new route

Until I stopped and stretched, my legs were killing me. And that is ALL GOOD.

I had a good run today. Not particularly fast, but I wasn't trying for fast. I was trying for continuous. Didn't manage that, but only because I had pauses for stretching, traffic, and buying some water halfway.

Took a new route I'd plotted out last week. Went up 4th ave (NY Marathon route) for about a mile and a half, cut over on 3rd across Gowanus Canal to Smith, turned left until I hit the BQE, then followed it around and down 3rd ave to my house. Good route, a little lonely, very urban; about 3.5 miles.

The legs hurt until I really stopped and stretched and then they were fine. I have interesting new aches and pains which I'm sure I'll get used to. More importantly, I had no lung issues. Minor coughing, not enough to stop me, and zero asthma problems. ZERO. It felt really good to be able to depend on my lungs to where I could work my legs, which is what everybody ELSE gets to do all the time, but is a little novel for me right now.

Ran the last 1/4 mile as a stride, at 5K speed. It felt supremely satisfying to be able to open up like that and not take it as a shot to the chest.

Tomorrow, I'm planning on bicycling to work again. I got a new air pump that will let me get the tires to their recommended inflation and will be stopping along the way to see about a rack and a new chain at the bicycle place on 96th. Maybe better headlight, too.