3.5 miles, routine, and thoughts on trash day in Landen

This morning was the first time I've ran since Disaster-Half. I was a wee bit nervous, but went into it with the mindset that I'll just cover the distance however I need to.

I have a new pre-run routine for my lower leg pain that was successful (the only thing I might add) for the half last Sunday. It goes like this: Do my inhaler. While waiting on that to settle in (15 - 30 minutes), pump up my legs with lower leg raises on a step. Stretch. Pump legs up again. Stretch and rub with the Stick. Pump them up again (by this time they should be hurting). Rub rub rub rub with the Stick. The second rubbing should feel a little different, less pain. Then, voila! I am hopefully set to run!

This morning I tried it, and I'd say it was successful. I probably could have warmed up the calves more. I was planning to stop and stretch half way regardless of how I felt. At the half way point, my lower legs were just a twinge tight, but not so bad that I would stop if I hadn't planned to already. I stretched long on both legs, including my hamstrings. When I turned around and headed back, my legs were perfect! Yay!

So...that's my routine for a while. It's no big deal and whatever it takes to not have that debilitating pain while running!

It was trash day in Landen. I first noticed it when a big blue garbage truck came through. It was a rare truck I've never seen; I didn't catch the company. Then I saw a Rumpke truck approaching and wondered if trash truck drivers of different companies wave to each other...or throw banana peels out their windows at one another. Another observation: trash day in Landen isn't stinky. Seeing all of the containers made me remember trash day in Clifton. Biiiiiig difference. You wanted to walk to class with your mouth covered. So why is trash day in Landen not stinky? I have a few theories. 1. The houses are more spread apart, thus less trash and more air flow.  2. Clifton kind of always stinks so maybe it just takes a few stinky atoms to take it over the edge of potency for our noses.  3. People in Landen perfume their trash, either with scented bags or old bottles of Wild Musk.  It's probably number 3.