Losing a part of me

It was Thursday that I tore up my feet, and it took me until today (Monday) to get back out there… and out there I got. Even though the skies were getting dark, I wanted to get out there. If walking is going to be a habit and not just something I try to do once in a while, I have to keep going.

I think I mentioned last week that a friend gave me a cap that I like but don’t love, but I rather felt it would be a great hat to keep my head dry while walking in the rain. It does have a fatal flaw though… in order to keep me dry, I have to have it with me when it starts to rain. It was just after the three-kilometre point – rather close to the farthest point from home – that it really started to rain. There was no escape, nowhere to go. I was just going to get wet. By the time I walked into my apartment, my clothes felt like I had gone for a swim in them. No matter, tonight was meant to be laundry night anyways, so they went right into the machine.

• Distance: 7 km (8.05 km)
• Duration: 1:15:57 (1:27:37 minutes)
• Average Pace (Min/km): 10:50 (10:49)
• Best Split-Pace Kilometre: 10m31s
• Steps: 9k (10.3k)
• Calories burned: 403 (466)
• Elevation gain: 31m (36m)
• Average cadence (steps per minute): 118 (118)

I was aware of my heels the entire time I was out there. They were not in pain; they were just letting me know they were not yet completely healed. I am sure they understood that I needed to be out there, and that I would not push myself… but nor would I coddle myself.

Leslie told me she was proud of me for getting out there today, which feels good. I am not proud of myself, but I am relieved that I was able to do it… rain or shine. I did not meet my 8-kilometre goal (the baseline I want to strive to achieve every time I go out), but that did not account for rain, or the fact that this is my first ‘post-injury’ outing. Hopefully by tomorrow or Wednesday I will be able to wear my faster shoes comfortably… and there will be no rain in the forecast.