See the blood over my right breast in this photo?  A little chafing in the 2012 Boulder Marathon.  These things have a way of catching up with you.  I learned this past week I have gynecomastia in my right breast.  That’s essentially breast tissue growth.  It’s been sore for a couple of months.  At first I assumed it to be chaffing from long runs.  I get that occasionally.  Then I realized it wasn’t chaffed.  And then I freaked out a little bit because I felt a noticeable lump.  I probably over-reacted but having had cancer, it’s not an experience I care to rinse and repeat.

I had it checked out.  Blood tests and imaging, including a mammogram.  I’m fine.  I don’t really know the cause other than apparently my hormones, while they are all within their respective ranges, have likely changed their ratios.  My right nipple is about twice the size of my left.  Just another reason to keep my shirt on.

I’ve been running strides with Ellie the last couple of days.  She’s prepping for track to start in a week so we are learning form.  We run two miles and then run eight strides in the grass in our racing flats.  Yes, I have racing flats.  Ellie wears her spikes.  The point is not so much a physical workout as to teach Ellie what it’s like to run fast.  Speed might be natural talent but your legs still have to learn this.

We run about 200 meters, progressively working ourselves into a sprint.  We jog the first quarter, then double our pace for the next quarter, then stride near sprint pace and finish with an all-out sprint.  The distance for the sprint is a bit shorter than for the stride, which is shorter than the two previous legs, so they are not evenly spread legs.  Neither one of us is in shape to run big sprints, so that part is very short.

It’s all about form and muscle memory.  This training isn’t ideal for me, considering I’m training for a marathon, but it won’t hurt me to run less distance for a week.  I didn’t expect myself to be able to keep up with Ellie but I can.  I think the two mile warm up helps.  My upper thighs and glutes are sore though.  Maybe this week of running with Ellie will help my speed.  2016 was a slow year for me.  Muscles have memory and mine remember running fast.  Ellie might just help me qualify for Boston in my marathon this May.