In the Long Run

It always feels good when the scale reflects what you feel inside.  This morning, the scale said 155.5lbs, the lowest since December 25th, and 4.5lbs lower than January 1st.  I figured it would take about two weeks for me to lose some of my holiday weight, and I was right!    

Two days ago I ran an exhilarating 7.0 miles.  I knew I wouldn’t be running the next night because my wife had an appointment, so I figured it was a good day to extend my run.  Unfortunately, late last night I started feeling a pain in my knee.  This was about 24 hours since I finished my last run. 

One of the key components to “Running Without a Watch” is listening to your body during a run, as well as after a run.  This means that when I feel a pain somewhere in my knee, back or legs, you can be sure that I will take time off to recover.  About a month or two ago, I took five days off following some knee pain and felt zero effect on my fitness, speed, or health.  This was a great learning experience for me, and I plan to do the same with this current knee pain.  It is likely that I won’t run for at least 2-3 days, as I like to wait until there is no discomfort for at least 24 hours.  

Now let me be clear.  Just because I know this is the smart thing to do, does not mean that it is easy for me.  In fact, it is incredibly difficult.  Running is like breathing for me; it is the time that I reflect on the day and prepare myself for what is to come.  

But I will cope, as I have done before and focus on using this extra time to spend with my wife, taking care of odds and ends around the house, and preparing foods to munch on during the next couple of days.  I know it is all worth it in the long run…PUN intended!