Summer Evening in the Park

Distance: 2 miles (roughly)
Time: 22:27

I seem to be feeling the wear and tear a little bit more each day. Since Sunday's basketball games my body has been racked with stiffness and aches and pains. I went swimming this morning hoping that it would loosen my body up, but if it offered any relief it was only temporary. Being stubborn I forced myself to get my 2 mile run in tonight, even though the smarter thing probably would have been to rest. I decided to head back to Horsemen's Center Park, where I had a great run on Friday morning, and avoid the monotony of running around my neighborhood.

My wife came with me and did her own run/walk workout around the park. We didn't leave until 8 pm, so the sun was setting as I began my run. However that twilight sky, half light, half dark, made the run quite pleasant. All the lights in the valley below were appearing as the sky darkened, and the silhouettes of the surrounding mountains could still be vividly seen. But as scenic as the run was, my performance wasn't much to speak of. For the first 1/2 mile or so, I ran as if I was tied to a large stick. My back was stiff, my joints tight -- I couldn't get any sort of fluid rhythm going. My pace, then, was ridiculously slow. After awhile, though, I began to loosen up. My back no longer bothered me, and I picked up my speed a tad. Still, the up and down terrain, as well as the diverse ground I was treading on, made it hard to shift gears. I felt myself tired quickly, and in the end my time of 22:27 wasn't much of a surprise.

My only hope is that with time my body will heal. I know my back pain is solely due to playing basketball, with all its quick stops and sloppy movements. Hopefully by just running, swimming, and possibly using some machines at the gym, I can let my back recover. My endurance is still improving, but I need to have a healthy body to allow the endurance to reach its full potential. At almost 6 weeks into my training, I guess this is my first real obstacle. If I can clear this hurdle, the sky's the limit!