This represents the start of my run, up the hill, to meet up with Vince.
This represents basically an out and back juant with Vince plus a solo loop at the end.Because I'm still learning my new GPS tracking software, I accidentally stopped it when I met up with Vince, who ran the middle 5 miles with me. Hence, the top route and graph are the first 2.5 miles, and the bottom, the final miles.
11.7 miles
2000' elevation gain.
Briones Regional Park - Trails.
2 hours: 10 minutes
After running 20 miles a few weeks back, this seemed like a short and frustratingly difficult run.
But my knee is not swelling, nor am I in any sort of pain at this particular moment.
I preceded the run with 4 cups of coffee, 2 slices of toast and a banana at 6:30am. I started running the hills in Briones at 8:30. All of that in an attempt to mimic the approximate conditions of my upcoming marathon.
Obviously I didn't run a marathon today, nor am I ready to run one. The 3 weeks off my feet took more of a toll than I had thought. The 2 previous short runs, 5 miles and 4.7 miles, were a great success with little pain and no subsequent swelling. The most recent 4.7 mile run, this past Wednesday, was accomplished at a rate of just under a 7 minute mile. I was thrilled - in between gasps - sucking wind.
But I have obviously lost some endurance. I was plagued by the recurring "home stretch lethargy" which is a poor indicator of how much I really have left in the tank, but even in the absence of that phenomenon, I suspect I was within a few miles of a crash.
So what's next? More training. As long as my knee and The Almighty allow, I will continue to press toward my goal: The Golden Gate Headlands Marathon - less than a month away.
And then? Get a professional bike fit, and start training seriously on the bikes.
Wow, I miss the bikes, but I dare not risk the swelling that those rides had initiated previously.
Words that mean more to me now: Patience, Endurance, Contentment.
