First Run Back...Felt GREAT

After taking almost three weeks off running to let my shin splints heel (the result of jumping into 6, 8, 10, and 12 mile runs in a matter of weeks after not seriously running for about three months!)--with a lot of strength training, stretching, biking, and even the dreaded elliptical...oh yeah, and yoga--I went for my first run tonight: a short 5k trail run (43 deg. f; raining)  Well, at least it was supposed to be. I... admittedly...fell for the ol' I-feel-great-so-I'm-going-to-keep-going trick. I ended up finally stopping myself after remembering that the initial cause of shin splints is never painful, and once they show up, it's too late! So I finished up at about 4mi.

However, I decided to take the dogs for a walk when I got home...barefoot (I've been going barefoot as much as possible, trying to strengthen my feet/lower legs). That ended up being about a mile barefoot jog (and frikkin' cold).

So I'm feeling good, but I need accountability not to get overambitious. I'm going to continue on this 5k course for three more days, have a day of cross training, and then run a 5mi. on Sunday--all on the trails. I'm not going to transition back to roads for at least a few weeks.

~Jeremy