Another Easy 3-Miler

Daily Quote: "Jennifer Earl, Ph.D., ATC, and colleagues prescribed a hip-strengthening program to a group of healthy female runners for eight weeks. In addition to showing a predictable increase in hip strength at the end of the program, the runners also exhibited significantly less pronation (measured by how far the heel collapsed inwards). Most impressive, the participants experienced 57 percent less pronation at the ankle joint." --Mackenzie Lobby, Running Times Magazine, article "Tragically Hip. New Research suggests weak hips are behind injuries throughout the body." December 2009, pp 21-26.

Took a day off running yesterday and crosstrained by swimming, upper body weights and hip strengthening exercises. Decided to run the exact same course and mileage and determine whether Tuesday successful run was a fluke.

10:00 a.m. Out and back on HWY 95 Bike Trail. Sunny, 71 degrees, no wind. Another perfect day for running!! 3 miles. Time 29:44. Overall pace, 9:54 minute miles. Average heart rate: 140 bpm. Cardiac drift: 144 bpm. (Note my maximum heart rate is 190 bpm) Shoes: Nike Air Structure Triax.

Last Tuesday wasn't a fluke!! I still have no sharp hip pain, just a slight ache at the beginning of my run that disappeared once my body warmed up after the first 1/2 mile. I don't want to be so confident as to injure my hip by running too much too soon and will cautiously run another 3 miler tomorrow.