ENDORPHINE HIGH

4:30pm at Clemson Track. Decision time. Danette and I decided to run 4 miles at 10pace. Decision: Run off track, across both dikes. How did I feel? I felt awesome, high on the best kind of drugs, the endorphine high. I couldn't control myself. I was free. Endorphine highs cover up all sorts of aches and pains you may have. You are lost in a dream world, time does not exist. I visualized running the marathon and what it would feel like to cross the finish line, healthy, standing tall, in one piece on March 5th. What would it feel like? I would be grateful, kiss the ground. Danette and I ran the last bit on the track. She pushed thru being tired from a very stressful week. She got in the zone at the end. We were running side by side encouraging each other. Our weaknesses were masked by our camaraderie. We were being cheered on by the loudest fans possible, yelling and clapping. Seriously, the Clemson football team was preparing for the Miami game on Saturday next to the track. Loud speakers were blaring "fan backdrop noise" so that the football players could mimic what the arena would sound like on game day with 80,000 roaring fans. At the same time, unbeknowest to anyone else on Earth, the fan noise was actually for me. Cheering me on each step of the way. I crossed the track finish/start line victorious. New plan. Weird Achilles run thru, pain stop. I'm thankful.

Distance: 4.5 miles
Avg. pace: 8:53

Isaqueena Trail Run

This is an unofficial post. Official marathon training has not begun. Today, Danette and I increased our run time to 40min. after doing 30min runs last week. Our hopes are to progress slowly to avoid injury. We ran in the Isaqueena trails today to enjoy the softer trails. Well, the trails were soft, too soft in fact from the large amount of rain we have had in the last 48 hours. Large amounts of the trail were taped of with yellow criminal "Do not pass" tape. And, of course as free citizens, Danette and I went around the tape. Eventually, we realized that downed trees and other obstacles did create an unworthy running trail so we ended up turning back. I guess we will heed these warning in the future.....but, most likely not. The best part of the run was running up a fire lane, rocked, packed gravel with trees bending over both sides to create a tunnel. As if it were the 1500's, 4 horse drawn carriages passed us. We could have been in amish land for all I knew. This is where Danette began speaking in old English about plantations and beaus and tea time. I think she had practiced for this moment because it was very amusing. Ok, 40minutes completed. Achilles feels weird, but no pain. Amazing recoverite and stretching to follow. I'm thankful. Onward and Upward....Let's do it!

TEST POST :)