Monday, January 07, 2008

night running

the weather has turned practically balmy, and so when faced with the gym or park decision when i got home from work a little before 8 this evening...well it really wasn't much of a decision. i haven't run in prospect park in the dark yet - i'll do cold, and i'll do dark, but it is extra hard for me to do cold *and* dark.

i overdressed a bit on purpose just in case it was colder than i imagined and headed to the park around 8. the "chill" in the air made me smile because of the warmth that surrounded it. i love unseasonably warm days, global warming aside. there is something about going from 4-5 layers one day, to just one the next that makes me very very relaxed. it's the closest a person can come to shedding one's skin, i suppose, and when i started my run i was feeling particularly light and free.

my legs weren't in a very cooperative mood though. my trouble-some left quad was whining just about the whole run, not getting better as i went along as i had hoped, and to add to the fun, my right calf was one crampy mass just about the whole time. i'd get distracted now and again by some noise or another - the park wasn't quite as bustling as i had thought (but no, mom, i swear it wasn't desolate!) and the hill was the best distraction of all for the aches and pains - your brain can really only focus on one sort of pain at a time, i find.

when i finished, i spent a good 15 minutes stretching on my stoop and my quad actually felt much better for it. hurrah. tomorrow, more interval training - this time with the crew. it will be my first tuesday practice. wish me luck.

today's mileage: 4.0
season mileage to date:59.2

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