A battle...

Around 4:30 PM on 2/10/07, I set out for a 14.5 mile run. I was feeling really good for the first part of the run, especially the first couple miles. While that would seem obvious (the first miles should be the easiest), I have actually struggled more at the beginning of my runs lately. So as I headed up Warren Road and hit the 3 mile mark I was very pleased. Then came mile 9. It was around this time that I developed a very odd cramp.....my left toes. I usually don't cramp up when I run (I know Im lucky), and I certainly have never had "toe cramps". So this was a little strange to me. Luckily around the same time the cramp showed up I was near a park, so I stopped and stretched for a few minutes which helped a ton. I once again felt great and picked up the pace a little as I headed back toward the house. The sun went down around mile 10, and with it left any feelings of warmth in the air. It got cold and dark really fast. The decision to wear shorts became an obvious mistake about this time. Around mile 12 the cramp in the toe came back....so the decision had to be made: stop and walk....or push it out. I decided that due to the fact I was freezing and starving, I would just try to push through and finish up the last 2.5 miles. I did just that, and actually finished with a pretty good time for the distance. This was quite a battle though, Im hoping that my next long run (16 miles) goes a bit smoother. After the run I felt good though, no pain in my legs and the cramp quickly went away. This was my first significant run in my new nice + shoes. They worked very well and are just getting warmed up for the marathon.


41 Days til Race Day.....