A new race

There is a race coming up on Labor Day here in Atlanta. Its the US 10k Classic and 100% of the proceeds benefit children in need, and the World Children' Center. This is going to be a mostly uphill race, and I know it will be tougher than Peachtree.

I want to do it, but the lazy part of me doesn't. I feel like I'm starting to slack off in my running, so I need an upcoming race to keep me motivated. But I have this nagging dull ache in my right leg. It isn't shin splints, its not IT band pain (although I think I experienced that for the first time last week), it isn't my achilles tendon either. It is right in the middle of my calf, in one place. I don't know if its a knot in the muscle or what, but it is annoying me. It doesn't hurt too bad, but it is uncomfortable. I have tried massaging it, the foam roller, ice, heat, stretching, and rest. Whether I do all the above or not, after 2 days of not running it goes away, but then comes back when I run again. It shouldn't be my shoes, because I barely have 200 miles on them.

But then again it isn't outside the realm of possibilities. When I was little and all through middle school and the beginning of high school, I took ballet. More specifically, pointe. Yeah, imagine that, a 6 foot ballerina. Needless to say I wasn't the most petite of the group. Anyway... I always had to order pointe shoes with a double shank because I would always wear out my pointe shoes so quickly. It was a combination of a lot of things; being tall, having the weight that goes along with being tall, and strong feet. I have been doing a lot of running on gravel roads and trails, so maybe that has worn out my shoes faster, but maybe not because my knees feel fine and thats usually the first place I feel it. Maybe I'll go ahead and order some shoes. I mean, I'm going to need them eventually anyway. I might as well get them, run in them a little and see if my pain goes away.

Back to the race...

It will be a challenging race, but its for a good cause. Best of all, all race participants get into White Water for free with their race number! That makes me want to do the race most of all. Ok, I'm going to register. Like I said before, I need something to motivate me, and the weather this week is going be gorgeous, so there are no excuses for me not to get out and run!