Life at light speed.

I totally WISH I could say that I have been running so fast that things are blurring by at light speed. Unfortunately, that is NOT the case. It has been so busy here between scouts and baseball games and school events, birthday parties and baseball practice, and oh, did I mention baseball? I feel like I get shot from a cannon most mornings and I don't stop until I collapse into bed at night. Still, I have been getting my runs in good and regular these days, and have even worked up to about 7 miles in long runs. My tendonitis still bothers me, but I've adjusted (slowly) to the pain as a regular part of getting older as a runner. I ice and take my NSAIDS, massage, and just keep going. It's all I can do and it's bearable. I have runs where it doesn't hurt at all and runs when it's quite uncomfortable, and I'm grateful for both. One reminds me that I'm still able and the other reminds me to be extra thankful I still have the ones where it doesn't hurt. Life goes on! Light speed or otherwise, it goes.

I went back to my "running roots", so to speak a few weeks ago and ran the very first race I ever participated in...the one where I got my first taste of the endorphine rush that made me want to do it again and again. The Run with the Panthers 5k is a local event, very low key and small, and it was the perfect place for me to make my debut in the "Masters" class. Masters, for those of you who don't know, is the nice way to refer to the group of runners that would otherwise be called, "Old Farts" or "So Old They Probably Ought to Give it Up Already But They're Too Stubborn." Wait, that's not entirely true. There are some incredible runners out there in the Masters category...Joan Benoit Samuleson, for example. She's still kicking butts.

Anyway, I am happy to say that even post hammy problems, I beat my inaugural time at that race by quite a lot. And I had a lot of fun with a lot of friends. It was a good run. Next up, is the San Diego Half Marathon Relay on June 5th! Can't wait! Off and running...