Run Happy?

On Wednesday, Kuya and I decided to run with the Nike Run Club at the Grove. Ever since I sprained my ankle at the Wet&Wild 5K, I haven't really been running since all my nurse-friends/family told me to stay off it. That 5k was almost a month ago-- my ankle is all better now, but I felt this month's inactivity in each step of our run. Sigh...

I struggled. Before the 5k, a 3mi run was starting to get routine, but this run was NOT easy peasy... I couldn't control my breathing which made my side hurt way too early in the run. Whenever I landed on the right foot's arch, there seemed to be a pain*. The distance felt way longer than usual. ...And I was just generally not at my best.

*I'm hoping that the pain is because I folded my too-long socks over my heel and it was irritating me. It would suck if it were my fancy new marathon-training-shoes because I just bought them at A Runner's Circle. I'll keep my finger's crossed that the pain was my fault... I can't afford to buy another pair of shoes!

Throughout the run, I was beating myself up about how much I sucked. How I should have at least hit the gym a few times during my injury to maintain myself, etc... I think yesterday was the first time I thought to myself that maybe my marathon aspirations were not possible. I think I'm being too hard on myself, but my backwards progress was definitely discouraging.

On the upside, I know that this is just a minor setback. I know that in a week or two, I'll probably be all jazz-hands-YAY-running again. Hopefully, this will teach me a lesson that conditioning and training are a MUST. Tomorrow, I'll be training again with the LA Roadrunners in Venice and we are doing the 5 mile run. Pray for me...

Maybe I should take the advice of the shoes I bought. Check out the tagline..