Slow build

Did a quicker version of my exercises, about 15 minutes because I wasn't feeling super patient this morning and wanted to get outside. I focused more than usual on my right (non-surgical) side, trying to loosen things up with hip flexor stretches and foam rolling. Seemed to help slightly and I headed out and started trotting along. From the beginning I felt pretty darn good and felt very little restriction, if any at all, on my left side. I stopped (planned) twice during the run to do dynamic stretching for both sides to keep anything from getting too tight on me. This seemed to really work well and I started back up on the running segments feeling fresh and limber. In total I did 25 minutes which includes the 60-90 second stretch breaks I took. So almost 20 minutes of running! 

I'm still trying to stay very cautiously optimistic about all of this. In reality, I'm freaking out inside because of how close I seemingly am to a breakthrough. There was a moment out there when I got a tiny little taste of my old self, I felt so fresh and fast and light-- I had to consciously reel back the pace before things got out of hand. In a sense I could even call this run a breakthrough considering the ease and comfort of this run overall. But I've learned through this ordeal that you can't judge anything in running by one good day. The same really goes for anything in life that's worthwhile (if you'll excuse me while I put my philosophical hat on.) It's maddening but really true. I feel awesome, no doubt, but really need to keep myself even if I want to stay on course. 

Random side story: I'm sitting outside writing this post drinking out of an American Odyssey Relay glass. That relay, like Reach the Beach in NH, is a 200ish mile, 12 person relay race. This was from 2012, I think?

I got it, clearly, from running leg 6 of that relay. This was one of the most difficult legs of probably any relay out there. Our relay team consisted of all former Bucknell alumni, which made the whole weekend quite the experience. Anyway, I don't remember the specific details of this leg, and it was certainly no Mt. Washington, but it consisted of at least 3 miles of straight uphill with only one short (~150m) flat section. Super tough, and in a race setting, absolutely the most difficult I've ever experienced. Why do I bring this up? Not sure. The glass memento is incredibly lame, but the memories of the race in a larger sense have stayed with me. Part of me wanted to try posting a picture on the blog for the first time. Part of me is feeling nostalgic of how much fun that race was. I'd love to be competitive in another relay like this one some day. 

Back to reality... I'll keep doing the things that seem to be working for me and hopefully keep this good stuff going. 

AH