Freethinker ~ Freerunner

I ran 14 this morning at a nice easy 8:08 AP.  I think I was still feeling the lingering effects of the three 1600's that I ran yesterday at slightly faster than my 5K race pace.  I knew I was not going for any speed records this morning so I only brought Gatorade instead of Gu and Gatorade.  I probably should have brought some Gu anyway, because I really started feeling drained somewhere around miles ten or eleven.   

I re-injured my right foot.  Several hours after my run on Sunday I started to feel a gradual increasing soreness and pain in my arch.  It feels very similar to the micro-tears my my doctor told my I had in the ligament of my right foot last May, only I did not ever feel the ligament tighten up like it was about to snap during my run.  I have decided to take some time off.  I got a sports massage tonight courtesy of my wife's well timed anniversary gift idea that I'm hoping will help. 

Hopefully the pain is gone by Saturday in time for the Full Moon 5k.  I'm thinking I will rest until then and gradually ease back into running after that.  

I am overall really happy with my results.  I originally planned to PR, which would have required a time of 19:33, but all things considered I'm quite happy with a second best time.  The things I'm considering are a strained ligament in my right arch from an old injury that I re-aggravated last weekend and thus had to rest for 7 days leading up to the race.  I have never taken that many days off prior to a race, and I did not know how my foot was going to feel once I got going.  Fortunately I'm happy to report that it felt fine throughout the course, but just to play it safe I'm going to take a few more days off.

I love this course because it is so flat.  It runs out and back along Riverside drive and the view of the sun setting beyond the river is extraordinary on the route back to the finish.  

Pyromania, the Def Leppard tribute band, after the race was awesome and there was plenty of beer to go around as always.  Kevin was able to join us this year since he stayed home with the kids last year so that Ashley could run.  Alisha's friend Chandra and her fiance Kyle were also there.  I finally got the opportunity to meet Kyle and Chandra's brother in-law John who has run 8 marathons in past couple of years.  John was really excited to talk about running the New York City marathon and is looking forward to running it again.  I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again.