Did a 4-mile, or a little over four miles probably, non-stop run this weekend. That's a high-water mark since I ran into bad trouble with shin splints a couple years back. It took me some time to get back out on the trails at all; the splints were a lingering problem and I was pretty paranoid about re-aggravating things.

Finally, when I began truly regular running again earlier this year, I told myself that I wouldn't worry at all about distance or shooting for some artificial standard--my goal was simply to do it on a regular basis again, to work it back into my lifestyle and regain it as a regular test of will and discipline. So when I started up again, I was content with short distances and short amounts of time. Each run was no longer a boundary-pushing struggle--instead, my test became consistency and motivation. Don't worry about meeting my old standards of distance--just keep doing it. Bad run one day, legs felt leaden, couldn't manage to quite reach last time's distance? No worries--just keep doing it.

That approach has really been paying off for me this year. I've taken off the weight I put on over last winter, and in conjunction with regular (but also non-straining) weight work at home, I'm enjoying good health and some good physique-development--I'm within a few pounds of my target weight and my blood pressure and cholesterol are both terrific.

I don't know if I'll make it back to my glory days of 6-mile runs or not; I know I'd be able to run that distance if I wanted to, but I don't want to overdo it again. I'd rather slowly and steadily develop, as I have over the last 6 months or so, and have running in my life, than hurt myself needlessly.

I'm no world-class runner, and I imagine one day I'll have to hang it up to protect one body part or another, but for now I'm happy with my work and my persistence.

So 4 miles sounds pretty great to me. Here's to, hopefully, hundreds more to come.

Labels: Life, Running