Right round, baby, right round

Like a slow moving record, baby.

I ran the entire Back Cove last night for the first time during this training.

I was psyched. I am psyched. I'm telling anyone who will listen (there aren't many) and I'm telling those who won't (who can't help but hear me anyway because I'm kind of loud).

The responses I've gotten: "That's nice" and/or "You haven't already done that?"

No, I haven't. I've GONE the entire way around with some running here, some walking there. But last night was the first all-the-way-around-without-stopping-or-walking jaunt around the Cove. Woooiiee!

So nobody else gives a damn. That's cool. Doesn't take away from the bright, sunshiny feeling I've had all morning. I suppose it isn't all that big a deal for most - but for me, it's big. Really big.

The irony is that I've still got a lingering tendon issue. John Rogers said, "Take it easy" last night. So I did - I slowed my pace. And that, my friends, made all the difference. I wasn't breaking land speed records, but let's be honest, I'm never, ever going to be fast. Maybe the aching tendon is just the world's way of telling me to slow the hell down.

After the run I stuck around to hear a local chiropractor talk about running form. He had videotaped some of the runners in the group last week (not me - I don't need to be seen running in slow motion. I am not Baywatch material) and he used the footage to point out some common running form issues.

He even had some of the people recline back on a massage table so he could test out muscle strength and lord knows what else to try and pinpoint whatever problem he suspected was occurring.

It was much-needed information right when it mattered. It ties directly back to my ankle - and the fact that I'm probably lacking strength in other muscles in my legs, which then puts undo pressure on the weaker muscles, causing them to strain.

A few years ago I trained for a half marathon back in Chicago. I was much more diligent about my training then - a real stickler for the schedule. But I also weight trained twice a week. Nothing too intense, but I meddled with the leg presses and leg extensions and calf raises and whatnot.

Last year I didn't incorporated any strength training - and I ended up with an injury. This year, again, I've failed to incorporate any strength training and, again, I'm hurting.

So, looks like somebody has to get her round-the-Cove running arse to the gym.