Running in Rancho

Distance: 2 miles
Time: 21:43

This is a belated post, as my last run was actually on Saturday. Deborah and I drove down the hill to stay with my parents in Rancho Cucamonga for the 4th of July weekend. On Saturday we met up with friends in Temecula to go wine tasting, and when we got home it was time for a run. I had mapped out a run around my parents' neighborhood (actually an old route I used to do years ago). But when it came time to run I was plagued with the same muscle pain that has been bothering me for over a week now. My left calf is the main culprit -- it simply doesn't want to get better. Because of this the run was a bit of a bust. The first half-mile, especially, was sloppy and formless. I couldn't get a strong and steady rhythm going. My legs felt tight and sore and each step hurt, so I ended up adapting my stride to compensate, which never leads to anything good. I was tempted to stop right away, but I forced myself to continue on. By the time I reached the mile mark, I was sure I was making matters worse with my legs. At about 1.5 miles I stopped, not because I wanted to, but because my body forced me to. I tried massaging my calf and stretching it out a bit. I continued on, and the last section of the run actually felt okay. But overall it was a struggle, and I knew I needed major rest to allow my muscles to heal.

I was concerned, too, because we had plans to do a big hike on Monday. I didn't want to injure myself or make my muscles so sore that I couldn't go on the hike. Sunday is normally my rest day, so I made sure to lay low that day. We had a 4th of July/birthday party for my nephew, so the day was spent relaxing and having a good time with family. On Monday I could tell the rest paid off, for my legs felt much better. The soreness was almost gone completely. But then we went on the hike. It was a strenuous 6 mile hike to the top of Mt. Baldy and back. My wife went, along with my dad, my brother, my brother-in-law, and his dad. We had a great time, though we were all exhausted by the end of it. I was extremely proud of my wife, who isn't a big hiker, but she gave it all she had and made it 99% of the way, stopping just shy of the peak. When we got back to my parents' house, we were beat, and we all ended up unwinding in the spa. My routine calls for a Monday run, but I knew right away that I wouldn't be able to do that. The hike was quite a workout anyway. Plus, I was sun-burnt and hardly able to move. I had a lot of soreness in my legs, but luckily not the same soreness I was feeling prior to the hike. The pain had moved up to my upper calves.

The next day, Tuesday, I was still hurting from the sunburn, and my legs still felt too sore to run! I didn't think I would have to take Tuesday off from running as well, but that's just what happened. I desperately wanted to run, but after doing a "test run" around the house I realized it would be impossible.... I couldn't lift my heels up without a shooting pain in my calf muscles, and the sunburn was worst on the back of my legs, where it was causing my skin to tighten. I was a mess and needed more time to heal and recover. I really hope tomorrow will be better, because I don't think I can afford to miss another day of running.