Backing Off

Running fast, the title of my last post, was followed Saturday by running long - 9 miles.  And then on Monday of this week, I climbed Big Bearpen.  It has not rained for awhile, so the second switchback from the top was especially treacherous - loose dirt and rocks - and I thought I felt something twist just a bit in my knee.  So I backed off, slowing down and completing only 3.81 miles instead of the planned 6 miles.  And yesterday I only ran 2.14 mile, including two moderately fast 400s.  Everything seems to be doing fine today, but I am taking another day off and "playing it by ear" tomorrow.

Backing off.  There can be no ego in a runner; humility is the key to continuing to run in the long term.  It was not easy to watch Vicki pull ahead of me Monday (after I led the way up the mountain), not has it been easy on my long runs to watch nearly the entire group of runners pull ahead of me.  I have been humbled by the worst injury of my running life, and it wasn't even because of running.  Now I need to be careful.  Backing off is that necessary medicine when a runner has been pushing just a little too hard.   

 We are preparing for some nice, slowly-paced, flat miles at the Outer Banks next week - just in time!