The First "Run" (...er...shuffle?)

After shelling out for the trail runners today, I felt like I couldn't let them just sit in the box, so I went for a test run this evening. I hoped a positive attitude would get me through it and the biking fitness might carry over a bit.

I optimistically picked a route mostly off road. It turned out to be 4.30 miles (I posted it wrong on Twitter and Facebook earlier). I ran some of it, jogged slowly for most and walked a few bits like the muddy areas and some of the hill at the end.

My aerobic fitness was fine as my legs couldn't go fast enough to cause me to have any breathing trouble, LOL! I really felt it in my feet and I guess groin to hip, some muscle there was not happy. Trail running is hard too because I had to pick up my feet so far and place them somewhat carefully and try not to have too much lateral movement which I am not used to at all. There was crushed stone that got tiring as it made me slip back a little with each step.

The trail was very pretty. Here are a couple of turn stiles by a cow pasture.

Boardwalks and bridges keep you out of the worst of the mud.

Have you ever noticed that it's impossible to take a pic of your own foot that doesn't make your leg look weird? The shoes felt really good so far.

After the exercising, I thought it would feel good to wade in the cold ocean, so we took the dogs over to the town beach. It's very rocky there, but we had a good time. Silas even saved one of my flip flops when a wave took it off my foot and started to carry it away from shore! Then, he thought the flip flop belonged to him and barked at my feet, wanting it back!



I'm not sure how much of a rest I'll need after today's run, but hopefully I'll get out there on my feet again soon!

Don't hold your breath,

but a little running might happen now that I at least have some shoes to do it in. It's so humid today that I worked at getting through my list of chores that involved being in air conditioned buildings. I may have had a little heat stroke from going out in the sun between stores as I ended up in the Eastern Mountain Sports store spontaneously buying these trail runners!!

I hope to try them out soon along some roads and on the nearby Sakonnet Greenway trails (that don't allow bikes!). I'll be the weirdo running in padded bike shorts, until I get some running ones ;)