Rainy Run

I love the elements. Especially when I go out for a run. In years past, I usually run through the entire Winter season. I remember pushing a Cadillac up a hill in knee deep snow with snowblowers blaring all around us... but I digress. This past Saturday morning, I went for a nice long run. And it rained the entire time. It was nice and cool and let me run the 7 miles without feeling like I was going to explode. Nice.

As I mentioned a week ago, when I first reached the 7-mile distance, I was starting to fade around 5.5 miles. This time around, I grabbed a quick 100 calorie Quaker oatmeal bar on the way out. I also grabbed a Hammer Gel and tossed it in my pocket... just in case. My calves were tight, but they warmed up after a half mile. The oatmeal bar kicked in about 4 miles in and the thought of just 5 miles, then 6 just went away and I kicked the last mile. I found the rain entertaining as it dripped off the bill of my running cap. Gotta keep entertained on these longer runs, you know.

My calves have been tender for the last week or two. I've attribute it to the additional running miles plus my elevated MTB training plus I've added several 4+ mile walks with my wife. I'll soon be adding a leg-strengthening regimen to round out power and quad/hams efficiency.