Chapter 2 page 261 - TR 90

Are you sitting down? Probably you are since you're reading blogs . . .well, "C" and I FINALLY got in our FIRST long run together in this training cycle. I'm not going to lie - I've been freaking out quite a bit about the lack of long runs under my belt and the half marathon looming over my head (D day is 5/21). Well, worry no more . . . today, "C" and I did a 8.43 miles (Thanks "C" for wearing your awesome Christmas gift. The thing I'm most proud of is that unlike my first half training cycle where we would walk the first and last mile - we don't do that any more. We did start with a 6 minutes walking warm up and then we did 2:2 for the entire rest of the 8 miles. Once we got 8.14 miles complete, we began our walking warm down and did another .3 miles. We spent a considerable amount of time stretching afterward . . . pretty sure we're both going to be super sore tomorrow (sigh!). Oh well, it's totally worth it - we DID 8.43 miles (my previous longest run was back in early February and was 5 miles - the one I hurt my knee on, and "C's" longest long run was last week's 4.4 miler . . .maybe we should have done a 6 or something in there, but honestly - we were feeling REALLY good. By the last mile things got a bit harder, but both of us agree that for the bulk of the run we were a 3 out of 5 on our effort scale and the last little stretch we were 3.5-4. We didn't go fast on this run - we wanted to make sure we got the distance in and the time on our feet! Speed is for other types of training and for our 5K's - distance was tonight's goal.

I feel awesome about this accomplishment which in turn has returned my confidence for this entire training cycle and thus has given me more confidence in my ability to not totally tank at the upcoming half!!! I feel like a visa commercial - shoes $100, clothes $50, getting the long run in and not feeling dead PRICELESS!

Injury update - so far, my knees do not hurt (hooray), my shins are pretty sore, but they weren't bothersome during the run (nice!). I just happen to already have a chiropractor appointment and hour massage on the schedule for tomorrow so no matter what is sore tomorrow -no worries . . . my girl Ashley will knock them out!!! Speaking of my girl Ashley - I've put links to her website on my sidebar at the bottom - check her out! She's amazing!!!! She's running a March special - $10 off woo hoo! I guarantee it's worth driving here for (maybe not from another state, but definitely from FW).

Are you ever sore after you run? Does it hurt to stand up after you have been sitting? What are your "tricks" to combat stiffness/soreness?