As some of you know from other threads where I requested -- and received excellent -- advice on building up running fitness after years of not running. I started up last fall and built very slowly. I initially ran for 5 minutes, and then added no more than 10% per run, running every other day. Once the runs got a bit longer I limited myself to 1 minute longer per run, still every other day. After months, I reached the point where I was running 4-6 days a week, 30 minutes to an hour per run. Most runs were between an 8:30 and 9:30/mi pace, usually right around 9:00. And I ran by time, not distance, shooting for a sort-of-BarryP plan -- two or three 30 minute, two 45 minute, and one hour run per week. The training culminated in a successful 10 mile race in mid-April.

Shortly before the race, however, I began experiencing pain in my left calf. I could run on it, and did, but for about a month before the race I felt the pain every step I took, walking or running. Sometimes it was a bit annoying, sometimes it hurt a lot. I struggle to describe it well -- I guess the best would be to say that it felt like a bad bruise feels the first few days after you get it, only it never got any better. If it was in my shin instead of my calf, I'd have said it was shin splints. Another way to describe it would be as a small, super-tight and painful knot, located in my lower calf.

The race was on a Sunday, and I went for a light run the following Thursday. The pain, which had improved some post-race, got worse. Because I am an idiot, I nevertheless ran 4 slow miles on it the following Tuesday. It didn't feel great when running, but it was tolerable. It, however, felt much worse afterwards. This was two weeks ago. Having (finally) learned my lesson, I've not run since. And I've been pain-free since Saturday. So I think it's time to run on it again. The question is how far to run today, whether to go back to running only ever-day-for a while, and how slowly to build back-up.

Any and all thoughts appreciated.

Thanks!