Whew! Missy is better

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday, Missy was moping around and was super-lethargic. After a dose of antibiotics and steroids, she is all energized today. I’m happy that it was nothing serious. Of course, we will still have to watch her. If she feels good, I feel good. Her next checkup is on Sunday.

I ran to day for an easy 30 minutes around my office. The left side of abdomen is slightly strained. I was hoping that running slowly will loosen it up by getting some blood flow going. Unfortunately, it feels the same. It is nothing significant though, just a minor inconvenience.

Looking back at the half-marathon on Sunday, I had a chance to reflect on the race. Here are my observations:

• The course is tough, but I already knew that going in. My race planning was quite good. I could have used some more sleep. My performance could have been just a bit better.
• My nutrition planning and execution were also quite good. Eating pasta for two dinners before the race was a good idea. Eating about 300 calories 3-4 hours before the race was also a good idea.
• I could have run just a bit faster for the first couple of miles shaving down a minute or so from my race time. I felt like I still had a bit left in the tank when I finished.
• I’m glad I finished strong. My last mile was my fastest.
• The race itself was more crowded than expected, especially at the start. There is nothing different I could have done, but I’m certain that I lost a few seconds in the first few hundred yards.
• My heart-rate and pace management were also quite good. I could have gone just a bit faster in the middle miles, but maybe I would have lost steam at the end