Day 22 and 23: Combo Day

Date: 24 March 2008 / Distance: 4 mi run + 1 mi walk / Time: 40:13 (run)

I was busy making an Easter feast with Joel yesterday so I skipped my long run. I decided to combine my long run and my strength workout today. I woke up bright and early this morning to go for my run with Joel. I was feeling GREAT until around mile 1. My stomach cramped up. I actually pride myself on being able to run through cramps – I magically make my cramps subside within minutes by willing the cramp to get lost. I’m not joking! However, my magical powers did not work for me today. This cramp was not an ordinary running cramp. Ahem. At mile 2, the cramp was unbearable and for the first time in a LONG, LONG, LONG, LONG time (like YEARS), I stopped to walk for 7-8 minutes. The 7-8 minutes were filled with curses directed at my cramp, as well as paranoid thoughts of all the ailments I might be suffering such as appendicitis, food poisoning, an ulcer, and extreme gas. Thankfully, after the 7-8 minutes, my cramp subsided. Unfortunately, I had to rev up my legs for the remainder of the run. I hate walking in the middle of a training run (or any run for that matter) because it’s very difficult for me to ramp back up to my normal running pace. My muscles feel very strange, my breathing is off and my movements feel awkward. It’s not the same as starting a run cold. It feels worse. I was able to finish the run. Technically, I’m probably supposed to walk 1 mile immediately after my run. I completed my 1 mile walk about 10 hours later. Between my run and walk, I did my normal strength workout.