Substitution

So, there we have it. Back to the slog and I can barely get in a post here per week. This was a particularly tough week, readjusting to the hustle of work and other obligations. One highlight in particular is that I tried the run-commute to work on Tuesday, running the route I sometimes take on my bike. It's about 6 miles, a mostly steady uphill all the way. It was a nice change of pace but I kind of missed having a short bike ride to warm up my legs prior to running. Haven't decided if it's something I'll pursue or not.

I managed about 37 miles for the week in 5 runs, which seems to be where I am for now in terms of mileage. I got a cramp in my right calf that started Tuesday morning and stuck around for a couple days. It went away by Friday, but not without hampering my outlook for the remainder of the week. My legs have felt generally crappy all week and now I've noticed some more pronounced pain in my left shin. This started pretty low grade but gradually progressed past the point of general soreness. I had shin splints only once before, back in 2002 when I first started running for real, and this feels similar. Thinking I can shift gears, wait it out, and hope it clears up promptly.

Today, instead of heading out for a longer run, I hopped on the bike for a cold and very windy figure-8 loop around town. Stuck to multi-use trails mostly. While I was moving like molasses in that wind out there today, my legs felt pretty good. Didn't stop my watch for traffic lights or the single pee break, netted me 34 miles in 2:20. While I'd rather be running these days, it was nice to be on the bike for a change. Glad I'm able to make the substitution.