Recovery Runs

Saturday, December 24, 2011:

Temperature reports from the assembled runners varied between 10 and 15 degrees this morning. I wore a balaclava on my head, then four layers on top, all technical, with a running-style wind jacket outside, and running pants with foam knee covers, and finally my rubber-cleated running shoes with long, heavy socks. Perfect. I might as well have been indoors.

I hadn’t run with Wayne for quite a while, so we took the Lake McKusick route (a.k.a. Wayne’s Route) and chatted away the five miles. A very enjoyable run. I walked a few steps downhill, but otherwise ran the whole way. Not too fast, though. We got a half inch or so of snow last night, which takes a little extra energy, and winter clothing is slower too, so the run took us 49 minutes. That’s a pace of 9:48 - good enough for today. No pains.

Thursday, December 22, 2011:

The marathon in Delaware was last Saturday, and then we enjoyed Cape Henlopen for a day, plus two days driving home and one more shoveling snow and scrambling to get things back to semi-normal. So today was the first run after the marathon.

With only a little snow on the grass trails, I went for a 3.7-mile jog in the park. I love running in that park. This time I was able to run up most of the hills, but walked downhill because there were some slippery spots. The “sports hernia” (abdominal wall strain) hurt a little, but that resolved after a bit and nothing else hurt. I got away with another marathon without injury!

A lovely run, about 43 minutes, pace abut 11:37, not very fast but I was pretty careful on that snow. Next time I’ll wear my cleated running shoes perhaps. It’s a masterpiece.

Christmas Eve day lunch, all organic. That's broiled chicken: