12.99

So this morning I did my first 'real' run post-Sugarloaf (5k and run home nothwithstanding). The antibiotics did their trick and finally I felt like I could handle a longer run, so I did my 4.33 mi loop three times this morning for a total of 12.99. It's my standard loop complete with three decent hills that (as I mentioned in the Cherry Blossom blog) aptly named Tom, Dick and Harry.

I felt good, no muscle fatigue, and ran a decent clip though wasn't running like a man on fire. Time: 1:54:00 right on the screws. I ran it in 1:50:58 on 4/7 which was Week 13 of training - that was the Wednesday before the Cherry Blossom race, and that week was when my times really started to improve. For a little perspective, the first time I clocked that 4.33 x3 I finished in 2:05:49 back on 3/16.

On a related note, today's run went a long way in abating my post-marathon blues. I'd heard of it during my marathon training research but never bothered to read about it. Turns out I'm just the sort of person who tends to get it. I trained so hard for it, x'd off each and every run with a diligent sense of accomplishment, and then exceeded my goal. Everything should be rosy. But the withdrawl of anticipation, coupled with the fact that I needed to rest and not run, put me in a bad place. My intensity amplifies things as well, so as much as I reveled in the joy of running a terrific race, I sort of languished after the fact.

Can anyone else relate and/or had a similar experience? I found that immediately setting another running goal, putting a plan in place, and taking the first steps toward reaching that goal, is my personal antidote. It is amazing how much better I feel.