Slow and Steady Recovery in Progress!

I am running pain-free again! What a relief! The calf is as 95% good as new. Occasionally, the shin splint still hurts, but I ran fine all last week. I did two 3-milers, a 2.5 miler, and a 5.5 miler. All of the short ones were indoors on the treadmill. The 5.5 miler was outside.

Um.... guess what? Recovery is hard! And slow! I think I've gotten too used to the comfort of my home treadmill-- lots of tv stations and DVR'd shows to choose from, SIRIUS music channels, air conditioning, no humidity, no hills. Add in all the days when I couldn't run at all and just walked on the treadmill, and you get a runner with seriously decreased endurance! At the 2.5 mile point on Saturday's hot, hilly, humid run (the 3 H's are a vicious combo!), I was struggling. My legs were heavy and I couldn't breathe. I was running a 10:30 pace by the way. Just 5 months ago, I ran 26.2 miles at a 10:55 pace and now I'm struggling at TWO??? I know I've de-acclimated (is that a word?) to the heat by exercising indoors so much and frankly, I've lost a LOT of my fitness. I think I read somewhere that it takes 2 weeks for every month missed or something. It'll come.

I'm not discouraged or anything. (Well, not much.) I have 10 or so weeks until my next half-marathon. I doubt it'll be a PR, but that's ok.

I'm just so glad to be running again. I have a renewed appreciation for it. I can't wait to build up enough endurance for a nice 8 or 10-miler. There is no sign of burnout anywhere, I'm truly "on fire" for the sport again.

Honestly, this little foray into injury territory will help me as a running coach. I'll be more understanding of what my injured runners are going through. And a little time off made me more on fire for running than I have been since before my marathon! It's all good.