In The Long Run

Restore Yoga.  Really didn't want to go, but Nate insisted it would be good for me.  He was right; some good stretching for the hips, quads, and hamstrings was just what I needed. My upper quads and hip flexors are so sore, but except for walking down stairs, I'm not feeling too bad.   Looking to cross train for a few days and start running again mid-week.  

Lunchtime spin class. Took it pretty easy, didn't put much nearly as much resistance as I normally use.  At one point, I was afraid the instructor was going to call me out for slacking! But my legs feel so much better now.  I wish I could make this particular class more often. The instructor is really good, he actually cycles outdoors so he doesn't do anything stupid (i.e. "pushups" on the bike, hovers, and other things that you would NEVER do on the road) that a lot of others instructors do.  

AM: Spin class.  It's amazing how much better my legs feel after two days of spinning.  I can walk down stairs normally! I'm definitely a believer in cross training for marathon recovery.  In the past I just sat on my butt for a week, but I feel so much better this way. I think I'm ready for a short, easy run tomorrow. 

Super easy run on the woodchips at Liberty.  Legs felt heavy, but not sore. Had a dull stabbing pain in my stomach that still hasn't gone away.   Beautiful evening for a run, though. 

TRX class at 9th and 9th Pilates.  Planks with your feet in a suspension trainer should be considered a form of torture! 

I went back to Laramie on Friday for a meeting and was really excited to get a chance to run on my favorite trails east of town.  I had plans to run Friday night too, but the 60+ mph wind gusts caused me to change my mind.  On Saturday morning, I met a friend and we did a shorter version of the Silent Trails course (Side note: if you ever find yourself in Laramie, WY on the second Saturday in October, do this race. It's one of my favorites. It's run in memory of 8 UW runners who were killed by a drunk driver in 2001).  The trails are at an average elevation of 8500 ft so this was really tough coming from SLC. Climbs that I used to be able to run reduced me to a wheezing walk! But it was nice to catch up with friends and revisit the old stomping grounds.