Easy Run

I just read an article in Running Times by some guy McMillan that says one way that runners sabotage their training and either get hurt or just throw off their schedule is not taking an easy day as it should be taken.

He says that you need to take an easy day as easy and don't get caught up in racing someone or forget that it's an easy day because you feel good and want to prove something to yourself. Take the day and run easy according to your schedule and save the energy for your hard workout whether that be a fartlek, tempo, or long run.

So with that being said, I obviously had an Easy Run scheduled for today. Well, I didn't really have anything scheduled, but I am trying to get back in the groove of things after taking 2 months off and I wanted to run today. I knew I wanted to run, but I also knew that if I tried to run hard, I might get hurt since I'm a little out of shape.

Easy Run it is.

I started by doing 10 minutes on the treadmill at 5 mph, so 12 minute pace. It came out to just over .8 mile. Then, I did a quick set 3 x 10 on the bench press at 115 lbs. Followed that with 3 x 10 standing arm curls at 15 lbs. I figured this would tire me out just a little and it would keep me from running to hard. It worked. My legs weren't fatigued, but my arms and chest were.

I ran about 2.5 miles very easy. Probably about the same speed ~ 12 minute pace. It felt good the whole way.

Part of my run took me past the Orange County History Museum in downtown. There was some kind of "tailgate party" going on? No trucks to be seen, but there were vendors and people representing every major school in Florida that has a football team.

The reason I mention any of this is because Nike had a van there. It had a huge starting line that went on to infinity with young runners ready to start their lives. It said The Human Race and then NikePlus.com. I didn't see anyone passing anything out and I didn't see a Nike rep or tent anywhere. I wonder why Nike would send a rep out to primarily a drinking event? Oh wait, it probably has to do with the Madden 08 thing going on at Wall Street tonight starting at 10pm. That would make more sense. Kinda.