TODD SMITH: Abe's Army training officially returned Monday after a storm the previous week kept most of us off the running course. The rain and lightning stayed away. So did the humidity.
We started with stretches, and I hoped they would help my left calf muscle, which was sore.
While stretching is a smart thing to do before running, it didn't help me. But I was not going to let it stop me.
As we started out, group leader Barry House's advice was "listen to your body, and if you need to, slow down, then do it."
The plan for this week's run was five miles, alternating between three minutes of running and one minute of walking.
We started out walking to warm up, then running. I was feeling a little sore but thought I could work it out as we ran. I seem to be gaining a better understanding of my body as I run.
Anne Baker, group leader, commented the hardest part of the run can be the first one to two miles.
Thinking back, that was really how I have felt. I start out slow and sore, but after the first two miles, I get into the rhythm.
In the third and fourth miles this week, I was actually starting to move ahead. I hit a good stride as I worked for the fifth mile. I stayed in front of the group. Whatever pain I started with worked itself out.
After the fifth mile, we had the choice of walking the final half-mile to the pavilion in the Lincoln Park. I chose to run and was able to take it on home at a fast pace.
I remembered that when I was younger, I used to bike everywhere and learned to conserve energy to get to my final destination. I hope that experience will help me make it all the way to the finish line of the Abe's Amble 10K race, which is less than a month away.
Note: Next week is our practice 10K, but I will be on vacation. I will instead be doing my run in streets of Quebec City. (Originally this was Montreal, but we had a change in plans.) Au revoir!
My earlier columns:
Still many miles to go before the race
The hills are alive with runners
The halfway point on the way to Abe's Amble
My training hits a rough patch
My debut in the Abe's Army training program
Preparing myself for the Abe's Army
Where to go to comment and keep up on my training?
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