Well, I just couldn't let a good day go to waste. Temperatures were in the mid 50s and the skies were sunny and bright. After a lot of stretching yesterday, my lower calf muscle felt really good today. So, I decided to try my long run around the east loop of Lake Zorinsky. The first mile gave me some minor pain in my lower left ankle on the front, but no pain on my right lower calf. Amazing. So, I ran.
The loop itself is paved asphalt, and is a really nice trail, but there still are patches of ice (despite the warm temperatures, with a new record high yesterday), and lot of snowmelt running onto the trail too. Sure gave my shiny white Nike shoes a run for their money, guess they can't stay clean and new forever. Only stopped running when I hit the occasional ice patch.
Anyhow, 4.5 miles later, I had completed the loop and was back at my car. The run felt good, time passed, I wasn't huffing and puffing, and it just felt, well, good! In fact, it felt great! I just love how I feel after a run, with a sense of accomplishment, a sense of "can do", and feel so proud of myself. Still seems strange that just 4 weeks ago, I didn't really "enjoy" my running, and looked at is as a chore. Today, I was excited. I was excited to be outside. I was excited to meet other runners on the trail. I was excited to hear the GPS watch tick off each mile and to be able to look at my pace. In fact, I wish I could have done more. Just have to remember, slow and steady wins the race. Complete, not compete! One odd thing, I saw a woman riding her horse on the Zorinsky trail. Didn't think that was allowed since it's such a crowded trail with runners, walkers, and bikers. Seemed a little dangerous to me.
My wife did her long run today too, but she didn't have as good of luck. She has asthma, and today it really hit her hard. In fact, when she got home, I was very concerned since she was still huffing and puffing (a good 20 minutes after her run), and couldn't catch her breath. I feared for her life for a minute, and have significant concerns whether she can complete the half marathon or not. She's going to her asthma doctor next week to discuss her options, and possibly adjust her meds if necessary. She's been dealing with severe asthma for the last 4 years or so. It has gotten significantly better since then, but perhaps this running regimen might be too much.
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