The 10 Miler That Wasn't

I couldn't pass up the opportunity to walk on the Chicago lakeshore with some Twitter peops (@amyguth and @leahjones) on Sunday, but I was scheduled to do a 10 mile long run. I was hoping to get to both, but time slipped away and I had to cut the walk short and fly back to SFO.

Yesterday was a wash due to insomnia and errands, but I was geared up and ready to get the 10 miler done and in the books today.

I tell you what: sometime between the end of the walk Sunday and this morning, my back and lower legs tightened up something fierce. My guess is that a 4+ mile walk—something I very rarely do—coupled with a lack of stretching afterward and a 4 hour flight did a bit of a number on me. It's not something I expected, and I thought the run would go smoothly.

I started out in the Marina and headed east, toward downtown. My lower legs were none too happy about this, and wanted out. About once a mile I had to stop and try to loosen up my tibialis anterior. No bueno. I was past Fisherman's Wharf and heading towards AT&T park by the time I realized I had to stop. Weak.

What has 2 thumbs and takes a cab home after a failed run?

This guy.