End of my season

I'm injured. Right-sided tibial periostitis. Shin splint. Tried to run through it but the pain got worse. Took a few days off, ran a 5K tempo in a disappointing time (despite the forced taper) and the shin still hurts. Now, we we're going to Disney World with the kids and I am taking a week off from running.

This season was fun. Off the top of my head:

Started with a YMCA 5K this winter just below 17 minutes. That looked like it would be a good season.

Then came Chippewa Morraine 50, which didn't go well. Deep snow, cramps. Going from great to sucky in course of one mile. Looking back, I know exactly what I did wrong: I didn't eat or drink enough. When I should have run my own race, I stuck right behind the lead group until the halfway point. Maybe next year?

Then the St. Clare's half marathon. My time was 1.16, I think. I won, outsprinting a college runner, who was coming up behind me fast. This was with the 50K in my legs so it was a tough one but, boy, did it feel good. The time was bad, but the feel was good.

Then I am not sure what I ran.

In July, I won the Angel Island race in San Francisco. Very cool race. I ran the 25K and almost got the course record but got lost. That was probably the time I was in the best shape.

I wish I had run the 50K, though.

I ran an 18-minute 5K with the baby jogger, yielding many strange looks, later in July.

Then I ran (and won) two smaller 5Ks, both around 16:40, in August.

In September, I tried a 50-miler (North Country Trail Run) and started out very, very slowly. It worked, and I ended up passing a lot of people. Amazingly, this landed me the only money prize of the year ($50!!). That race was fun; I can't wait for my next ultra.

A few weeks ago, I ran a 10K in 34:45. Won it pretty easily. Without hills and with competition, I could have gone a lot faster. I thought that race showed that I could keep up the season a little longer but then I got injured.

So there you have it. A week off and building up to next year.