Yes, I did stretch a LOT beforehand and once across Semmes Avenue and the evening rush-hour traffic I proceeded to test the calf with a nice easy jog. This route had me running down 30th Street towards the river then turning down Riverside Drive and heading into Forest Hill Park where bike trails are aplenty. Reedy Creek runs through Woodland Heights, down into a rocky gorge that would have been my playground haven had I been living in Richmond when I was ten, into Forest Hill Park Lake (or pond) which is dammed with an overflow, then heads toward the James. There's a nice wide path next to this part of the creek surrounded by woods which has you wondering if you are really in the middle of a city since you can't hear anything but running water and chirping birds. The Lake has a path around its circumference with trails and paths pealing off at all sorts of intervals. This 105-acre site was once a training ground for the Virginia 7th Regiment during the Civil War and later the end of the line for the Richmond Trolley. Of course this was total country back in those days when Holden Rhhodes owned the property way back when. Reminds me of Europe for some reason with its stone pathways and Victorian era ambiance.
Enough of the history lesson though. This route is hilly. What better to test my lack of endurance and pain threshold then by going up and down these hills, eh? It's weird but once your body gets used to running your breathing and sweating seem to hit autopilot and it's barley noticeable other than the rhythmic pounding of my footsteps. I was actually surprised my stamina hadn't suffered to much from the layoff. I was able to get over the river and through the woods, so to speak, until I had to hump it up a majorly steep hill that took me to the top of the park next to a large picnic area. Even having to walk up this steep grade had me huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf. Once back to level ground I resumed my jog following the black path that winded me through the upper echelons of the park, back down toward Semmes and homeward bound. I tried to measure the mileage with Google maps but it only measures roads, so we had to guesstimate, figuring around two miles based on how long it took me from leaving to getting back home. Best part was I was only winded from the run but the rest of me felt ok. No pain in my calf or legs although my lower back was a bit sore from the downhill pounding it wasn't used to. I was sweaty but not water-logged. I guess the falling temperatures as I beat dusk home had something to do with that.
Now Staci had made up her missed run last Monday by running 3 miles at the gym on Tuesday when I was at the basketball game. So we were out of sync with our proscribed training regimen. We got back on track last night when I did my cross-training swimming of 25 laps while she doggedly pursued 3.5 miles on the treadmill. I think I got the better of the deal. The pool was a tad more crowded (I had to share a lap lane) but the reward when finishing my swim was again playing in the whirlpool and sitting in a 110 degree hot tub allowing my muscles to atrophy to the point of soup. I also pointed my calves right on the jets thus getting a massage effect to loosen them up even more.
Now this is not to say I have returned to my pre-twenties swimming form. FAR from it. I do not do 25 laps in a row without stopping. Usually I do 100 meters (4 laps) at a time, rest for 30 seconds, then do another 100. I try to a lap of each stroke though butterfly is a bitch trying to get my fat ass out of the water so my arms will swing properly. Of course there is always some 'professional' swimmers effortlessly plowing through 200 individual medleys at quarter speed, which, once upon a time, I could do, too. But 25+ years later, not so much! At least my arms didn't stiffen up so fast this time. I was able to get through the swim pretty easily. Mostly I was just trying to keep my stamina building. I'm not trying to train for the next Olympics or anything.
After my uber-relaxing hot tub soak I dressed and found the wife plugging along a few laps from her 3.5 mile jaunt. Surprisingly I was more tired than I would have thought. I was still sweating a bit as I waited. She eventually finished, a sweaty mess that is usually reserved only for me. Dinner was later than normal since we didn't get home until after 8. No worries, we weren't really that hungry. Bed was calling to us both ever so sweetly and I was dreaming within moments of my head hitting the pillow.
Up next is the daunting task of doing FOUR miles this Saturday morning. We're taking a stroll up and down Monument Avenue all the way to the Boulevard and back. This should be interesting. The weather is supposed to be great (hopefully no wind this time!). I'm gonna make a point to run in the grass to cushion the impact as much as possible. I just hope the dog-walkers picked up! No need ruining my shoes with that after I just finished having them dry out from the monsoon we had to run through the other week. I'd like them to look semi-fresh when we do the 10K for real in six weeks!
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