Great 8 mile run!

Okay, real quick: photos from last weekends half marathon, the Pfizer Oncology challenge thing:
pictures from my first half-marathon

Yesterday, after working in the morning, I came home and geared up for an 8 mile run. Took two bottles of gatorade with me, and some lifesavers. I was afraid the problems I've been having would make this very difficult, like things have been the last couple of weeks. But I was to be pleasantly surprised!

I basically made it an excercise in hill-running. The first up-the-slope; no problem. Feeling pretty good; slight pauses at street corners. Coming downhill, though, I was stopped cold about four blocks down as the pain in my feet just mounted and mounted. I couldn't believe this! How am I going to do a marathon if I can't get two miles?? Well, I took some time and really really stretched out and waited for the pain to subside a bit, then I started jogging again. it still hurt going downhill, though not as bad. At the bottom of the slope, I stretched again, then headed back up hill. The little GPS I got off eBay (see here)seemed to be off (overestimating), but that could just have been the stopping and going messing it up. I went back up the slope, in and out of the park real quick, then headed down again. The pain was a lot less on the downhill this time and was generally subsiding altogether.

I went uphill oen more time, then headed into the park and across to the northwest corner, then turned and ran all the way home. By the time I entered the park, I was feeling good; strong, energetic. The lifesavers are helping (thanks Rachel!). I got home and by my estimate had done eight miles, maybe just a shade under. The GPS confirmed 7.9 miles.

This was probably my second best run ever and thankfully a lot easier than previous runs. My time was incredibly slow, though the second half was pretty good. I think the antibiotics are kicking in and suppressing the infection in my lungs, so my breathing's easier. I'm certainly coughing less up. And the foot pain is getting worked out with some tips I picked up at a NYRR lecture. (I'm rolling my arches over this little golf-ball sized knife sharpener thing I've got and that really is beginning to help.)

Tomorrow morning, 8 a.m.: Brooklyn half-marathon from Coney Island to Prospect Park. I WILL, by God, get there early and warm up for three miles and get a good stretch in between warm-up and race.