Progress

As of today, I’ve been back on the original meds for five days. I have felt better and better each day, almost expontentially so.

Yesterday, I did my short, hilly, neighborhood 5K route. I didn’t look at my watch on purpose, but just tried to run at a steady pace. When I got home, I realized that I had run it more than 3 minutes faster than the last time I tried it–and I’d certainly felt better; the last time was an out-an-out struggle of a death-march. I was pleased this morning to actually wake up with a great spring in my step, feeling rested and looking forward to my run with my Thursday morning friend.

Since I was able to start running again on January 1, I’ve struggled to run with her. This summer while training for Ironman, I’d do my Thursday run with her (usually the 7-mile loop) and then go off to bike and do weights or swim afterward, at least one and sometimes two more workouts. In January, I could not run the 4-mile loop without stopping or keep up with her when we did run. It was so sad; I knew I was holding her back. In February, I started to turn a corner; we’d seen positive progress in my stamina over the last two weeks. But today she turned to me and said, “This is just like the old days!”  and it was!

I could keep up; I could talk and run at the same time; we were running the same pace!

I came home, over the moon. I felt so good that after I worked some today, I piled Boo in the car and we headed off to Walnut Creek as a treat for him–and a second run for me.

We spent another hour out on the trails, running and walking and having fun with each other. Yeah, I was a bit tired, but two weeks ago, I couldn’t have done this second run AT ALL.

Two weeks ago, I was having a hard time with back-to-back workouts.

Holy smokes!