Run Sara Run

I went out for a 30 minute run late yesterday. It was pure joy from the time I stepped out the door until return. What more could a runner ask for when it is a cool, non humid, no wind, perfect 68 degree evening weatherwise? It just felt good moving along at a steady 11 pace out here on my country road just watching the newly planted corn grow. Speaking of corn fields, on a bicycle trip last weekend down in Marietta, OH area we commented that some of the corn there being above knee high would soon be tall enough to use to make those emergency pit-stops! I just couldn't help thinking as I was running last evening how glad I am to be running again with out that nagging upper hamstring pain that plagued me for so long. I went to physical therapy from November until March with only minimal results. Then Dr Nilesh Shah, the Sports Medicine doc I was seeing suggested going to Dr Tim Keyes, D.C. He treats people with a method called Active Release Technique I can't really explain it very well, but it is a method done by a person who is certified in this technique to release adhesions on soft tissue. All the time I had spent bicycling, and running had caused some tightness that just wasn't going away with some of the more conventional treatments I was trying. I was very discouraged during the winter and early spring thinking I would have to give up the running that I was so enjoying. I had never ran before until about a year and a half ago. It was a new form of exercise that I was really enjoying and I had so much fun competing in the races I signed up for. On this little evening jog last night I felt really blessed that my body was moving along in good harmony once again. My plan during my cross country bicycle ride is to try and get in a 30 minute run at the very minimum 2 days every week, but am shooting for planning on 3 days. This will give the other muscles not used during bicycling a chance too to be used and give some balance and cross training. I would love to do either a half marathon or if all goes well my first full marathon in the Fall. So I must keep focused and see if I can squeeze in some running time. I remember from the last cross country trip that there isn't a whole lot of time to do much after biking an average of 80 miles everyday. You get in and good chunk of time is spent to shower, wash your bike clothes, EAT, write the journal, clean the bike, EAT, attend the route rap meeting, EAT some more, lay out your clothes, and be in bed by 8:00 to get enough sleep to repeat it again the next day. I think since I'm an early morning person I'll have to get out to run first thing in the mornings. We'll see. . . .