Long Run Sunday (AKA "Long Run Sunday Pain Report")

Well, I ran 10k on the treadmill yesterday, and my aching back isn't any more aching--and my tendency lately toward waves of queasiness has not gotten any more wavy. So I'm going to try a long run, on a route I'm calling the Snow Hill Nine-Miler (since the hardest part is an extended hill on Snow Hill Road).

The roads are covered with snow, it's 16 degrees (F) with happy little flurries coming down. It won't be fast. But it might be fun. Or it might be kind of endless. We'll see.

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So the run is done, and here's the report:

• Even though the roads were not "icy", they were mostly covered with loose snow, which meant a little bit of slip underfoot with each push-off--kind of like running nine miles on loose sand. I didn't exactly break any speed records.
• I had to walk several times, especially on the hills, which seemed particularly daunting today. Still recovering from that virus, I suppose.
• I very quickly felt tightness in my right knee, which became more and more distracting along the route. This is most likely an ITB issue that I need to stay on top of--probably with the help of a physical therapist.
• Dismayingly, after about 7 miles my left calf started cramping up intermittently, in that sudden way that makes you stumble and almost fall. This is the sort of thing that started up around mile-20 on the only marathon I've done. I'm going to blame this on The Virus, too, but I also wonder if I should be taking some supplements or something to maintain my, um, electrolytes.
• The good news is, I did the nine miles, and I'm I'm not (yet?) hobbling around like a broken man.