Back in the saddle!

A few little updates:

I decided to start running during my work lunch hour. We have a shower here, so that's nice. And right now I just can't run in the dark in my neighborhood...not a good idea. So far it's working out well! I have plenty of time to run at least 3 miles. The hard part is actually doing that. My first time back on the asphalt, after my six week hiatus, was last week Wednesday. The run wasn't actually too bad, but I went relatively slow (9:30 min. mi.) and only went 2.5 miles. Today, I was really focused on going at least 3, and I thought I timed it perfectly. Nope. 2.94 miles. Bah so close! In fact, if I had just gone to the end of the block my office is on, instead of stopping at the door where I started, it would've been 3 exactly. Ah well. In any case, today's run was the WORST!! More on that in a second.

This weekend was the Milwaukee Co. Zoo's Samson Stomp 5K. I believe this event has been going since 1980?? So this year's "30th anniversary" shirt listed all the years and the temperature of that year. While 2010's January in Wisconsin has been forgiving (it was around 20 degrees or so), in past years it's been in the negatives! Two years ago it was -4. Yeah. In any case, the race winds through the zoo and parking lot. It's VERY hilly and that was definitely my downfall. As was the cold damp air (I would've almost rather had it 8 degrees and dry than 20 and wet)...I'm still getting over my chest cold and that phlegm just sat right there in my throat/trachea...awesome! So my final time on my watch was 28:09. Very very disappointing. Only because I ran my first 5K in 27:53. And of course my best 5K was 25:30! So basically I'm in worse shape now and that's just not good at all. But!! Talk about fuel for the fire. Now I'm on a mission to get back to where I was.

So back to today's run...as I was passing the two mile mark, I kind of figured out that my muscles aren't so much the problem, it's my lungs. Perhaps your lungs atrophy more quickly than muscles when you take breaks. Add in the whole chest cold thing, and the fact that the air is so cold right now, it's so hard to breathe. And I didn't even get a chance to ease into it because of the stupid hiatus. Anyway, I have to be confident in the fact that I can get back on track. Additionally, boy have I learned my lesson! Barring any serious injury, I'm never taking that long of a break again!!

UPDATE!
The official stats are finally in:
bib number: 999
age: 30
overall place: 384 out of 1097
division place: 17 out of 90
gender place: 101 out of 520
time: 28:03
pace: 9:02
~link to my stats

So within the top 19% of my age and gender (and 35% overall)...that's practically the same EXACT place I was in for the 8K last fall! And that race I did spectacular in! So honestly? I'm not AS bad as I thought after the hiatus, all things considered ;)