Getting back into running...
Look for a more complete entry on post-camp life later, but in the meantime a brief entry on my running so far since getting back from camp.
So as you, my gentle reader, are well aware, I ran the Kentucky Derby Mini-Marathon in April and then purchased a Nike+ sportsband to better track my running. I quickly realized that my training pace was coming in a lot faster than I thought it was (I was training at about a 6:50 mile, compared with thinking I was training at about a 7:20 pace).
I quickly started using RunnerPlus.com for the smaller and more tightly-knit community than the Nike+ site allows. I also started using TrailRunner to plot out my runs and keep much more detailed stats on each of my runs. TrailRunner really needs one or both of two items, though: A GPS and running the same basic routes over and over again.
Before camp I was running about 25-30 miles a week. Once I got to camp I ran a few times the first couple of weeks but quickly gave up. Now that I am home from camp I am trying to get back into it. I am a bit disappointed with taking the last seven weeks off, but that is how it goes. I appreciated the sleep much more, I think.
The Nike+ gives an interesting twist to getting back into shape. So I have all of these sub-7:00 runs saved on these various websites and software programs. I do not want to ruin my averages, but I also want "credit" for the runs I am doing these days. As a result I have been going out a bit faster than my normal "get back into shape" runs. I really do keep trying to slow my pace down a bit, but they continue to be a bit faster than I would probably like.