Nice run on track

The base of my right Achilles, where it connects to the heel, was hurting last week. So I took Friday and just ran 20 minutes -- very easily. Then come Sunday morning, it was feeling great. So I ran 32 steady minutes on the track. I felt in great condition, cranking it up to about 9-minute pace. But I wasn't labored -- things were smooth. I feel like sometimes I am doing a better job of listening to my body.

Nice trail run

I ran on the Sac and Fox trail at school -- during the break in pasteup. I went 16 minutes out and back for a total of 32 minutes. that was beautiful. It was a nice, warm day. I don't know if I was necessarily running fast, but nice and steady. Probably 3 1/2 miles. I really, really need a trail in my back yard.

That was followed by 3 miles on Monday morning. My Achilles right down at the base is a little tender, but it's manageable. After a day of rest between runs, it is nice. I just had to run tonight, it was so nice.

Courageous run

It's been a while -- a few weeks. On March 29, I had a great run -- 4 miles and I was on pace to run 36 minutes. So I was right on track. About 30 minutes into that run, I felt a twinge in my lower right calf. Actually, it felt like the Achilles area. It was a strain of some sort -- sort of a cramping, but it felt like it strained a tendon. So I did a nice job for the last two weeks of nursing it along. Not completely staying off it, because I swear that is not the best solution. When I do that, I believe I make myself more prone to injury when I return. So I rode my bike, did a little jogging (not much), until I ran Wednesday, April 9, about 20 minutes at the track. It felt fine, then just a little bit of a twinge, so I ended the run.

Then yesterday, I read in the paper where there was a 5K at East Lake Park. Just a fun run, predict your time. My leg felt great, and I said, I'm just going to try it. I'm happy I did. On a cold, wet, even with snowflakes flying, I ran a nice run. I even ran longer -- probably 2-3 minutes -- because I didn't know the course. I made it in 27:55 -- so I was running 8-9 minutes a mile. It was great, and I feel pretty good right now.

I'm going to join the running club and get together with these people on MOnday nights. I feel good, like I can make some good progress now.