Slower and longer is better

As you know, I've been doing some running of late.  Started running again for a couple reasons.  First, I'm a fat bastard.  Second, I want to run a mini marathon.  My weight fluctuates.  I'm usually anywhere from 175-190 and don't normally have a problem losing or gaining pounds.  So I don't expect to be a fat bastard for long.  The mini marathon is a different story.  More and more I've been seeing friends post on Facebook about their training and results from their races.  It's inspired me to give it a shot.

So, I started running a few weeks ago.  My first run started off innocently enough...if you call barely getting out of the driveway a run.  For the most part, I've progressed each day going a little bit farther than the previous.  I'm only two and a half weeks in, but so far only missed four days of running and from I've been told I'm supposed to take some days off to rest my body.

A couple days ago was one of those days off.  It wasn't so much about resting as it was healing.  As I ramped up the distance (again, still not going very far, but light years ahead of where I started), I started to notice that my legs didn't tire like the first few days and I didn't struggle for oxygen like when I first went out.  But in fixing a couple problems, a new problem arose.  My shins were getting tight and preventing me from making longer runs (also, the running made my feet hot and caused sleeping to be a problem).  So like I said, a couple days I didn't run and did nothing but stretch my legs.

I talked to one of the girls who recently ran a mini.  I'd been following the progress of her training.  However, I noticed her training started at three miles and I wondered if she'd had to work up to the training program or was able to already run three miles.  We had a brief conversation on Facebook the other day where I asked some questions, got some answers and learned some things.  She was able to help me with the shin splint issue and I'll paraphrase some of the comments here, at least the way I remember them:

Me:  Running on the dreadmill is so different than running thru the neighborhood.  Plus, I weigh more than I should.  I'm carrying 20 extra pounds and it's killing my knees.

Her:  Then run slower.

Me:  I have been.

Her:  You shouldn't be power walking.  You walk just for a rest, then you run again.

Me:  That's what I've been doing.

Her:  Slower and longer is always better.

Me:  After you get done talking dirty, can we get back to talking about running?

Anyway, I took her advice last night.  I was considering taking another night off to let everything heal and rest, but i almost beat Hayden while we worked on his homework, so I thought getting out of the house and taking out my anger on the streets would be best.

I started off slow.  Really, it felt too slow, but I had nothing better to do.  I followed a similar route to previous runs and again, it felt....so....slow.  When I had reached the farthest part of the subdivision from our house I realized I wasn't trying to catch my breath and that my knees and shins felt fine.  "Hmmm, my friend was right, slower and longer is better.  And it makes sense when you run too."

I continued with no discomfort in any part of my body (except for the dangling fury, but that's a story for another day).  I only encountered two problems during the run.  First, it was around 6:30 when I started and it was getting dark.  There's been some construction in our subdivision so there are big areas of street that are just missing.  They are marked with barrels, but there are no street lights so the only light I had was from the moon and the exterior lights of the houses.  I ran through piles of rocks, wet concrete, and several puddles of God only knows what.  A couple times I was just hoping I was still in my own neighborhood because I really couldn't see much.

That's when I ran into the second problem-->Dogs.  I know where most of the dogs live in the neighborhood.  However, when you're running in the mostly dark, you can't see so well.  So, was I hearing the dog I thought I was hearing or some other dog?  I've mentioned how I don't enjoy seeing dogs while riding my bike.  I learned last night that I dislike dogs even more when I'm running.  Especially in the dark.

I was pretty sure it was the dogs I knew.  But it was dark, and it seems the darkness makes the dog's bark sound like it's coming from a larger dog.  My first thought was, "Great, the wolfoyote is back"  My second thought was, "Don't run, he'll think you're playing and chase you."  Then it occurred to me that I WAS running.  I just closed my eyes (I couldn't see anything anyway) and hoped the barking would go away.

About that time a couple cars came down the road and I was able to see it was the little dogs who bark at me every day when I walk the dog or ride my bike with Hayden.

After that brush with death, I found my way home, still feeling like I could have run more, but excited to see how far I'd gone.  I knew it was farther than any previous run and I still felt like I could have gone farther had it not been so dark.  My previous run was my personal best, as far as distance, of 2.07 miles.  Last night was 2.56 miles.  The average speed of both those nights were down a bit, but again slower and longer is better.  What surprised me the most was that the average speed of last night was the same as the previous run, even thought it felt far slower.

My weight was only down slightly so between being motivated to stop being fat and the ability to run even longer, I'm anxious to get home tonight and do it all over again.   Except for the dog part.