Run

Morning run. Maintenance run. Dragged the labradoodle along the 3.4 mile loop (35:49). I feel like a slightly overweight middle-aged guy who ran 15 miles two days ago.

Oh, hello, mirror . . . yes, I see, I am that guy.

The town is quiet, the roads are quiet, two dozen turkey vultures sat on the opposite side of the river, eyeing up what remained of the geese. The river is cold, the roads are cold, it was a fine run.