Strawberries are worth running for!

After dealing with some strange soreness that halted all of my running last week, I completed a 15k in under 2 hours!

Last week, I set out on Saturday for what should have been my long run for the week and could barely make it one mile. I was experiencing tight, painful thighs and calves. I slowly walked home and stretched good. I was hoping it was tight after the Gate 15k. I took a hot bath to relax my muscles.
Sunday: repeat… I couldn’t run more than a tenth of a mile without having to stop. I cried… Thought my running was over.

After a whining session and advice from Caitlyn, a Epsom salt bath, a sports massage, lots of stretching and two days of rest I attempted a walk with Parker in the stroller. I felt good and ran a few short runs. There was light at the end of the tunnel.

Another short run on Thursday night to ensure I could run longer distances to be ready for the Strawberry Classic 15K on Saturday.

The race was a lot smaller than we are used to and the start wasn’t super official. We started in the back of the pack and about a mile in I was experiencing bad shin splints in one leg and my mom’s calf cramped up. Oh no… Can we even finish this one?

My legs started to feel better about mile two, but it took my mom a little longer to work her calf out. She told me to run on and not wait on her.

As I got through the very windy but beautiful course in Temple Terrace, I enjoyed my music and the views!

I finished in under 2 hours! So happy! I found a bottle of water and a Caitlyn!

She congratulated me and we caught up on how my legs were feeling. Then I headed backwards on the course to cheer my mom to the finish line. As she rounded the corner, I could tell she had found someone to run with! As they got closer I realized it was Jenn! She teaches next door to me and we are both working towards the Iron Girl Half Marathon in April!

All in all it was a good run. My only complaint was the arrows on the course didn’t color coordinate and I almost made a few wrong turns!

We did enjoy strawberries afterwards! I ate them so fast, I didn’t get a picture of them!