Weird sort of run

Where to start? How about dragging my tired butt out of bed and finding that my left hip is still creaky? I started wondering if going for a run was all that smart, and if I'd really overdone it on the weekend. But after moving around the house a bit, I could feel things loosening up. The IPG called for 60 min 11/2. I decided that 5 sets was 65 minutes and that was a great goal. I was quite prepared to cut it short if there was actual pain.

I parked at FOMC, then started walking. That hurt a bit, but often when it's been like this in the past it gets better. Then I started running, really slow. Almost painfully slow, so after a couple minutes I picked the pace a bit. Oddly enough, running felt easier than walking, and didn't hurt as much. Soon I was running at about my regular pace, maybe a little bit slower. Going down the hill was easier than usual. I turned right to head toward the Bow River, and chugged along. I barely passed a girl walking fast with big strides. Things began to feel about normal. Lungs were good, heart rate was low.

Turned left at the river and started thinking about my turnaround time. It was supposed to be 32:30, but I was beginning to feel tired, and wasn't sure how long it would take to get back. I turned around at 31 minutes, just before the weir, and headed back. Into the wind. Uphill. Getting tired. Actually getting sore.

Then it got interesting. My buddy the inner shark came to visit for the first time ever running. He was interested in the whole process, and started giving advice on being smoother. Straighten up. Look ahead, not down. Keep those things you call legs moving evenly. Don't think about each step, let them do their thing. Don't look at your watch for a while, you've got a long way to go, and you're dialed into 120 bpm. Arms straight forward and back. Lean forward just a little. Keep your steps small. Just think about cruising along, relax, and the prey will come.

That got me through the turnaround, up the hill, and well into my last set. After that it was a matter of convincing my legs to keep going for just a few minutes more. And they did. I made it back to the car just after 63 minutes, and walked around the parking lot a little, then used the gym to stretch out for a few minutes.

I have to say I was a bit dubious about it, but it turned into a pretty good run. I didn't feel strong, and aside from sprinting to avoid a car aiming for me, was at a steady pace throughout. While I don't think I could have run much faster, if at all, and I know I couldn't have gone much further, I got it done.

I'm off tonight, swim and bike (hopefully outside) on Wed, run Thurs, swim and bike Friday, then a massage!

65 min total
7.4 Km according to mapmyride (FOMC to almost the weir and back)
40 min in zone 2 by my watch (<120bpm)
116 average heart rate
134 peak heart rate (dodging a car)
89 min heart rate
896 total calories