The Daily Log 11/25/08

Distance: 3.96 miles
Time: 46:48
Pace: 11:49/mile
Weight: 197lbs
Terrain: Mainly flat
Temperature: Cold
Gear: Long-sleeved Adidas Climacool shirt, Gobbler Grind Running Cap, Adidas long training pants over Adidas running shorts, Nike Air Zoom Vomero Shoes
Hydration: None
Fuel: None
Medical: None
Recovery: Stretches, ice, Aleve
Shoe Mile Count: 115.60 miles
Days until Marathon: 54

The first run after a race is always tough, both mentally and physically. The physical aspects, particularly if the race was a long one, are perhaps more obvious. Fatigued legs, tight knees, sore back, cracked skin. You name it really. Yet the mental can be an equally, if not more challenging barrier to overcome. The race atmosphere, which is an addictive high, is gone, and you are once again left to trudge the quiet streets, avoid traffic, with no-one but a couple of people walking their dogs left to acknowledge your presence, your start/finish line simply your front door.

Hangover or no, though, sooner or later, you have to get out of bed and go back to work, and tonight, that's what I did, running 4 easy recovery miles with Jill at a slow pace. Yes, my legs were a little tired, yes, I wasn't buzzing with race day nerves and excitement, but other than that, I don't think it could have gone much better. There were no injuries to speak of, my pace was as slow as it should have been, and I was back on the wagon. It was the essence of a "recovery" run, in short.

I am running a 5k Thanksgiving Day fun run on Thursday. Jill is running it too and I told her if she was my roadie at the Gobbler Grind that I would run with her on Turkey day. It'll be my 5th official race, and the first time I've not increased the distance. A few months ago, I would not have considered a 5k to be a relaxing "short run", but of course now I'm running longer than that 3-4 days a week, so it won't carry quite the anticipation that the opportunity to conquer a new distance does, and as I won't be running for time, a PR is also out of the question. Regardless, I'm still looking forward to it. It'll be an uncommonly healthy way to start what might otherwise be a rather unhealthy holiday, the atmosphere should be light and relaxed, and Jill will be there to keep things entertaining (when she's not telling me to 'slow down!')

Happy Thanksgiving!