Happy Saturday!

It's a dreary, rainy Saturday. I just got done running. I meant to run at about 9 a.m. In reality, I started thinking about running at 9 a.m. However, the physical act of running didn't begin until about 1 p.m. So much for motivation on this Saturday morning. I can't be too hard on myself because I did get my 8.5 miles in. The run felt better the further into it I got. The first 2-3 miles were a drag. Miles 5-7 or so really felt pretty good.

I'm nervous about some tightness in the IT bands. I'm trying to stay on my training plan but I've got to keep up with stretching, icing, etc. The whole IT band routine takes almost as much time as running itself. Yet, I know that the alternative (taking time off, surgery, whatever) is worse. I have learned this the hard way. Hopefully if I take care of myself I won't have any real issues this "season," but I am nervous about it every time I run. Today I stopped to stretch about once a mile. I don't like that because it's harder to get into a groove.

I have 4 half marathons planned for this year (April through Oct). I have decided that my goal will be to get to each starting line injury free. If I get that done, I will consider it a success, not matter what my times are. Last summer, I wondered if I would ever get back to running. Now that I'm there, I don't want to get hung up with times and stuff like that. I am just glad to be running.

I bought new shoes. A pair of Nikes and a pair of Sauconys that I will alternate. I love both of them so far. I've become a fan of Saucony the last couple of years. I tend to have an issue with my heels being narrow, and Saucony accommodates that. Nike typically does as well. I've tried New Balance, and they tend to run wide through the heel. I started wearing Saucony when I got "fitted" for running shoes at a running store in Cedar Falls, the Runner's Flat. It's a far cry from how I used to choose running shoes. (I would just look at them and decide how fast they looked.) If you live near me, I do recommend the Runner's Flat if you are looking to buy some shoes. They'll put you on the treadmill and watch your gait, diagnosed your pronation, etc. I learned a lot from them.

Off to the showers!