running

I found I really wanted to do my long run yesterday, if only to clear my mind between job candidates. I listened to the impulse, since last week I had a similar impulse and did my long run on Wednesday instead of Friday, and it turned out that Friday afternoon it was pouring rain. I knew I didn't have time to increase my distance, but I figured if I did a shorter long run earlier in the week I will probably end up with one additional long run, compared to slipping it later in the week and then probably later again.

So I ran 7 1/2 miles. After several wrong turns I asked someone and found out how to get onto the south end of the newly re-opened lower dike. That gave me a distance of over a mile almost entirely on grass, which I ran out and back. I also ran over a mile around the football practice fields on grass at the beginning and end. I think the grass probably helped more than the other things I tried--a tight belt around my hips (which helped this problem before) and shoes whose soles had been cut to make them more flexible. In any case, my hip was somewhat sore most of the run but it isn't any worse after running than it has been all week. We did hard kick sets at swimming in the morning so my legs were pretty tired by the time I finished my run, but I'm impressed that 7 1/2 miles now counts as easy.

There was talk at the rec center where I swim about the half marathon. A group ran the course last Sunday. The word is it is hard, with a lot of long uphills and a tough uphill to the finish.