Friday, March 14, 2008

Thursday March 13th


10 Mile Revelations



I did a 10 miler today on Sawyer Camp Trail. The weather was perfect for running, being slightly overcast as I started out, changing to intermittent sunshine later on. I always like seeing the sun! And it was just a bit cool, very pleasant to run in.


I told myself that I was going to run this s-l-o-w-l-y so that I wouldn't be out of gas at mile 7. So I started out running about a 10 minute mile. I soooo wanted to speed up when and old guy passed me! But I had to remind myself that he probably wasn't running nearly as far as I was. Sure enough I could tell that he had turned at about the 2.5 mile mark for a 5 miler.


I've had a wierd discomfort in my right ankle/achilles that is not an outright pain, but definitely not a good thing. I was a little worried about running far out on this out-and-back trail and blowing out my achilles or something and and having to limp all the way back. So at about the 3.5 mile mark by the Jepson laurel tree I really put my mind to my body to take stock of what was going on with it. After concentrating awhile on my ankle, I realized that I'd been clenching my foot. As I was running, I was subconciously trying to hold my arch up in fear of overpronating. Later I also figured out that I was using my right foot far too much in the pushing off -- probably still doing that to protect my right leg that is a bit weaker than my left after I broke it a few years back. I bet this all is contributing to my left hip being tight too. So I concentrated on relaxing my foot and using more of my leg. Soon that wierd feeling my achilles went away.

I was feeling pretty good now and my iPod was kicking out Metalica's "Fuel" So I sped up. I haven't seen this part of this trail in a very long time. The trees envelope the trail like a tunnel and ferns grown the hillside to my left and a swamp has formed on the right side of the trail from the copious rains we've had this winter. I cruised comfortably to the 5 mile mark and the turnaround.

I paused there and had a GU and some liquid. It was quiet and lovely with dappled sunlight showing through the trees.

Going back the miles rolled away pretty easily until about mile 8. By then my foot/ankle felt great because the rest of me was too fatigued to do any kind of foot clenching. I was clearly too chipper and fleet-footed from mile 4 to 7 as the wheels were coming off now. I slogged it back in to the trail head, doing a little bit of a run walk but still feeling quite satisfied with my effort, even though it wasn't quite even. It'll get better with time and miles.

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