The Day After

Who knew a five-mile run the day after a road marathon would be the best run of 2010!?!?

Like everyone else who ran yesterday, I'm sore and achy all over. For me, it is a result of all the concrete. I've said it a hundred times before, Concrete Will Rattle Your Bones!!!

My "big" race is in a mere three weeks, so I don't have a lot of time to sit around and wait for my body to stop aching before I start running again. Today's schedule called for a 4-6 mile walk. The wooded trails of Lake Houston Park released something inside me. I ran half-mile intervals followed by quarter-mile recovery walks.

Trail running has found a special spot in my life. Trails are where I truly feel like I belong.

On today's run the single track trails were muddy, the blisters from yesterdays race were screaming at me, and it was warm enough that I was drenched in sweat. But even with those factors, I was at total peace on the trails.

Andrea joined me, but we parted ways within the first quarter-mile. She chose to walk leisurely around the front of the park, while I took off towards the hiking trails. I love Andreas company, but I'm glad today's run was a solo jaunt. There's something about trails that I can't explain in words. It's something magical that needs to be experienced, because it can never be expressed in words or photographs.

Run:
5.3 miles
57:04
10:46 pace

Walk:
2.63 miles
45:21
17:14 pace

Weight:
202.0 lbs

Even though my weight is over 200, I'm at peace with it. My clothes still fit the same and I feel healthy. I'm going to shift the weight loss goals to something less aggressive. It's hard to be a serious "dieter" and a serious runner. Trust me, its not easy.

I think it's best to limit the number of road races I run per year. On February 28th Andrea and I are running a marathon in New Orleans, but that will probably be the last long road race this season. This is probably a wise decision for me, especially since I'm eager to pursue my new love for trails and the idea of ultras.

I found a new iPhone app, which is from a web site I've known about for awhile. It's called 100 push-ups (.com). The app makes it easier to record, time, and track progress. I've attempted this a couple times prior, but I've never made it past a couple weeks. Maybe this time!?!?

Push Ups: 60

I'll start my Houston Marathon recap tomorrow. This weekend has been busy and blogging wasn't at the top of my list.

I bought a new pair of shoes today. I'm returning to regular running shoes and sticking with Asics. I'm tired of all the blisters.