Running and Biking

Well, I took a full three weeks off of running and then went easy for a week with only running 2 miles and then 4 miles. Since I had no pain I increased my run to 5 miles and then 5.5 miles. I am happy to report that I still have no knee pain. I'm hoping that the knee pain is a thing of the past but I'm not planning on going on a really long run just yet. Which brings me to biking. I have really been enjoying riding my bike. I have replaced my long runs for now with long bike rides. Yesterday I decided to go for a ride, after my morning run with friends, with only a general direction in mind. I wasn't going out for exercise but rather just to be outdoors in the great fall weather. It is so enjoyable though that my ride ended up being 17 miles long and very hilly. By the time I was home I definitely felt like I had had a good workout and I got to see some places I hadn't seen before. One of the great things about my friends here is that a lot of them like to exercise and be outdoors so this morning I headed out with two of my friends for another bike ride to check out some woods nearby. I love being able to mix socializing and exercise. It makes exercise fun and really just a byproduct of having fun with friends rather than a chore. Here I am with my friends, Inge and Natalie. Fortunately we came across someone walking a dog and were able to get a picture together. I'm looking forward to riding with them every week.