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Normally I’d be writing this on Saturday night, but my training week got a little twisted over the weekend. I was scheduled to do 8 miles yesterday to end week one, and to do 3 easy miles today. Due to some time constraints (two parties Lacie and I had to attend, the first starting around lunchtime), I swapped the two runs and did the 3 miler yesterday (went well, pretty easy) and held off on the long run ’til today.

I was a little scared before I started running - 8 miles is the farthest I’ve run in - well, a really long time. It ended up being no great chore, though. I zipped out and back on the W&OD Trail, marked when I passed six miles (my most recent distance limit), took a couple of drinks from convenient water fountains, and in general had a good ol’ time.

The only downside to all of it was, for the first time that I can think of, I was actually a little sore after the run. It lasted for about an hour and was concentrated in my calves and my hamstrings, but it was a good sore that I’m not too worried about. It just surprised me.

So, week one is complete. On to week two, wherein Ben tackles his first 10 miler (exciting, isn’t it?)

I hope everyone else’s training and/or running for fun is going well.

I didn’t get out for my run this morning (the bed was just too darn comfortable), but I was able to sneak in my four miles late this afternoon after a moderately severe thundershower cooled off the neighborhood a bit. I found a couple of odd aches and pains (right knee, right shoulder), but other than that it was a good run.

Oh, and I finally figured out why my neighborhood is called Pimmit Hills. That’ll teach me to combine routes in new, interesting, and steep ways.

You know that old saying, ‘Today is the first day of the rest of your life’? Well, I felt the truth of that a little more deeply than normal today - it’s the first day of my marathon training schedule.

Given the insane temperatures and heat indices we’re seeing around here this week (highs in the upper 90s, heat indices in the low-to-mid 100s), I decided to start off early and hit the roads at 6:30 for my inaugural three miler. I left the iPod at home so I could really get a feel for the run, and I had a good time. I had to work through a little lower-leg pain left over from the volleyball tournament on Sunday, but that was gone after a half-mile or so. I ran moderately slowly (still recovering from the sick), but I’d say it was a fine start for the next sixteen weeks.