Back in the game: 4.1 mile run

So I woke up this morning and I couldn't take it any longer! It's been almost 2 weeks since I've done any running outside at all and as much as I enjoy the elliptical (snicker, snicker) I have really been itching to get outside! With a mid-morning temperature of 59F, how in the world could I resist???

When I set out this morning, I didn't really have any plan other than to take it easy. I haven't had any noticable hip/glute pain in a good 4 or 5 days... so I figured if nothing more, I would just do any easy 2 mile walk/run. As I neared the first 0.75 mile mark and still felt like a normal human, I decided that maybe I 'could' do a 4 mile walk/run. So that's what I did! In order to keep my pace in check and to ensure that I wasn't going to cause any additional tightness/injury to my right side, I quickly formulated a plan in my head. I would run 1/2 mile and then power walk for 1 minute... for a total of 4.1 miles. I made sure to stay on the grass whenever possible (which miraculously adds a full minute on my mile/min pace immediately- ha! ha!) and ya know, I felt really good when all was said and done! This is actually the longest distance I've ever covered while in running mode too! YAY! So a definite positive morning.

Post run observations: Limited tightness (not pain, thank God) in right side of glute/hip. Some definite tightness in right hip flexor. 1/2 mile run + 1 minute recovery walk seemed to keep both pace and heartrate in check. I felt like I could have gone on like this for another few miles.

Monday was 5.1 miles on the elliptical

Tuesday was 13.6 miles on the bike. Scott went riding with me which made the time fly by!

Tomorrow is a bike day PLUS I'm going to have a Meilus Muscular Therapy treatment done. The session takes and hour and a half and a trainer at my gym swears by it! I'm hopeful!

And now for the obligatory insanity that seems to befall on every triathlete.... I have my sites set on the following for either 2009 or 2010! Insane, I know! However, if you would have asked me this time last year if I would be entering a sprint tri, I would have called YOU insane! LOL!