Recovering along

 3rd run since the marathon today and first run on the treadmill.  I feel like I'm handling things pretty well right now.  I ran for the first time last Saturday (3.5) and still felt some lingering effects in my ligaments.  Ran again on Tuesday for 4 miles after biking for 30 minutes first and it actually felt normal.  Then another 6 miles today on the treadmill.  I more or less feel normal now but am trying to treat this as a bit of an offseason break and plan to build the mileage back slowly over the next few weeks.  Also, have been on the bike 5 times since the marathon so for the most point I shouldn't be losing too much fitness.

Kind of depressing getting onto the treadmill.  It usually takes me a few runs to get back in the groove... hope that's all it is, although it's so much better running outside!  The worst part is that the weather is almost perfect right now but it's just too dark in the morning to run.  Might get out a few more times after daylight savings hits but at that point it starts to get too cold... I toughened up a bit last year and did more running in the cold so hopefully that trend continues and I'll at least get out on the weekends. 

Got my award in the mail last night for the Whiskeydaddle marathon.  First overall masters.  The award is an oak barrel that's actually designed to hold liquor.  It came with a bunch of maintenance instructions about filling it with water, soaking it, washing it multiple times a day, and generally conditionally it so that the wood will saturate and hold together.  Taking care of this thing is almost more work than training for a marathon!  I guess I'll get some whiskey to put in it even though I don't really like whiskey all so much... although I did have a shot after the marathon and that tasted pretty good!  

Certainly the coolest award I've ever gotten.  Probably the coolest award I'll ever get :( ... Kind of crazy it's the Master's overall award... First overall got the same award as did first master's in both male and female division.  The fact that I came in second overall in the race had zero impact... If I had been 39 years old I would have gotten 1st in my age group... funny thing is, the overall winner was also over 40 so I'm technically not the first master's runner either.  Oh well... still super cool award and overall pleased with my performance.