Yesterday's Half-Marathon Run

Yesterday I ran my fifth half-marathon in two months, setting a personal record time of 1:55:19. The most striking thing about this feat is that I was recovering from a strain in my right lower rear calf, something that I believe may have come about because of faulty foot placement. I slightly adjusted my foot landings over the past week and the pain diminished. It never did slow me down, though, and my speed and endurance continue to improve. After the run, I experienced no leg or foot cramps, something common to me after long runs.

Yesterday I was forced by externally-imposed time limitations to limit my run to 13.1 miles. Other than the usual foot and leg pains, I was in great shape to keep on running. I was full of energy and felt not the least bit winded, even as I stepped it up a little toward the end of my run.

This was a needed, encouraging experience. I feel good about future progress, including accomplishing a run of marathon length. It looks, though, as if I will probably have to first accomplish this on just a personal level by running around my neighborhood (as I first did with the half-marathon). I'm still looking at a possible marathon to run before summer, but I'm not sure how the logistics of that will play out.

As I have written before, I don't run on consecutive days. This gives me the time I need to recover and grow stronger. In the other days, I have been working out with weights on my upper body and abdomen, along with the no-impact cross-trainer machine. Now, though, I am switching my off-days (from running) to a more mundane and homebound activity: lawn work. Yes, spring has arrived and I'd better get busy before my home gets inundated with fast-growing weeds, grass, and bushes!