So, yeah, it's been awhile since I ran a meaningful distance without feeling like I've stepped on a nail. I've managed to either stress a bone with too many deadlines and too high expectations, or it has cracked a bit because of too many miles, too soon. It really sucks since I've gotten to a nice weekly total by this point and the spring has finally arrived leaving the trails inviting and safe - the aggressive skiers have packed in and brought forth their rolling death machines menacing the pavements instead.
I guess I've realized why the 10% rule is mentioned in every long distance running training program there is. Of course, I will not heed such warnings before it's to late. And even though my weekly mileage weren't way off the 10%-increments-per-week rule, I probably did cram too many kilometers in the weekends because I didn't manage to get enough runs during rather hectic weekdays. Instead of spreading them out with more walking in between, I've became too eager and went full out on some pretty long runs. Oh, well, now I know.
So what do I do instead?
I have to keep up if I'm going to reach my goals alive. I mean, it is only six months left, and I can't afford any more easy weeks. Being slow and generally dimwitted I went out for a run only a week after the injury, since it felt ok and I didn't think it was a fracture. Thankfully I brought some spare change for some reason(I usually don't, for the same reason) and when it felt like I had stepped on an icepick again I was only a limping distance to the 06 Bus to Humiliation.
Now, the snow and ice is melting and it safe to venture out on the roads, and the temperature is getting more pleasant so it's time to get my 'rusty old bike out(the T has ironically rusted away during the winter, the break on the back wheel is shot, so it's a bike can't trust anymore; hence 'rusty. Clever, eh?) and get some nice biking session on. Except it's been awhile since I've biked. Yeah, you never forget how to do it and all that. It's just a certain part of me got a little sore. Yeah, that shameful part.
I bike everyday to the train station for my commute, so it's a means of transportation - it's something I do to get from A to B. Just biking for the sake of biking is something I've rarely done. I can see that some people think the same way about running, but come on! Running is fun.
Now I try to bike around as long as I would run, but I when I finish the usual routes at a quarter of the time I would have run it, I get bored and it is a struggle to keep going further. I guess I'm never going to become a triathlete any time soon.
Well, I really don't have any snappy ending to this, or even a point, I think. So the totally improvised morale of this is don't be stupid, but be smart. One step at a time. Know your limits. My butt hurts because my foot hurts. And so on.
Hopefully I'll get back on track sometime during this week. I'll take it easy and slow. And pay attention to the 10%-rule, goddammit!
