First run done

Statistics:
Distance: 4 miles
Time: 43:52

I'm trying to figure out how to insert this cool widget into my blog that will show the map of where I ran and also give statistics, but I haven't gotten it figured out yet. It uses my Droid and its GPS to track me while I run. It computes speed, distance, and draws a map of where I'm running. I think you'll even be able to follow me live while I run if you really want to. It's actually pretty cool, so hopefully I'll have it figured out by my next run.

For now, click this link for my course map.

Some notes about the link: the GPS is a bit choppy, so it might think I'm going way faster at times than I am, balanced by times that I'm going much slower than I am. The average, though, should obviously be pretty accurate. Pretty freaking cool technology, though, huh?


Observations:

Tough.

Harder than the Shamrock Shuffle, even though it was 1 mile shorter. But there were good reasons for that. First, I hadn't run since Sunday, so it was a longer rest than optimal. Second, the wind! It was nuts today! I had a headwind on the longest leg of my course - the northwest leg - and also portions of the east leg. How that happens I don't know. Sucked, though! Also, it was cold. colder than Sunday. It's 30 degrees now, while Sunday was closer to 40. So I was wearing heavier clothes to keep warm, which made me a heavier person to drag around the course.

I imagine that in July when I'm sweating my ass off in the heat, I'll look back at an easy 4-mile day in the cold and wonder WTF I was complaining about.

The lower part of both of my calves are sore - the part below the big chunk of meat, just above the Achilles tendon. It's probably because that's what takes the initial impact of my running step, and it doesn't normally get that much of a strain in daily life. I'll keep stretching it, and hopefully in time it'll strengthen and not be as sore following a run.

But, I did it, and I kept it under my 11-minute per mile pace. I basically do two laps of a triangular wedge course through Lincoln Square. It's just under two miles per lap. I managed to force myself to make the turn onto the second lap and not stop at two miles, since that's the toughest part to not stop.


Next:
Saturday - 3 miles