Running issues. (145.4)

Various things:

• I think I bruised my metatarsal or something, so I took about a week off after w8d2. I just got back to it yesterday and I think I'm better but not sure. We'll see.
  
• Yesterday's run was great! Not sure if it was because I had more rest than usual, it was cooler than normal, or I was listening to my own music instead of the random c25k techno (since there were no intervals, just a 28 minute run, I just watched the clock instead of listening to the program), but I ran at a much faster pace than normal and felt really good at the end. I did the first two miles in 10:30 each, and then ran about 3/4 of a mile (I think - no mile markers on the track, so just an estimation) in the remaining 7 minutes. Not bad.
  
• Noah is going on third shift, so he's not going to be able to run the 5k with me on Saturday due to absolute exhaustion from changing sleep schedules this week. Saaaad. I'm considering waiting another month or so to do it. I might try talking him into spending the entrance money saved on a Garmin watch so I can better track my pace, distance, etc. Would be very useful, no?
  
• Next week is the last week of c25k! I'm terribly excited. I think after I finish week 9 (thirty minute runs) I'm going to just keep doing 3-mile runs three times a week and start doing c25k from the beginning again on two additional days a week to work up to running five days a week. I think I'm going to try doing the additional days barefoot - supposedly it's better for joints, and it just seems like fun to be able to dig my toes into the sand while I'm running.