Jill

I'm running again tonight. I'm really looking forward to it.

On Monday, during our five hour drive home from Canada, I actually caught myself envisioning running. It was kinda weird. So as soon as we got home, I changed clothes, grabbed the dog, and started out on a 5k jog.

It went really well, actually. I wasn't pushing for time as I know that most of your runs are supposed to be on the easy side. But the dog, who got an extra big dinner, was not running very fast. I was mostly dragging her for 4 of the 6 loops around the park that I do. So, when I had 1 loop left (about 1k a loop), I decided to tie her up to a pole and do my final lap by myself.

Kiko was mostly unfazed and just stood up and wagged at me as I came around my final turn.

I'm pleasantly surprised that I'm taking to this running so well. I wasn't sure I'd like doing it (especially when I was getting bored around week 6). But it turns out I *do* enjoy it. I just have to figure out how to get the dog to keep up with me now. (Which is very funny considering I used to fail at keeping up with her.)

So, I'm hoping to jog another 5k tonight and Friday night, then just do a 30 minute jog on Monday and Wednesday of next week. The official race is Friday of next week. I'm getting excited and really looking forward to it!

I also picked up ChiRunning at the library last week and read most of it this weekend up at the cabin. It has some interesting things I'd like to try out. But I don't want to change anything really right now. It's too close to race time and I don't want to fuck anything up.

I have been hobbling about like an old woman for the past week (and today is not any better). Two weeks ago I decided I'd start working n my goal to be able to run a mile. There's a big park nearby (the Whitney park) with walking trails and soccer fields and tennis courts and the like so I figured I'd walk the circuit. To up the challenge, I also decided that for every branch off (sidewalk to a playground, etc), I'd run/jog up and down the branch and then resume the fast walk around the park.

Well, my knees just HURT. Today they feel like they'd bend backwards if it weren't for my knee cap being in the way. I did the exercise twice the first week and only managed to speed walk once last week because my knees hurt so bad. Then, to aggravate it, I volunteered to help jo_mommday move into a new apartment on Friday. I'm sure that going up and down those stairs lifting heavy and awkward objects didn't help. Then we went out dancing on Saturday at Benton Station for Terryll's birthday, and I'm sure that didn't help either.

I feel like an old woman. Hobbling about and walking funny. And then I see people running on the sidewalk all the time and I just wonder: doesn't it hurt them, too? Or am I just a big wuss?