Guess who ran this week?!

After more than four months, I finally ran a real run, on the road. We had another nice Monday; it was sunny and in the mid 40s, so I decided I had come up with enough excuses not to do it.

I was cold in the beginning. I started running at almost 4 p.m., so the sun was going down and hidden behind buildings for a good part of the run. The thin hoodie and thin long-sleeved tee underneath were almost enough to keep me warm, but my head and hands were definitely chilly. Fortunately, I was able to put my hood up and keep my hands in my sleeves. And, as I suspected, I was plenty warm about a mile into it.

The bottom of my left foot hurt a bit only a couple minutes into the run, but the pain was minor, and I hardly thought about it. My knees did not hurt at all, so victory!

This run was not exactly my usual run. Instead of running up the killer hill, I started more than halfway up that awful section. Then I ran the rest of the first mile. I ran back to where I started, but decided to keep going until the bottom of the hill/where I normally start. Then I ended where I actually did start. So, yes, I did cover the same distance, but it was "out of order" so posting my times will be a little pointless. Ultimately, it took me 20:24, which is two minutes slower than when I last ran. It did the first not-quite-one-mile in just over 10 minutes, but to be accurate, I would need to add at least a minute for the section of the hill I did not run until the end.

Regardless, I am not discouraged. I was 40 back then, and I can believe four months of age once you get in your 40s makes a difference. And even though I have been swimming and doing Zumba, it is not the same as running, so it is nearly impossible to not have a drop off after four months without running. Plus, it was cold. Running in 60 degrees is a lot different from running in 40 degrees. When I was in my late 30s, I loved running in 40-degree temps, but now I much prefer the 50s. To think that a few years ago I ran in temps in the mid 20s is almost laughable. I am pretty sure I won't hit the pavement unless it is above 30 degrees for the rest of my life and I may just stick to the 40s and above. But never say never. [Worth noting, it appears the last time I ran in temps below 30 was in February of 2011, when it was 29 degrees. I last ran in temps in the upper 20s and 30s regularly in 2010.]

Slow and steady finished the run

After over a month of not really running, I finally laced up my shoes this morning, two counties over. As I first set out in the cloudy, 55-degree morning, I decided I would try to run for about 20 minutes. But the more I ran (and by ran, I really mean jogged), I figured I might as well keep up my slower pace and go for 30 minutes.

About three minutes into the run (jog), I noticed a slight pain in my left foot and calf, but nothing unmanageable. Soon after, I realized I should have gone with a short-sleeved tee and shorts, rather than my long sleeves and yoga pants, but there was not much I could do at that point. I also ran with a bottle of water, something I do whenever I am at my mom's, probably because she uses bottled water and it helps. For whatever reason, I noticed I prefer to keep the bottle in my left hand and would often switch it back to that hand without realizing it. As my mind wandered, I tried to make a connection between my left-hand preference and my left foot hurting.

About 20 or so minutes into the run, I noticed my right foot and calf hurting, but they could have hurt before that and I just never noticed. Fortunately, the pain was minor.

All in all, I call it a good run (jog). I am glad I got out there and can still do it, even if doing it means doing it slowish.