Routine of Recovery & Rest

Today:
Distance: 12.3 km
Time: 73' 10"
Rate: 5' 57" per km
Weather: sun/cloud, temp 19 degrees, humidity 45%, wind NW 10 kmph
Week:  37.9 km,  Sept:  259.9 km,  Year:  3403.4 km

Another nice spring day in the nation's capital. I ran a loop in the nature park close to work and the river.
I was nearing the south end of Pine Is car park on the dirt walking track and jumped high & long as a brown stick decided to move under my feet. A 30 cm eastern brown snake sunning itself on the warm track causing a mild heart flutter. First one of the season I have seen but reports around of plenty of other sightings.
There was little reaction to Softshoe's report on " Where have all the runners gone". In view of the increasing sickness/injury toll, one must question what has gone amiss.
There would be no doubt that motivation is not the problem, but the process to get to the start line.
The start and finish of that process are the biggies. Get the start wrong, ie, too much, too soon, off too low a base and then increase under pressure of time, something must go wrong. Usually it's just a niggle that heals quickly. Sometimes it's  a virus going around that knocks you flat for a week. Always a setback, just when not needed.
There are no secrets to staying injury free. The old adage of 2 steps forward, 1 step back or progressive overload.
Then there is the recovery after the training effort. Today, I stood in the cool water of the river at Pine Is for 15 minutes to allow the legs to return to normal. I am a great believer in getting ready today for tomorrow's effort.
The other part to staying injury free is the stretching, strengthening exercises in the gym, and healthy & appropriate eating to fuel the exercise plan. Plenty of sleep helps as well, as well as the afternoon nana nap.
Easily today, I used up 1000 calories so that has to be replaced unless you are on "Biggest Loser".
Holding it all together until race day is an art form in itself.