After the Staten Island Half last Sunday I had 2 sore spots that bothered me for a few days after. My left hamstring—all the way up the back of my thigh toward my a$$ (what I call the “THASS”)  and my right achilles was also a little tight. I couldn’t really walk normally until Wednesday so running wasn’t even on my radar until yesterday. The weather was phenomenal and I also had the entire day all to myself with no obligations whatsoever (just a little freelance work to complete) and I figured I would give it a whirl.

Dear feet: Let's see if we're ready.

Dear feet: Let’s see if we’re ready.

I giggled at first when I realized how heavy my legs were. But after a mile I felt ok…..until I didn’t. Those 2 sore spots started to bother me around mile 2 and just after I reached 3 miles I decided to just walk home. No sense in really injuring myself.

Home from 3 miles of running and an additional mile walking home.

Home from 3 miles of running and an additional mile walking home.

So now I will spend the rest of the year focusing on foam rolling and strength training (seriously, really I mean it this time….i think) to start my next training cycle healthy!

rollin'....rollin'....rollin'

rollin’….rollin’….rollin’

In the meantime I spent a whole lot of quality time with Duncan all week and weekend.

I love this dog!

I love this dog!

every single workday looks something like this

every single workday looks something like this

Really? I can't even pee without company. My fault for not shutting the door i suppose.

Really? I can’t even pee without company. My fault for not shutting the door i suppose.

Gorgeous day.....sun roof open....doggie kisses in the parking lot

Gorgeous day…..sun roof open….doggie kisses in the parking lot

Saturday morning walk

Saturday morning walk

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So excited to sniff in a different park

So excited to sniff in a different park

Dude knows how to relax in the car

Dude knows how to relax in the car

The look I got while trying to eat my dinner

The look I got while trying to eat my dinner

Saturday night couch surfing

Saturday night couch surfing

And in a few hours I’m headed to New Jersey to go pumpkin picking with Mr. SOTSS and his family. We take our picking seriously which is why apple picking had its own day a few weeks ago.

img_6551Today is JUST for pumpkins 🙂 Oh and I found this online. I’m totally doing this to my pumpkin….

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Just keep swimming!!!!!

How many days do you take off from running after a race?

Do you decorate pumpkins for Halloween? Paint them or cut them like a Jack-o-Lantern?

Any October traditions?

6 Comments

  1. It totally varies from race to race how long I need to recover. Some days my body is just less happy about racing than others. I have managed a couple of short runs since the marathon and have to keep reminding myself that I’m not going to instantly bounce back.

    I don’t remember the last time I had a pumpkin at Halloween, but we always carved them when we were growing up. Free hand or drawn with sharpie first, none of those fancy stencils they have now! 🙂

    • Sharpies are one of my favorite things! I remember being in Costco and buying a box of 24 sharpies in different colors. It felt like Christmas!

  2. Duncan is adorable!

    I’ve only run one half marathon so far and I took a week to rest before I started running again. I had a hard time walking after from being sore so it was very much needed!

    I always go for painting pumpkins-it seems easier to me.

    My only Halloween tradition is to visit my nieces to see them in their costumes and maybe have a few pieces of their candy. 🙂

    • It’s so true about eating kids’ candy….always start with “there’s too much for you and you don’t want to have a belly ache….so let Aunt Steph have some….” 🙂

  3. You’re dog is adorable! He’s almost as cute as my basset hound. :O) I wonder what you would get if you crossed a labradoodle and a basset hound – same cuteness only shorter?

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