Today’s run was my first in 9 days. I had hoped that the break was sufficient enough to allow whatever I have done to my back to mend. I didn’t feel 100% better but there was an improvement. I took the run through all the falling leaves (and raindrops) really slowly and tried to focus on not jarring my back. My mental focus was on a smooth and soft footstrike and bent knees allowing for a some sort of shock absorption. I think ti helped quite a bit and despite feeling rather stiff when I finished the 7 miles, my back actually feels pretty good. I think some of the back pain I had today was hte result of sleeping for a long time and laying in bed watching a movie before that. I think I need to sit up in bed if I am watching TV there, too much horizontal is not so great for the back.

I have been really worried about the break and the loss of fitness. I know it will come back, but it is discouraging to work so hard to get to a point (and realizing how much better I can get) and then have to start all over again. Actually it is probably a good idea that I back away from the hard training to a certain degree and get back to a more base building routine rather than a training routine (especially since I am not training for a specific event, well not until June of 2011 anyway) since I have no end date (end to the “training” that is). Still I feel great and want to continue feeling that way.

I have been having a some little weird feelings in my left leg recently on this break. I have a spot on the front of my thigh that sometimes really itches or feels like a burn of sorts. Sounds like one of those common odd ms tingles to me. The question I have is does it have anything to do with not exercising? Does the abrupt break from training and the shock to my system have anything to do with the increase in s weirdness? Does anything actually contribute to it? Does it just show up out of the blue? Who knows? Maybe I’ll find out?