Almost a DNS

The wildly hot weather in Chicago yesterday called for a visit to get frozen custard at you know where. Here are a couple photos to be jealous of.

I went to bed with my calves giving out. I don't think I had more than 10 steps left. I was beat.

Get up at 3:40, let's get this party started. After yesterday's great run, I was hoping for a repeat leg confidence for a fun run with Erin and Corey.

I step out of bed and had a cramp in my left calf.  Doesn't feel like the current strain I'm rehabbing.  I pause and think.. your move leg, are we running today or not...

I proceed to get ready, drink coffee, and bio break. I use the stick and foam roller to see if I get any reaction... Nope feel fine. Mentally I'm nervous, physically I can't reproduce the cramp. I just feel that inner oddness in my calf. At least it is a recovery run. I had to decide by 4 if I was running to let Erin know my final start time or if at all.  Lets do it.  At least my mind wasn't on my gut.

I don't bother with my GPS today and just go at what I feel safe with. Slow first mile. Stretch. Already sweating a lot, but it is cooling off and getting foggy.

I meet up with Erin and give her a heads up that I'm half expecting to get a flat and have to walk home.  We do a more gentle pace than normal thankfully. The easy pace combined with talking the entire run helped keep my mind off my fear and let me enjoy the run.

We pick up Corey and have a delightful run. The breeze from the north felt great, and it was fun watching the sky go from clear and full of stars to full on mist/fog. I think I forgot to pause my timer a couple times, but does it really matter if you are having a good time and not for a fast time?

Got home, plenty of time for stretching. Leg holding together. Physical Therapy this evening and rest day from running tomorrow. Good timing!

What was your hot weather comfort food/drink?

Do you mentally make mountains out of mole hills?

And your inspirational photo for the day - replace "Landing a plan" with running your goal race:

And funny running read: What's your running confession? 

Feliz Pre Friday Eve

Greetings runners and weekend warriors! Today is Pre Friday Eve, can you feel Saturday calling yet?

I must first share a photo from yesterday evening when I took my daughter to the beach, although it was a little cooler than I expected.

She was actually protesting a photo here

Onto today, 4:40am is no longer scary. Wake up, check temp, 71, score! Recovery run today, do 7 miles and keep between 8 to 9 minute miles.

Nice thing about early running, is you can shed the shirt and not feel too self conscious, this saves on laundry, tan lines, and most importantly, no nipple chafing protection needed.

The first half of my run I saw a total of 5 runners, little odd. I saw my fellow dad friend biking to work, he was early and hearing my name that early caught me off guard.

In bigger news, I got my first high five today. A group of 4 20ish Asian/Oriental guys were biking the opposite direction and were a bit rowdy. One guy stuck out the hand and it was on. We have high five contact! He was cheering so hard afterwards you could dump Gatorade on him and it would be appropriate.

I stopped to get a couple photos today, about 8 minutes apart:

~5:25am

Annnnd Sunrise

Won't be long before I need sunscreen for my longer runs.

In the last two miles I ran into some swarms of those tiny black bugs (gnats? I think) and had to wave them out of my face. I started singing in my head Tupac Back by Meek Mill, but replaced it with- Bugs are Back.

Get home, look down and initially think, I don't remember these freckles... Oh right bugs. Get to the bathroom mirror, they committed mass suicide on my chest and neck (A similar example from reddit/r/running here). Gross. I definitely got the loofah out for this shower.

Small tip for today that I noticed in more runners today: If you hear your footsteps hitting the ground hard or shuffling, you need to fix up your form. Loud? You are running too hard and you will get hurt faster. Shuffling? Try to pick your feet up, I have to believe that extra resistance on the ground isn't great for you.

Have you faced these genocidal bugs yet this year? I think it should be a photo challenge +Maggie MagMileRunner

Do you want to get high fived while running? Have you?

A run so fresh you can taste it

Looks like May finally recovered from the roofies April gave it and decided to act like June, why not?

Today was 9 miles (6 fast, 3 warm up/cool down).Screencap of my run:

Tuesdays will eventually turn into interval day come June, but for now, I just try to run it about 10-15 seconds faster than pace once I warm up. I'm starting to feel a little pressure as my 18 week training plan starts next month and am trying to push a little more every week. Here is the motivation I had in my head this morning:

 Temp low 50s and stiff wind out of the south/southeast. I usually complain about the wind, but not today for two reasons (not like trey songz):

- The wind means its gonna heat up today like a pizza roll.
- The wind was for the first half of my run, so I would have some strength.

Windy Today? I ain't even mad

Felt nice to put on the shorts again, sad my work dress code doesn't allow it.

The trees and plants by the lakefront seem to have bloomed hardcore. Smelling them is one thing, but I could taste it today (I breath almost entirely through my mouth running). I was a little worried my allergies would flare up, but so far so good.


The population on the lakefront grew like a weed compared to yesterday. Some friendly, some awkward, some confused. I know I said this before and will again...keep your head and eyes up while  running.

Look where you want to go, not where you might fall. (Inspirational right?)


Did you enjoy a run in nicer weather today? What basic tips do you want to shout at people running?

Have a great day!