My vastus medialis (inner quad) felt a little twingey as my foot hit the pavement this morning. I literally broke into a cold sweat (panic) that it was starting up again. So I started out really slowly, stretched thouroughly once warm, and then kept on running (slowly I thought). Then my mind wandered for a good while and when I finally looked down, I had run 4 miles at an average pace of 8:36. I'm not trying to aggravate my leg, I'm not. I'm not even trying to run faster, it's just happening. A friend who'd just been in Bolivia and Chile for two weeks phoned right in the middle of my run. I was excited to hear about the trip, so I ran back home as quick as I could to call back and hear all about what happened in Boliva (while he was there the peace corps and missionaries alike fled the country). I wanted to keep it easy today, but I was also in a hurry. So I compensated for the faster running by sitting in the river for about 10 minutes. It was a chilly morning, so I got a lot of strange looks. Then I drove to Salt Lake with an ice pack on my leg just for good measure. Now I've been chilled to the bone for over an hour. But hey, whatever it takes to keep that under control.
I'm ammending a portion of my blog because I want to remind myself what Bonnie wrote me today in an effort to help get me to race day un-injured (run slower and easier on easy days-- especially these days). Both Josse and Sasha have told me the same thing at other times. I just forget. She reminded me that the hay is already in the barn aleady and shared her mantra which I thought should be public, if she has not already made it so: "Step 1: get to the starting line healthy. Step 2: run as fast as the day and conditions allow. Without 1, there is no 2!
Thanks Bonnie! I needed the reminder-- maybe anyone reading this needs it too! | 