Marathon Interlude: The Half - Week 2 of 13

Five miles went all right. For about 36 hours after both these long runs my lower back hurts though, which is something to keep an eye on.

What am I doing differently this time around? What have I learned based on my first attempt here?

I'm stretching more, not just the day of the run, but in the days after it. I didn't realize that the brittle-bones feeling after my 10+ mile runs was actually a muscle thing. I'm doing the half-marathon first, as some of my running friends suggested. Starting now means I shouldn't have to train in the really hot weather. I know which gels and sportsbars taste the least like toothpaste or chalk, respectively, so I don't have to experiment as much. I'm switching to bottled water during the heavily-chlorinated tap-water month.

Jen isn't training with me this time, though she might join me for a few shorter runs. There's good and bad there. No company, but more flexibility. Yesterday it was too hot in the morning, so I ran late last night, when Jen was out of town. Since running alone also means I listen to audiobooks or podcasts every time I run (and since most of my listening is at least tangentially work-related), I'm extra motivated to get the running done. I swear multitasking and lifehacks are the only things that keep me afloat sometimes.

This is one of the more hectic weeks I've had since Clarion, with deadlines and pressures. It's hard to find the time to run, but I imagine it's helping my stress levels to do so. So yay for that.