I didn't join the ranks of the latter until yesterday, when MM and I revisited a loop through narrow Fishtown streets we measured a couple years ago as a mock 5k. She had been building up to run her first race, and a last minute schedule change forced her to miss the official 5k she had been planning on. With no other race options available, she decided to make her own.
We jogged this route easy yesterday, absorbing the warmth of the sunshine. The only thing lacking was more green.
While I'm not at the point where I want to push things mileage-wise, I do feel obligated to take other challenges. After the slightly-more-than-5k, I hopped on my bike and rode up to the Temple track, which is a couple miles from my doorstep. I intended specifically not to run any fast laps, but I still think there was about 10% of me that thought maybe I would change my mind.
Instead, I kicked off my shoes for some barefoot running. It's something I really enjoy from time to time and I think of it as a great way to stretch and strengthen the lower legs and feet. It's almost like hitting the reset button after my feet have gotten used to being in shoes for a while. Coincidentally, I have read here and there that it can aid in preventing or recovering from plantar fasciitis. Conversely, I have also heard the opinion that it can actually cause PF if not approached cautiously.
Yesterday it felt more therapeutic than injurious. The track had been warmed under the sun, loosening up my feet even further. Instead of running continuous laps, I broke them up into 200m very easy jogs, alternating them with either a set of pullup/chinups or a set of pushups and pilates-style v-ups. Altogether I logged about a mile of unshod jogging. By the end I could sense I was approaching the limit of comfort currently imposed by my PF. All in all it was about 20 minutes of what felt more like drills than actual running, and I rode home thirsty and satisfied that I'd gotten my money's worth for the day.
The good news is that my feet felt pretty good this morning, which is a time that, typically with PF, is the most uncomfortable in a given day. Lately it's been OK in the mornings with the exception of this past Wednesday and Thursday owing to the faster running I did on Tuesday. So if it's faster running that's holding me back right now, I'm more than willing to be disciplined about slowing things down until I'm sure it's under control. I'll give things a rest until Tuesday just to be sure.
I should also report that Saturday included some decent physical activity as well. In the AM I reluctantly spent a few hours at the local rock gym. Reluctantly for no other reason than I would rather be outside than in a gym. But I'm not there yet with respect to climbing, so I was OK with it on Saturday. I didn't have a belay partner at the outset so I spent a while in the bouldering area at first. I eventually found a partner, and I spent the rest of the morning climbing the higher walls. She clearly had to step down a few notches (she normally climbs lead, which is more challenging than top roping) and I appreciate her patience. Spending time with someone who is more experienced than you is an excellent way to learn about yourself and your activity, and I have found this to be true in everything from running to cooking to playing music. The opposite is also very important, but that's another post.
After finishing up at the rock gym, MM and I began a ride out to Philadelphia University for an exhibition at the Design Center there. This commenced a day long cycling affair that was interspersed with various social activity and totaled about 30 miles, a handful of grilled bbq delicacies, and a copious amount of beverages. Between this and yesterday, it was a great weekend.
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