injury avoidance

connect.garmin.com/activity/129032013

i was supposed to do a 40-minute tempo run this morning. i was excited about it because i'd finally figured out what i was supposed to do on one. i'd evidently misread the directions before, because the description i read yesterday was complete different.

alas, this new found knowledge was not to be used this morning. on my run yesterday, i developed a sharp pain in my toes toward the end of my 5-miler. i ran for less than a minute today and it came back with a vengeance. i debated with myself for another minute or so on the virtues of fighting through the pain and then stopped. no sense in aggravating an injury.

i walked back to the house, changed into cycling gear and hit the road. i decided to check the distance on a loop i'd like to run some time, so i headed north on champa and then down maple.

at maple and main, i almost had to wait for a train, but the last car cleared the tracks just as i got there. i whizzed past the cars sitting at the intersection and turned north onto highway 281.

i rode north on 281 until i hit the first road headed east. turning east gave me a bit of a reprieve from the blustery winds that had been in my face. i rode across 20th and then turned south on 61.

riding past the pratt community college campus, i prayed for the students. they need some blessing around finals time, i'm sure. i continued on to the hotels and then turned west onto maple at the southern baptist church.

i rode down the hill around and then rocketed up the hill to terrace. turning south on terrace, i enjoyed the slow curves and then made the final 90-degree turn onto school. i buzzed some walkers at school and howard and then pulled quickly to a stop in my driveway.

so now i know the north 20th loop (i just named it today) is a little over 10K and i can run it with confidence on a day when my time allows it. i think i'll go in the opposite direction when i'm running. that way i don't have to cross traffic as many times. (6.59 miles @ 15.8mph)