I've been a trying-to-run-runner for a couple of years...but life happens and I never get past about week 3 or 4 of the couch-to-5k. Sometimes I think I've been too heavy, other times I think I went too fast, other times the weather got out of hand and I was busy. Whatever...excuses, right?
Well...I decided this was the year. And periodically, I have gone out and ran...not necessarily regularly but not really NOT running either...I have the podcast and a happy dog and we just do it. Sometimes.
Had the grand idea to submit for the Peachtree Road Race (July 4) back in March, so I called my friend (in DC) and she was all for it...I submitted two applications and two checks back on the third Monday morning in March. The application only comes out the third Saturday of March...no real advertising, it just is there in the AJC, and that's it. You have to send it in fast if you want a number...apparently all 55000 numbers go pretty fast.
The thing is...I have also commited to walking the Breast Cancer 3 Day on October 24-26 this fall. Yesterday I signed up for that after commiting to it some months ago...and then I got the news that my check had cleared for the Peachtree.
hmm...Now, the check for my friend hasn't cleared yet...but I know it will. Mailed at the same time and all that. I'm stalking the bank for that clearance...
12 weeks. I have 12 weeks from yesterday until I have to run a 10k. And...I've never run a 5k. Hrm. Well. Motivation.
So, you can follow along with me as I chronicle my journey. I love running...I love how I feel in my head when I am doing it (not so fond of the body but hey...it's all about endorphins, yes?) I love how I feel afterwards, all over.
Today I went out and ran. Interesting. Last time I did that my heels hurt for a week. Plantar fasciitis. Today, it was my shins. I hadn't even completed my 1/2m warm up (~5min) when my shins were so tight I could barely swivel my ankles. Figured some stretching would be enough, so I paused, stretched and proceeded. I probably made it a total of a mile/mile and a half...part of that was walking (beyond the warm-up) and my shins/ankles were so tight I was hobbling. It HURT. Now, I've had 3 natural childbirths. This hurt. I decided to call it a morning and came home...nearly called my husband to come get me.
So, I'm trying to figure out if this is the kind of pain you push through (how?) or not. I'm thinking not. I've had the shoes for a few years now...but haven't really worked out in them regularly. They've probably had 100 miles or so (less than 200 definitely) on them in all this time. I run in Saucony's. I've never been officially fitted. Maybe this is the time, given the training I will be doing for the Peachtree and 3 Day? My husband was an athelete at one point and feels this is something I should push through slowly...walking when it hurts but keeping on with it. He also didn't feel it could be the shoes...I'm not so sure since the last two times I've gone out I've been injured.
The problem wasn't endurance. I wasn't even winded at that point...maybe I "glistened" a bit :p but that was it. Fully conversational, I'm sure, had someone been along with me. The problem was that my calves were so flipping tight they burned like pokers. Shin splints? Perhaps. Stretching did not help and in fact, further tightened them.
Maybe I'll look into a running store this next week.
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