Four miles in 36:41. For me, that's a decent pace at this distance, injury or no injury. Running outside was definitely tougher than the indoor track. Compared to my other routes in Manchester and Mt. Wolf, this route is pretty flat but even the moderate hills on Board Road felt like mountains today.
It was great to be out in the cold, and this was a gorgeous morning for a run of this distance: Low 40s, no humidity. I'd worried that I'd lost my acclimation to the cold, but nope, I took my long-sleeve shirt off about 2-miles in. That said, I foolishly wore my Nike Dri-Fit Elizabethtown College shirt, which I'd previously decided should probably be reserved for days when it's closer to 30 (or below). It was a poor wardrobe choice, but it was my first run outside in over a month and I wanted to look cool.
My legs felt ok. My quads still seem weak. I can't quite explain it, but they didn't feel the same as they did in December and January where it seemed like they were burnt-out. I think I just need to build strength back up through continued running and by adding some strength training. My knees felt a bit creaky, but they usually do on cold, dry days.
As I mentioned in my last post, it's humbling how challenging four miles was for me today and how far away the distances of the relatively recent past seem after only a month off, but it was great to be back on the roads on such a perfect morning.
Remember you don't have to go out and kill every workout!! :)
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