You Can Always Walk...

The Calico 30K is just days away.
I've been fighting a cold, a sore foot and a temperamental left leg.
A quick run around the neighborhood last night was both worrisome and encouraging. The first 2 miles were agonizing. I couldn't catch my breath, my left leg-the whole leg-felt like one big cramp and my nose wouldn't stop running. All at an achingly slow 11 min. pace. I walked for a bit, and considered walking the rest of the way home, but that meant walking 2 miles and it was getting dark. Soooo I started running again, more of a crooked shuffle than run. I saw a trail that borders the park and headed off in that direction. A little out of my way, but dirt sounded better than asphalt. As soon as my feet hit the soft brown dirt it was magic. My left leg felt better and my pace picked up. The congestion in my sinuses cleared and I could breathe. The two hills at the end of my run felt easy and my legs were light. As I turned into my tract, I wasn't breathing hard and nothing hurt too badly. Very encouraging.
I realize that 4 miles is not 19, but there are still 2 days to heal.
And as all my fellow runners remind me...you can always walk.