Hello Hamstrings!

My hamstrings have been tight, sore, and unhappy for a week. It's nothing painful or serious, but uncomfortable. I'm realizing that as I age, I get these little dings easily and it can take longer than a day to get over them. Getting old is understandable, but getting injured is not. Over the long weekend, I backed off a bit mileage wise, and added some other outdoor activities. Here's a little synopsis:

Friday, I ran with Leah in South Philly. My right hamstrings really bothered me, but there was no way I'd bail on the run. We managed a loop around FDR park. I'm excited for Leah, as she's been ramping up the miles and getting back into the swing of things.

Saturday, I decided to give the hamstrings a rest, so I biked and then drove (!!) to Yardley for some tennis and barbecue with my family and cousins.

Sunday, Noah and I ran 13.5 miles at Wissahickon. Hamstrings hurt the first two miles, but got better as the run progressed. We kept up an 8 minute mile pace, and I felt good until the last few miles.

Monday, Noah and I went for a 40 mile bike ride. It was a fun ride, not that many cars on the road, and new scenery, including biking through Norristown Farm Park. Besides being a long ride for me, it was also my first time biking with "toe clips." (see graphic to the left) You thread your feet into the cages that are attached to the pedals, and this set up enables you to both push down and pull up. One day I will learn how to really use them, but for now, I'm glad I didn't get stuck and fall. Having biked twice this weekend, I wonder if I've gone over to the dark side though. But at least now I am more ready for the Freedom Valley Bike Ride later this month.