Taking It Easy

I'm not sure if this will shock you or not, but I'm already back to running.  Remember, I'm streaking.  I'm trying to go from Memorial Day to Labor Day without missing a day.  After that, we'll see.  On a rest day I "only" run 1 mile.  I have plenty of those days.  More than I want.  My life is pretty crazy though and despite how it appears running does not run my life.  It is not #1.  It's up there in high priority. When push comes to shove (for a lot of different reasons) I know I can at least take 10 minutes or less to run a mile.  15, if you want to count time to prep and/or be done.  My life is crazy, but not so crazy that I can't afford that time.

Sunday, about 15 hours after finishing Howl at the Moon, I ran 1 mile.  It hurt.  (no, duh....really!)  It took so much mental and physical effort.  It took more than 10 minutes.  I'm a firm believer that to recover I need to keep moving to stop those muscles from being so sore & tight & to help flush out that built up lactic acid.  Monday, I ran 4 miles.  The start/beginning was again uncomfortable and it took a lot of effort.  After a mile or 2 I began to feel much better.  By the end I felt "normal" clipping along at a good pace.  Aside from my quads being tight & sore (which I have been doing a lot of stretching to help that) the only thing that really hurts & reminds me that I just ran 45 miles in 8 hours is my big toe.  That only really bothers me when I put enclosed shoes on ie my running shoes.  My big toe is pretty bruised.  It looks dirty, but it's a deep black/purple bruised.  The toe nail is completely dead, I'm just waiting  for it to fall off.  I might help it along & rip it off myself.

This morning I "rested" again and only ran 1 mile.  I feel fine, I could do more, but even I know that I need to be taking it easy.  For me, this IS taking it easy.

I think I am constantly fueled by the thought and the question, how much can I push myself.  How much can I do?  No, running 45 miles is not enough.  I am capable of doing more, I just know it.  Honestly, if it wasn't for the 8 hour cut off I would have kept running.  Yeah, I felt that awesome! 

Anyway, I'm back in the game.  Not sure I really ever left.  For now, I'm keeping it easy.