Day 8: No Cutesy Worldplays, Just Soreness

 Today was a rest day and I did. Yesterday was not a rest day and I didn't. My feet are cursing me in several languages and they have a point.

Finally got some roadwork in Monday with the temps surrounding the Mudd Compound finally climbing high enough to melt the snow. I did three miles in a less-than-steller 39 minutes, but the important thing is that I didn't stop. I'm using a ten-minute run/walk clock for my training. Right now, I'm running one minute, walking nine. Next week, I'll run two minutes and walk eight. You get the drift.

The first part of the "run" was a little rough, but at the halfway point, I felt good. My breathing was controlled, I had a good stride set up, and I was pretty happy with my progress. Another huge help has been SmartRunner.com. I originally got the app for my Palm which times my run, charts my trip using GPS, shows my speed and distance, and provides feedback at the end of the run. The website, though, is awesome. I highly recommend it.

I will say this: Listen to your body. I'm finding that my stretching isn't nearly what it should be as my calves and feet are still giving me problems. My calves are just the usual, but the feet issue is becoming a concern. The new shoes from Fleet Feet have been a huge help, but the lack of proper stretching before I run is killing me. My Kinect workouts help with my pre-run stretching and get my cardio going, but not taking the time to work with my feet will definitely hinder me if I don't address it. Basically, I'm stupid. Ask my wife. She'll confirm it.

One thing that concerned me was finishing the half-marathon (only 69 days away). Runners are given 3.5 hours to finish and I have to admit, I was worried. Based on my average speed during Monday's run, I can finish the event using nothing more than the 1-9 clock. I'm hopeful that I'll be able to run at least 50 percent of the race or more, so that's one less thing I have to worry about. Which is nice.

That's it for today. Back to the grind tomorrow. As always, thank you for your support and encouragement. It really means a ton. And no, that wasn't a weight joke. Unless you thought it was funny. If you did, then it was a joke.

Ta.