Setbacks

When I returned from Mexico I was ready to hit the ground running, literally.  

I'd taken a few days off from Clay during the last days of Chrissy's life because I wanted to be  with her and I was struggling to muster up the desire to do much of anything.  So after Mexico I had had almost two weeks off with the exception of a few less than stellar runs and a lot of walking with Scout to clear my head. 

Amazing how quickly your body forgets how hard you had worked.

Getting back into it was difficult, but I was ready and knew I needed to jump back in as quickly as possible if I was going to achieve my goal of crossing the finish line at the Cville Ten Miler.  

Then the cold hit.  Not the cold outside (though we did get 4 inches or so of glorious snow this week) but rather the dreaded winter chest cold.  You know he kind that is just bad enough for you to feel like shit but not bad enough to convince yourself that you need to take it easy?  That's the one I got.  And it nestled itself in my chest long and hard enough that going up and down the stairs in our house was difficult, let alone running 5 1/2 miles.  

So, there I was with yet another setback.  I was frustrated to say the least.  So when I woke up Thursday morning I was honestly ready to call it quits.  No way could I make it through the short run I was supposed to do on Tuesday, let alone the long one I needed to do today - and the Ten Miler was only 6 weeks away. I'd never be ready in time.  


But, like I've said before, part of this health journey thing is just getting up off your ass so that is what I did.

I wasn't sure my lungs could handle a run yet so decided that walking the Saunders-Monticello Trail would at least challenge me a little. While it's technically only a 2 mile trail (one way) you can add half a mile each way if you park in the lower lot and run all the way up to the Monticello Visitor's Center and it's uphill the entire first half. If nothing else I'd work my calves out a little.


Then the weridest thing happen. As I started up the trail I felt like running.  Yes, I actually felt like running.  So I did.  Okay, maybe "running" is a strong word for what I was doing, but it surely wasn't walking anymore.  I made it to the top averaging 11.5mph.  It's not record-breaking speed, but it was more than I'd anticipated I'd be able to do and, I was still alive at the top.  My heart rate averaged 94% of max., of course, but somehow I survived.

The best thing about the Saunders-Monticello Trail is that after you run all the way up on the first half you get to run all the way back down!  This half I averaged 8.5mph, which I realize is normal for a lot of runners on flat and hills, but was fast for me (recall that though I am running 3 times I week I do not consider myself a runner yet, as I'm certain real runners do not whine as much as I do nor move as slowly as I do).  I was able to keep my heart rate at 86% the whole time and I can even say I kind of enjoyed myself.

Saturday I have to bump up to 5.8 miles and Tuesday up to 6.4 if I'm to keep up with the training program Callie set up prior to all hell breaking loose.  Am I worried?  A little, but I also know that this is a personal goal, not a race I plan to break any records at or anything like that.  I promised Chrissy I'd take her with across the finish line, but I never promised I'd do it fast!