Look at how relaxed I look behind this stranger's shoulder.

Because I’m sure that you read this blog with eager enthusiasm, I know that you read about my 4th of July 5k race. No? Well, it’s a good story if you want to click on it. Really. Go. I’ll wait.

So, imagine running that hot and sunny 5k on Monday, then following it up with a Tuesday early-morning meeting/hike at Lafayette Reservoir that wasn’t nearly early enough to beat the heat. The reservoir is that 5-mile vertical hike that I referenced in a February post. I thought that I was feeling good after the fact, and really appreciated my Wednesday Pilates session that stretched out all of the parts of me that had been tight.

By Thursday morning, the wheels had come off. I discovered muscles in my legs that had been previously dormant and didn’t want to be awakened. Every time I stood up, I felt like I needed to grab my glutes for additional support.

So what did I do in my semi-hobbled state? What any normal person would do. I walked my son to school (about 1.2 miles roundtrip). And then I went to kickboxing.

Yeah, I know. Laugh at me. I would have laughed, too, if it didn’t threaten to hurt a previously unknown muscle group.

A shady spot in the grandstand, the best place to be.

Friday was a scheduled rest day, and instead of resting I opted to take the day off and take the Tiny Kitchen Assistant to the county fair. There was much walking, which was probably good for offsetting the copious amounts of that annual decadent delight: funnel cake. We also spent the hottest part of the afternoon watching the horse races from the shady grandstand.

After a week of scorching heat, it was a pleasant surprise to end up at Saturday morning’s run and discover 58 degree temps and clouds as far as the eye could see.

As I ran today, I deliberately paid attention to the “S” in my LSD (long slow distance) run. I have a habit of having only one pace, but this year I’m finally starting to understand and appreciate the benefits of an easygoing, conversational pace for LSD vs. an all-out charge for the finish at 5k pace. Hopefully with each passing year I’ll get a better and better sense of how to pace myself, what my limitations are, and how to improve my skills month after month.

Tags: alameda county fair, county fair, hiking, kickboxing, muscles, pilates, running, soreness, team in training, tnt, walk, walking

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