Sunday, May 5, 2013

Putting the Lakefront back in the Lakefront Trail

It's been almost four weeks since I've run down to the lakefront. My mileage since Boston has been minimal, so in order to ease back into my long runs, I decided to do a run-walk-run. My goal was to run five minutes then take 35 second walk breaks and see how I felt.

At my turnaround at Oak Street Beach (looking sweaty)
I started my trek at around 7 am. I was super excited to finally get down to the lake after my layoff! The sky was blue, and the weather was cool. It was one of those days where you want to just run and keep on running. In fact, I ended up running 13.1 miles. That's more mileage than I ran all last week combined! Anyway, what a great day for a run!

Boat from Norway?
Sun over Belmont Harbor
Action shot while running near Diversey Harbor
Fisherman at Diversey Pier
North Avenue Beach House
Skyline
My legs feel tight right now, but I don't think I did any damage. The walk breaks are supposed to help with keeping injuries to a minimum. In any case, I'll probably sleep well tonight!

13.1 miles @ 7:37 mile  = 1:39:46 (including walk breaks).

18 comments:

  1. You had a great day to return to the lakefront! It's been a couple weeks since I've been down there myself, but I think I'll try next weekend once I'm cleared to run. I wonder if the day will ever come where I just "end up" running a half marathon :)

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    1. Hope you are cleared to run soon and maybe I'll see you down there. Take enough walk breaks and you'll "run" a half marathon before you know it! :-)

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  2. It was gorgeous today! Had I gone north on my run, CB and I might have run into you. Beautiful photos! Happy to see you're back on the lakefront. How's the ankle?

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    1. Thanks! Yes it was gorgeous today. Too bad I didn't run a little further south and see you and CB. Maybe when I resume my 16 milers I will make it far enough south. Ankle seems fine (knock on wood). I need to remember to keep up with my ankle strengthening exercises even though it feels good now.

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  3. Awesome pictures, again, and as always. I am always glad to hear of your success with the run-walk methods. 13.1 miles on a whim! That is AMAZING!!! You clearly recover from running marathons like a BOSS!!! =)

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    1. Thanks! Yes, I am beginning to see the benefits of the run walk. I tend to only want to run in high gear, so the walks help me to slow the overall pace and give me some mini-recoveries. I am still have lingering fatigue from the marathon, but otherwise I think I've recovered!

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  4. Glad to have you back on the lakefront! I love this time of year (especially when it's not 90 degrees!) :)

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    1. Glad to be back on the lakefront! Maybe I'll see you down there soon. Yes, if the heat can just hold off until August then go away Sept. 1 I would be happy! :-)

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  5. Good job getting back on track! Good time too with walk breaks! I try to do some light ankle stretches a few times a week as well. If I stop doing them for awhile, I can feel a little weakness after around 10 miles.

    Keep it up!

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    1. Thanks! Yes, I must remember to keep up with the ankle strengthening as well. They are one of my Achilles heels (so to speak)!

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  6. those pics do wonders for my soul right now...miss that trail.

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    1. Glad you liked them! Hopefully, you'll get down there soon :-)

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  7. Wow - Awesome Job! The weather this weekend was great for running by the lake!

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    1. Thanks. Hope that you'll be back out there soon!

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  9. What a great day to get back to the lake! And I love that your run/walk 13.1 is faster than my 13.1 hard effort! You rock! :)

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    1. Thanks. It was a great day to get back down there. I read in Galloway's marathon book that quite a few people can run/walk faster than run, especially for long distances!

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