I have been diligently performing my stretches, and the most painful one (for the hamstring --lateral bicep femoris-- connected to the pirifomis) is starting to feel like a real stretch and not just like scratching or poking a fork down into where the tendon connects at either side. Yesterday I did 60 minutes on my stationary, and today was able to get outside for another delicious fall run. I love late fall and winter running most of the fair weather cranky old people are now off the trail. Only the tougher skinned more tolerant kind are left. As winter progresses, the trail becomes more and more my own (well, me and a few other die hard fishermen, walkers, runners). Today, these 5 miles were actually a little difficult. I was sluggish, tired, and couldn't seem to get my breath. It's taken 2 months, post marathon, to bring down my body's level of fitness. I've been so good about not overdoing my hip, but I've got to get some higher intensity, low impact. I apparantly can't be trusted on my own stationary bike---even with all that sweating, it's not enough cardio-vascular wise. If it would just snow and I could get up the mountain a few times a week, I could spare myself spin class. But it seems inevitable. I hate starting my day at the gym breathing the sweat of strangers and chlorine. I HATE it. It's the antithesis of outside runing. | 