Being smart is so hard.

Sunday - 8 mi (avg. ___)

Monday - 12 mi (avg. 7:30)

Tuesday - 8 mi (avg. 7:22)

So, looking at the mileage one would say wow...sweet...your leg must be all better. Good job with the patience, Julie. WRONG.

On sunday I stepped out the door a little jittery and nervous. I was in Santa Barbara and damnit I wanted to run along the coast (I know please don't point out the irony that I live on the coast...it's different. And I'm a brat and wanted to run). Then entire run was one where I felt so good, except for my achilles. There wasn't any sharp pain, but it was still strained and any step could be the one that resulted in a hopping step on the other leg and inappropriate cursing. I got super nervous around 3.5 so flipped around but when I go to the hotel I decided to add on another mile to make it an even 8. I'm a slave to the Garmin and to hitting certain distances on runs to feel like I really got something out of it.

Walking around there was on and off pain, though it did seem to subside by the evening. If I wasn't on vacation and had just been at work or chilling at home things probably would have healed faster. But I was on vacation and I'd be damned if I was going to sit in the hotel and ruin a fantastic weekend.

Monday was probably where I screwed up. It was feeling better...not healed but to the point where I could run on it and I'd anticipate with every run it would get a bit better. And I was itchin' to go long. dumb dumd dumb dumb. But I felt so good and the miles were just flying by...so I kept going. Twelve miles later things were actually feeling ok. Like I said, still strained but runnable. But then I was on a train for 9 hours (due to massive delays) and I'm pretty sure the thing just totally tightened up cuz today's run was no good. It was tight/strained/hurt...not as bad as when it first snagged...barely runable...so I've been icing all day at work and tomorrow morning its teh elliptical or the bike for me.

BUT, on a positive note! Things are feeling really great. This whole running faster on my runs plan is making me feel so much stronger. I think it's really going to improve my strength and endurance. I thought taking my pace down would be harder and make runs less enjoyable...but not at all! I've found a zone and I just go into cruise mode and that cruise mode just keeps getting faster and faster.

Ok, that's it for now.