The restricted time frame later in the day required some focus to meet my goal of a 15-miler before sundown, so I kept a steady tempo on this run. I took the usual running touristy shots, but the running itself was done at a respectable pace by my standards. Most of it took place on forest roads.
Around the midway point, I started to notice my right heel was hurting. I hadn't noticed any pain the prior day, or at the beginning of this run, which is unfortunate since I was about 7 miles out when I felt it. No way back but on foot. I stretched my calf muscles out and tried to run as gently as possible, and cancelled my plans for an extended uphill. I didn't have enough time anyway.
Distance was 14.17 miles, time 2:53 (moving 2:23), elevation gain/loss 1,146 feet, avg. pace 12:15 (moving 10:08), and best pace 6:40.
The heel was pretty sore by the drive home; I figure I must have stressed it out on the steep climbing the prior day, and then gotten too tight in the legs during the day's run and irritated it more. Funny, because I felt nothing on Saturday. Ah, well. This is going to mean a day or two off. No hills for a while, too.
