Just keep on moving, right?

After last weeks oops, this week was all about "just keep on moving". I was pretty mad about only getting 24 miles last week, so I set out early in the week to make sure that didn't happen again.

Taking Monday off, I went out on Tuesday after work and got in a pretty quick 5.5 mile run. Again I had not planned it, but I managed to accomplish a good progression run. Average pace was 9:38 for the run, and then the next day was 5 miles on the treadmill. Thursday I went out for 4 miles, and got to my driveway at 3.9 miles. Instead of running circles around my street (like I normally do) for the last .10 mile I just called it a day. I was a bit more tired on this run and really felt it in my shins. I still ended the run with a 9:40 average pace, but I had a feeling I was going to pay for this last month of fairly fast runs.

Saturday morning I was excited about having my first long run in the snow, and I was planning on getting 11 miles completed. Mile one was cold and the legs just felt heavy. I tried to focus on my surroundings and relax. 1 1/2 into the run and I knew I was in trouble. I stopped to stretch my shins, and when it hurts more when your standing, then I knew this shin pain was the real deal. It has been a very long time since I had shin pain bad enough to make me stop running.

I knew if I kept on moving the tightness may lessen. I just told myself to keep moving and it would get better. Mile 2 1/2 the tears just started streaming, and all I began to think about was how I am less then two weeks away from my one year anniversary. My one year anniversary of consistently running is coming up, and I also began discussing my plans for training this year for my half and full marathon. I have so many goals for my next year of running, that it was just easier to cry as I tried to run back to the store.

After passing my house and fighting the urge to call it a day after only three miles, I saw Chris running with a fellow running pal. I focused on the two of them and just ran. I had stopped crying and was just trying to think of something else other than the discomfort in my leggies. As I got closer to the store the pain started to get weaker and weaker. I got back and the store was filled with other runners getting ready to start their own runs and I just wanted to crawl into a hole. I wasn't sure if I could go back out running, but I knew if I stopped for the day and only got 4 miles in I would be a wreck for the rest of the day (yep it frustrated me that much).

As I sat there waiting for 8:07 the shins didn't feel so tight, so I began to think if I just went back out slower then maybe I would be OK. That is what I did, I stuck with a great group of runners that normally run a tad slower than what I do on the long runs. I was hoping the slower pace would work, and I could make something of this long run after all this frustration. Each mile I was ready to toss in the towel if the legs felt bad, but they never did. I ended with 9 1/2 miles with a nice average pace of 10:17. The pace is a far cry from my 10 at 9:37 last week, but I think my legs were saying they couldn't take all the pounding and that I needed to respect that. Lesson learned, respect your body!

Today Chris and I enjoyed another snowy run, but this time at a local park. The trail had so much snow I ended up running on the road leading to the parking areas. I tried my newer shoes out too, hoping that would help my shins and vowed to keep the pace really slow. I wanted 5 miles to get a new mileage high week, but I knew if I was to do it pain free it would have to be a real recovery run. As long as I kept on moving I was going to make this week a success, and I managed to do just that. Two miles into the run the legs actually felt good and I kept the pace at recovery level, and then added two hill sprints at the end of the run. 29 total miles for the week, and another mileage high.

5 days until Christmas and I am hoping that I will be able to give myself a nice Christmas present, which only I can give. If I treat my legs right, and they in turn treat me right. I will attempt to log 30 miles this coming week. It would mean so much too me to have this goal accomplished....maybe Christmas miracles can happen.