I intended to run 12 miles today. Or 2 hours. It turned out to be 10 nice, easy comfortable miles. That is until I felt a tightness in my right calf muscle. It hurt, but only for a few seconds. My muscles tired? Are they adjusting to recovering? I don't know but I'm glad it passed and didn't return.
30 miles the past week and now I really taper. A walk tomorrow and two milers the rest of the week leading up to my 50 miler. But!, Before I that I'll spend a day with the grandkids. Still trying to decide where we'll go. The Zoo and a movie maybe.
I finished reading Scott Jurek's book, "Eat and Run." It was a collection of race reports and his perspective on ultra-running sprinkled with vegetarian recipes. He shares some interesting thoughts on the reasons many of us run long distances. Many, actually most, of his reflections on running I can relate to. Many of them I have experienced and many more made me reflect on past as well as recent experiences. Those thoughts made me realize why I continue to run, the many friends I've made running, and improved relationships that have resulted from me running. Some at the other end of these relationships who don't run to extreme or who find no reason to push themselves to the point that we do will never understand. In his book Scott points out that it is so ironic that an individual sport like running can and has lead to some very good, and long lasting friendships. I agree.
Maybe it's because we understand each other and share our thoughts with each other, while not questioning our reason for running.