Cutting the day short...

This morning I was ready to hit it hard.  I had a decent training week and a nice 16 mile run yesterday.  San Franciscans awoke to one of the nicest looking days weather wise in recent memory.  I strapped on my gear and cranked up some tunes (What I am cranking these days)...thinking about how I was going to layer on a nice 30 mile run to yesterday's effort. 

About three miles from my house is a decent long and steep incline into a park like area.  About half way up the hill something in my right calf decided to on strike in a painful way.  I came to an immediate halt.  I looked down, rubbed my leg for a few minutes and took a few tentative steps. 

"Yup, something is not right here, " I thought.  I laughed and wondered "What would Andy do?".  Andy, the guy I mentioned in the last post, would have probably tossed himself in front of a moving bus to get a extra few cracked bones on top of the small muscle strain and then proceed to run another 50 or so or until he bled out. 

Me?  I turned around and started the walk home.  Years ago, I might have been tempted to just say to heck with it and try to keep going.  There is none of that in me these days.  I would rather take a few days easy and live to fight another day versus make it worse by pushing the issue. 

After you read the next paragraph, you will agree that my perspective of pain probably qualifies me as a real sissy.

Jeff Peacock, an old work friend, recently sent me this amazing article from the Charleston Post and Courier.  It describes the running odyssey of a guy named Richard Blalock.  Richard had a major portion of a leg amputated in April of 2009 and was running in races by November 2009.  I suspect my calf muscle pull is the equivelant of a "no-see-um" bite for Richard.  Check out the article.  He is the real deal.

Oh, another case in point, if I ever begin to believe that I am tough...I will review this slide show...it came from a competition they do in the UK every year...now, these folks are really tough!!!  (Check out the slide show!)  (Thanks Emery for sending my way!)

I have reached out to a few others who have completed the run across the U.S.  the more I can benefit from other's experiences the better off I will be! 

It is fun to talk to these folks...I am looking forward to joining the rare club!