First post-marathon run

The past 10 days have been busy -- quarterly stuff at work, two weddings, people to see, and the resumption of trying to get the house together and that means unpacking a few more boxes (will this never end?) -- so running was put aside for a little while longer. And I didn't feel too badly about it. And didn't somebody say the body needs a day of rest for every mile of a marathon completed? That would mean I could wait til middle of next week!
But who can wait that long?

So put it in the books -- the first post-marathon run is complete, coinciding with a very excellent inaugral outing of the Afterwork Run Club. I admit that without anything specific to train for, I have been reluctant to run. I need a bit of prodding to go back out there. I have thoroughly enjoyed the sleeping in, and non-pasta meals (although, funny I say that because I did have spaghetti tonight! First time in weeks).

And so the RunClub is a perfect reason to motivate me. Although membership is apparently 4 people, just two actually made it today. It was raining -- and I guess that would stop any novice runner. I say that like I'm such an expert, but L -- my newest running partner -- says that if we can run in rain, we're in the right mindset for training through the winter. That's the spirit, I say. Let the weather not stop us. Let it snow, let it be windy, let it shine. Bring it all on. Anyways, it wasn't sheets of rain, just a steady drizzle today.

We headed out at 4:24pm. I drafted an almost-5K route, one that featured extra wide sidewalks (since anywhere we went we'd have to navigate the afterwork downtown crowds) that basically took us from The Office, up and around the provincial government building, and back. We had to dodge quite a few people, at times it felt like we were salmon swimming against the stream. We stepped in many a puddle. We were able to hold a conversation the entire way, catching up on things that have happened in our lives in the four or five years since we've worked alongside each other. And I thought about how running brings people together.

I was surprised at how easily I found my stride, partly because it has been a couple of weeks since the marathon, and I was a little worried that I wouldn't be able to run well because I was a little stiff from making a grand return to the gym last night. I dusted off my gym membership card and did my pre-marathon days favorite Monday class. A cardio/toning class with the incomparable G. A class I have not been to in about five months. You know your disappearing act -- aka training for a marathon -- has done more to trim some pounds than your 3-times-a-week gym habit has ever done when people at the gym you haven't seen in five months, and only occassionally speak to casually in a hi-nice-to-see-you manner also notice you're lighter.

Overall, I'd say L and I run well together. At least we run the same pace and we have the same goal of maintaining our running fitness. She worked hard over the summer to get herself to comfortably run 10K. She doesn't want to lose it over winter and start from square one. And I would like to keep some kind of base, maybe 12-15 miles per week, building to 20 later on maybe. So we're going to do this again next Tuesday. It's on our Outlook calendars, every Tuesday til the end of time. I'm looking forward to it. I think I should get another run or two in before we go again next week even though I am trying to incorporate the gym back into my life. More on that another time.

By 5:02pm we were back at The Office. L had mentioned she wanted to run a marathon next year. With me. I said, "Great, you're coming to Chicago?"

.... now that's not a promise that I'll redo Chicago next year, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I didn't think about it everyday.