I’m back in business and with the help of my new Mizuno Wave Nirvana 2′s, I was able to run 10K within 1 hour and 3 minutes, shin splint free!

My run went a little something like this: My heart was pounding, eardrums were thumping to the beat of Justice’s “Phantom Pt. II”. My feet felt so alive, with the rhythm of my breath matched with the cadence of my stride. My lungs filled to capacity and exhaled fully in the crisp -1 degree celsius evening air. I was totally present, “in state” and in the zone. I felt powerful with every stride during my cool down.

With respect to my cross training, I’m up to swimming 24 lengths consecutively, which is a major jump since the 8 laps I started with during my first semester. Swimming is my other fitness vice, where I can become totally present and get into state, focusing on being efficient as possible with every stroke as I glide through the water. And I’m using some elements of the P90X workout program to increase my core body strength, while I save up for the PowerBlock weight system and a pull-up bar for use at home.

Anyway, here’s the route that I took, which was supposed to be done two weeks ago, had I not developed shin splints.

- Will