Ain't no cure for the [end of] summertime blues

And just like that, we're down to our last week of summer vacation.  There's a saying about raising kids that goes something like "The days are long but the years are short."  The same can be said about this summer...the days have been long - averaging around 14 hours of actual interaction with my children every single day - but the weeks have just flown right by.  It was a summer that can be measured in number of waves surfed, miles ridden on two wheels, and ice cream cones shared in the sun.  It was a true test of my patience, and while I certainly didn't ace it, I think I get a passing grade.  I'm hoping Mother Nature rewards me with a gorgeous September and a number of warm, sunny afternoons spent on the beach before the chore of homework returns.  

I now have two weeks of post-injury running under my belt, and I'm feeling really good.  This past week included an easy run, a tempo run, and a "long" run.  Here's the breakdown:

Easy run - 4 miles @8:31 

Humid as all get out at the oceanfront that morning, but it felt great to be back out there after a couple of weeks staying closer to home.  Let's just say it has been a struggle to get up before 6am pretty much the entire month of August!  I've really enjoyed running the boardwalk with Kristy this summer, and I hope we continue when the weather is less than ideal.

Tempo run - 1 mile warm up, 1 mile @7:48, 1 mile @7:32, 1 mile cool down

I didn't have a set tempo pace in mind for this run - I basically wanted it to be comfortably hard for two miles.  Mission accomplished.  As expected, I have lost all ability to gauge my pace, as evidenced by the huge discrepancy between those two tempo miles.  I am making a concerted effort not to get caught up in the numbers as I continue to come back from this injury, so setting a goal of merely being more consistent with my pace suits me just fine.  I know I'll start to feel it with a little more practice, and I'm quite pleased with this starting point.  

"Long" run - 6.1 miles at 8:19 

I returned from this run feeling like I could conquer the world.  Maybe the universe.  After the 4 miler at 8:31 earlier in the week, I set out for those 6 miles thinking I'd be pleased with anything under 8:50.  I was committed to running at an easy pace, which is something my pre-injury self seemed to always forget a few miles into a long run.  Saturday's pace felt incredibly comfortable, with a little push for the last 1/4 mile or so.  I still feel great today, with no muscle soreness or ITB or plantar fascia crankiness to speak of, and I am giving myself the green light to continue light speed work and gradually increase my long runs.  When I'm not running, I'm working hard to keep my body happy with foam rolling, stretching, massage, and wearing good shoes whenever possible:

I know I have a lot of work to do to get back into fighting shape, but I'm really excited about where I'm starting.  The spark is lit and I'm ready to get to work.  My first post-injury race is a few weeks away, and I'm hoping I can hold out that long.  My goal for this race is pretty simple - miles of smiles!!!  I don't expect to PR or place in my age group.  I only want to run what my body is capable of right now and enjoy every pain free step along the way.