THIS DAY IN HISTORY

If I can't run yet, I can certainly take a walk down (recent) memory lane.

It was a year ago this week that I logged my first ever 20 mile training run. At mile 11, the "skies opened up," so says my training log. I recall running in the most drenching rain & hailstorm I had ever run in, soaking every inch of me. I was frozen by the time I finished. I ran the last 10 miles nearly 1 minute per mile faster than the first 10 just to get out of the downpour. I could barely unlock my truck and stick the key in the ignition. I had trouble driving home due to the shivering. Ah, those were the days. I'm not lying when I say I'd LOVE to do that again.

Week 13 of last year was also my biggest mileage week ever (and still is) at 52.3 miles. I did have a 7 day stretch of 63 miles somewhere around that time, but it wasn't within my "weekly" parameters (Mon-Sun). In hindsight, I had just about peaked, since less than two weeks later I ran a 5-mile race (fast, by my standards), then paced a friend for the last 22 miles of a 50 mile ultra the next day. It's funny how you sometimes don't realize when you're at a decent fitness level until you're injured and haven't run in ages. I'd love to be in that kind of shape now.

I know it doesn't do any good to pine away for the "good ol' days," but recently I've started feeling the urge to run again. I admit that the urge faded some after being sidelined for so long. Maybe the change in seasons (not that we've seen much change here in the PNW) has rekindled my fire a bit. Still, I must proceed slowly & cautiously. My heel has responded fairly well to recent exercises, so I'm on course to attempt my first walk-run session in less than 2 weeks. It'll last all of 10 minutes, alternating a minute of slow running with a minute of walking. As silly as it might sound, I can't WAIT to do it.