Monday, July 25, 2011

License to...SLOW DOWN!

I started noticing something a few weeks ago that really got me worried. Back pain. Not a "oh no, I can't even stand up or get out of bed" kind of pain- but a twinge. I initially thought it was my mattress- so hubby and I flipped it. Then I thought it was my feather bed on TOP of the mattress- so we flipped that too. Then I thought it was my chair at work...on and on I went.

Well, I think I finally figured it out- the back pain, as well as the pain I had experienced in my behind, and pain I had in my lower leg.

Let's see if you can figure it out- here's an excerpt from my running log:

June 27
Distance: 3.07 Duration: 29:21 Pace: 9:37

July 3
Distance: 3.51 Duration: 34:01 Pace: 9:41

July 6
Distance: 6.25 Duration: 1:01:44 Pace: 9:55

July 20
Distance: 5.86 Duration: 57:03 Pace: 9:44

Do you see it? Ok, ok, I'll tell you- I'm treating far too many runs like a race! My goal pace for my next half marathon is 10 minutes, 40 seconds per mile. And, while I've only listed 4 sub-10 min mile runs up there, believe me, there are a lot more. So, does that mean that suddenly I'm a 9:55 per mile runner? NO! It means I'm going way too fast, way too often!

I've found that on the mornings that I run 10:20-10:40, I have the most energy, AND- no back, butt, or leg pain! Interesting, right?

So, I've got to just keep reminding myself that, especially in this case- this is a marathon and not a sprint- literally!

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