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My run last night lasted exactly 15 minutes and 1.3 miles. Almost immediately, my left shin tightened painfully. I tried to stretch, but that felt worse. I tried to walk, which felt fine, but as soon as I started running again, the pain was back. And it was getting late. Finally I decided to bag the run and take the bus home. Disappointed, I hobbled over to the bus stop and contemplated my remarkable lack of fitness, stamina, and mental toughness. I knew I would try again today, which I did, but it was little comfort.

Today's run was not very different, except that I finished it. The first two miles were tight and painful. Then I began to settle in, but by the time I reached the third mile I was mentally exhausted. I walked for about a minute (for the second time in the run), and then plodded on up the only hill on my route. When I reached Stowe Lake, I walked again, then dragged myself around and back down toward the De Young and began to settle in again. By the time I reached the Conservatory of Flowers, about 4.5 miles into the run and 1.5 miles away from the end, I truely wanted to quit. My feet slowed to a shuffle, then a walk. I took a deep breath, visualized reaching the panhandle just a half mile away, and began to employ my "meditation breathing" - inhale through the nose for four counts, exhale through the mouth for four counts. So doing, I attained the 5 mile mark and continued the easy final mile through the panhandle and down to Divisidero. Despite the frequent walk breaks and slow pace, I finished the run in 1:09, a respectable long run time. By that time, I was pretty happy with myself just for completing the run.