More Trials and Travails

I've been running sporadically lately.

I ran two weekends ago over the weekend with Eugene, both on Saturday and Sunday. I was running at a pretty good clip during the Saturday run, but felt it the next day, so was a bit slower. However, I was feeling better toward the end of the run. I think that it takes me one or two miles before I really start to feel good.

This past week, I ran once during work with EK. (Eugene is annoyed that I keep using peoples' initials instead of posting their full names. I think that I'll continue to use initials just to annoy him :)) She's a fast runner. She came in at an 8:45 pace during her last race, but still runs with me. I hate to admit it, but she's 47 and has had three kids, so she's got some years on me, but still manages to run faster. Someone told me that a lot of women peak in their running in their 30s and 40s. Maybe it's true given the 38-year old winner of the Olympic marathon. At any rate, no more than a year ago, she was like me, averaging about a 10:30 pace in a 10-miler. Her secret to getting so speedy? A week of hiking over summer vacation. If only it were that easy for me.... Nonetheless, we ran together at a nice slow pace, since she had taken off a few weeks. Sadly, it was still hard for me. I had taken off awhile due to injury and illness and hadn't run in in a good week. I almost didn't want to run with her because I wasn't sure if I could sustain running at a fast enough pace, but she was cool about it.

I didn't run again until Christmas day because it was ridiculously cold (10 degrees with even worse windchill), and I don't have good cold weather running gear. Apparently, athletic apparel companies don't seem to think that short people need running pants.

That's right. I said Christmas day. I'm hardcore! Not harcore enough, though, because I think that I developed shin splints somewhere along the way, so my legs were hurting after. Any tips for getting rid of them?