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I am the father of two of the greatest kids ever, and am fortunate enough to have the most amazing woman as my wife! I am attempting to prove that "Once a Runner - Always a Runner"

Sunday, June 5, 2011

First five mile run, post calf-strain

[caption id="attachment_371" align="alignright" width="220" caption="Look! A Healthy Non-Complaining Calf!"][/caption]

So I headed out on a slow run to see how my calf held up.  I decided to run in my Asics rather than the VFFs, with a goal of stressing my calf out as little as possible.  I did run with a forefoot/midfoot strike rather than a heel strike. The good news?  The calf held up just fine - no complaints from it at all!  I did stretch after a half mile warm up, as well as half way through the run.  It didn't feel bad, but thought it was a good preventative measure.  I also stretched that good, health calf when I got home.

The run itself?  Honestly, it wasn't all that enjoyable.  It seems my cardio abilities have faded in the last three weeks, though I know that will return quickly.  I also started off behind a cigar smoking man walking down the side-walk - its amazing how long THAT smell stays with you!  Took me half a block to figure out what the smell was!

Anyway, back to my whining.  So the run wasn't as enjoyable as many of them have been.  I ran in my Asics, and the feeling of my foot hitting the ground simply isn't as enjoyable.  I know that those in the "church of the barefoot runner" (read that name on a Podiatry Forum) refer to shoes as "foot-coffins" and I really felt that way today.  To quote "Barefoot Kenbob" - it was like singing with earplugs in.   I suspect I was also dehydrated, didnt' sleep well, etc.. etc...  Lots of things came together to make this a really not-fun run.  I even walked at several portions of the last two miles, figuring better to hurt myself when I wasn't "feeling-it."  I am hoping that anyone that knows me passed me while I was running, not walking.

Still despite not feeling like the best run in the world, I am still glad I went.  I knew starting back into running after 3 weeks off (well, 2 weeks, plus 1 running day, and a week before that) wasn't going to be easy on the lungs and legs - but I really expected more "fun."  Think I will pull the Vibrams on for tomorrows run. Its simply more fun.

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