Refreshing, Soggy Run

This one is a little lengthy!!!

So I just have to tell about my run today.. after Thursdays speed run I developed a anterior ? shin splint just opposite side of where I have been struggling with pains since last year. So I was not to happy about that.. But at least it wasn't really bad.. I ran a little farther then I had planned on Thursday and I think with the exertion I was using and then the hills it just put a little too much stress on my leg.. I knew I should have stuck with the treadmill... Owell I rested on Fridays and decided I would try my long run on Sat. depending on how it felt.. I did a little research on shin stretching and went back through my running book and realized that it says that if you run first thing in the morning like I have you shouldn't stretch until halfway through your run or wait until after your run.. I forgot about that and have been stretching before my runs so maybe that is my problem is I am stretching cold muscles and have been doing more damage then help?? There is so many conflicting story's out there about stretching that I don't know what I should really be doing but I think I will start waiting to stretch until half way into or after my runs...

So On to today's run... I woke up about 7:15 and decided I could prob run so I headed out by around 7:45.. Just as I got all my clothes on and was about ready it opened up and started raining.. It was supposed to come in last night but it was a little late.. I really debated on going but decided it might be kind of fun so what the hay... It started thundering and lightning so it was kind of cool to listen to.. It was just a light steady rain when I left nothing too bad but about a mile and a half into my run I had just made it out of the subdivision and was getting ready to head down the pollyann trail and I stopped to do a little stretching and I could see this big dark blanket coming for me.. I immediately knew I was in trouble and I had no where to go.. It just opened up and poured so hard.. I knew that about a half mile from the start of the trail there is a bridge that I could take shelter in but I would have to run into the blanket.. i immediately shot it in gear and started running but within seconds I was totally drenched and dripping everywhere.. My shoes and socks were soaked and I was just sloshing around.. I was trying to cover my ipod and watch so they wouldn't get to wet.. I couldn't even open my eyes the rain was coming down so hard it was like standing in a shower only harder... By the time I made it to the bridge it was starting to lighten up a bit so I stopped at the bridge and did some stretching and tried to wait out the worst of the downpour..

I was hoping my husband would come find me to take me home which he did come looking for me in the car but to no avail we never found each other.. The bad thing about the trail is there is not very many access areas to the main road so it's hard to see anyone on the road.. we must have just missed each other at the bridge.. Anyways after about a 10 min hold out at the bridge I decided I wasn't going to get any wetter so I decided to finish the run. I think I might have cooled down a little to much because as soon as I started back out my knee started hurting. I continued to run through it though.. And then there is a spot on this trail where it breaks of from the trail and goes into a bunch of other small trails around a lake.. I ran it last time I did my long run so I figured i knew where I was going but somehow I got lost and was running in circles.. These trails are like being up in the Forrest and all you can see is the lake and tree's and thick vegetation.. They are awesome running trails but a little disorienting if your not familiar with them.. And to top it off I had to go potty and wasn't going to make it back.. Lucky for me there were no other crazy people like myself running or biking the trails today so I was able to jump off the trail and go tinkle in the vegetation without being caught thank heavens.. Of course it was a little difficult when your clothes are soaking wet and stuck to your body but it all ended up ok..
I finally made it back onto the trail and decided to head for home cutting out one of the loops I did last time on my long run.. My knee was just hurting too much to keep going and I had had enough with all the stops and go's.. I had to stop a few times because my ipod kept cutting out on me I think due to the moisture in its ports.

Of course by the time I got back on the trail it had stopped raining so I was able to finish up the last 2 miles in dryer weather.. Other then the few setbacks with the rain and my knee I felt really good.. I never got hot or winded and it was really a easy run.. And to my surprise that even with cutting out the extra loop I still got in 7.73 miles in 1 hr 18 mins. Of course there was alot of down time in that time but I was not worried about time at all.. I am however a little surprised because the last time I did my long run with the added in loop I got 7.31 miles in according to map my run but my pedometer said 7.73 today so one must be off just a little or I made up alot of mileage when I got lost but it didn't feel like it was all that much more distance..

When I got home I was still dripping from my shorts and when I got my shoes and socks off my feet were pruned it was quite the run and of course an hour later the sun came out and it got hot.. I should have either got out earlier or just a little later... Owell I can now say I have ran in a downpour..

I am so excited we just got a new home gym unit delivered today and I cant wait to use it.. We had gotten one from walmart called the gold's gym s45 or something like that but when we got it all hooked up and went to use it I couldn't even move the pulley with my legs and that was with all the weight off.. Something was not right with it so we took it back and went shopping around for something else... We found the most sweetest gym.. It is so nice and easy to use and I can hardly wait to start using it.. You can do pretty much any weight exercise on this machine its like having 20 different machines all in one... I figures it would probably not be a good idea to work out on it today where I did a long run but on Mondays when I do just a easy short run of just 2-3 miles I will do a full body weight workout.. Yeah.. You can check it out below.. Awesome!!