I was soooo excited to get on my running clothes and hit the roads in the late morning after the gift unwrapping. Thankfully our young boys were young enough to still sleep in and young enough to enjoy the gifts they got from Santa, even though he didn't bring a Wii, an Xbox, a PlayStation, nor a Gameboy as requested. When I started to run I was struggling a little bit, and realized it was my breathing. At first I thought I had lost some fitness, but it seemed more like constriction in my lower throat, it was so annoying and it kept my pace slow for the whole run. I was having a hard time maintaining a two-two breathing rhythm, it was more like two-one, (breathing four steps out, or two on one side, then two steps quickly in, or one step on one side). It was like I was running a tempo run but instead my pace was often closer to 10 minute pace than 9! At times I would get a little panicky because I knew I wasn't getting enough air, I was afraid I would faint or something. I would force myself to cough which would allow me to breathe clear for about 1/2 a minute until it closed up again. It was so annoying! I didn't think I was sick but I must have some type of bug. So I concentrated on my breathing the whole way. My groin muscle pain wasn't really painful, just some niggling at times. I hit a portapotty at mile 4, forgot about the breathing when I got out and started doing 7:40ish pace until I realized I couldn't breathe, got into major oxygen debt and actually had to stop to catch my breath. Those who know me well know I don't believe in walking in the middle of a run so that was disconcerting. I was able to keep an 8 minute pace for the last .46, though it was on a slight downhill and I felt like I was on the edge of getting into oxygen debt. What is with me!?! Am I becoming a hypochondriac? 9:10 ave pace Mizuno
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