August Already

Where have the last couple of months gone?
I started August with a flurry of activity, on Tuesday (1st) I completed a 5k run after work at a comfortable pace. The stretching/massaging/icing routine I have been doing to aid the ITB seems to be working. The first couple of Kms were fine and the last 2 I definately noticed that my ITB was tight but it was relatively pain free (except for a troublesome swollen toe).
Wednesday (2nd) was my second stretching and strengthening day. I started with a 15min warm up on the exercise bike, followed by 15 min of stretching and then 15 mins of strengthening exercises followed by some more stretching. The massaging involved lying on a rolling pin, which I still have trouble with due to poor core and upper body strength, and results in carpet burns on my ankle and elbow and bruising on my outer thigh. Finishing off with Ice applied from the knee to the hip while the leg is elevated.
Thursday (today) I decided that winter was on the way out and so I got up at 6am for my first morning run since the start of winter. Another 5k in 30mins followed by 15mins of stretching then icing all went well except for the distinct feeling now in my nose and sinuses that I am coming down with my one cold for the year. It hasn't quite got me yet though!

So where to from here: more stretching, strengthening, and increasing km of each run starting with a 7k run on the weekend.

On related news, Corporate Cup is heating up. Last year only about 3 people competed consistently and this year we have 2 full teams. The talking up has begun around the lunch table, but I hope they don't expect too much out of me, I intend to take the first one or two rather easily and gauge where everyone is at before I start talking myself up against some of the back markers. :) I dare say there will be a few wagers.