So Far, So Good (possibly the most boring post I've ever written)

In my last post (two months or so ago), I mourned my lack of encouragement to keep running, and vowed to set new goals to continue going.
In a way, I did. I didn't maintain the fitness to running a second half-marathon a month later, but I did keep running with coworkers. In that way, it worked. I have been running at least twice a week, except for the week that my uncle died (sort of puts a damper on things).
In any case, today I got the cabin-fever, and decided to go out for a run. Despite the air quality being less than ideal (there was a lot of smoke from a fire nearby) and no music, I decided to go out for a run. I figured it would be a nice 6km or so, but really, I was shooting for at least 10km.
As I headed out, I really did feel the air quality affecting me. I had to slow a little more at certain points, but I kept going. At one point, I passed one guy who was doing some meditation next to his bike. The next guy I passed was about 10 seconds later, and we agreed that the Meditation Guy had a better idea. But that was early on in the run, and I still had about 8k to go.
I decided that because my watch had started late, I would sort of guestimate where I should turn back. It was about 4.7km when I decided to strike north to my run-home road.
I did make one quick stop to check out Clancy's Meat shop, and continued on. It was uphill for the most part, with a fierce, sometimes unpredictable, wind that made the coming back much tougher than the going out.
In the end, it was a good 10k, with a suitable pace of around 6:30m/km. The wind notwithstanding, it was a very nice run overall, and I love the sort of latent tiredness in my muscles. It's been too long since I felt this way. The usual 5km runs just don't give me the same feeling of finale accomplishment as a long-run.

Post-Race Running

You know, I think I say this every time I run a race: I'm going to keep running after.

Up to this point, I have failed horribly at this! I like to rest on my laurels (and butt) and pat myself on the back for what discipline and stamina I have! Had, perhaps.

But this time, I'm really gonna do it. I would really like to run another half-marathon in a month or so. I can't just sit around and let the race come to me, I have to get ready for the new race!

Post-race, my knees were agony yesterday. I did a lot of stretching at work, and applied ice last night, and today my knees feel much much better. I'm going to ice again tonight and hopefully be right as rain tomorrow.

Speaking of rain, the weather is supposed to be cold and rainy tomorrow - maybe I'll take my first run on Thursday...

What I Want to Do After a Run or, How I Started Listening to my Body

Frankly, when I get in after a long run on a Sunday, I want to spend a quiet day at home. I know that after the initial rush fades, and I have my desperately needed shower, I am going to crash, hard. I don't even want to listen to music.

Like today: I got in, and did my stretching (hoping to alleviate future knee and hip problems). I made a protein shake. I put an ice pack on my knees and sat quietly, and then I went and showered. After I dried off, I went and lay down. That's just what my body needs.

I find that anything further than 10k will demand my lying down, at least for right now. Maybe once I'm up in the higher distances, like 18 or 21km, I will find the threshold to be 15km. But right now, I'm training, and my body wants peace and quiet to recover from this faintly familiar punishment I'm putting it through. If I say that I don't want to go anywhere or do anything, it's not because I am avoiding anyone or being anti-social. It's because my body wants to move around about as much as it would like to swallow glass. My whole system just wants to rest now.

Last week was an example of doing it wrong: I did my run, then rushed home to get ready for Fathers' Day brunch. Ragnar and I walked around the large Enjoy Centre complex, and then I went and did the grocery shopping. As a result, my legs felt like I'd run about twice the distance, I was short-tempered, and my enjoyment of Sunday afternoon was shot.

So let us just say that quiet Sunday afternoons, watching football (once the season starts up) will be just what Dr. Jelly has ordered for herself.