Posts Tagged ‘training’

Double Digits

Most running blogs are either personal or global, and I’ve bounced back and forth between the two. I’ve now decided I can do both, but I’ll keep them compartmentalized. So from now on weekday content will consist exclusively of funny or odd running stories, while weekend content (nonexistent until now) will consist exclusively of what I’m up to — for the half-dozen or so of you who care.

This was my highest mileage week in ages. I finished with 27.5 miles. Today’s 10 miler was my longest single run since last October. I did it at a 9:20 pace, so it didn’t water my eyes, but it was steady. My best run this week was in the rain – 2.4 miles at 7:45 pace.

I’m up over 83 miles for the month of April, but this will be a step-down week, so I won’t break 100. I’m doing everything I can to avoid injury. It would be nice to run my third marathon after a four-year hiatus. Knock on wood.

Progress

It has been a long time since I had positive news to report about my running, but after Sunday’s decent performance and my training for the last couple of weeks, things are looking up… finally.

My gun time gave me an age-graded percentage of 60.62 – which simply means my time was the equivalent of 60% of the world record for my age group. That’s right in line with my percentage from last year.

I’ve run 42 miles so far this month at an average pace of 8:25, with a 9 mile long run scheduled for Sunday. Today I ran 8:11 pace for 4.43 miles, so it’s time to bump up my tempo runs to 5 miles. I don’t have a 10k race on the schedule, but for the next three or four weeks I’ll be training as if I had one.

The weather is finally starting to warm up, so all is well. The perfect time for disaster to strike!

Yes, I’m Still Running

It has been a long time since I’ve mentioned my own running, which is devoted not so much to training but to staying healthy. This I have achieved, despite some minor right piriformis soreness a couple of weeks ago.

Since I bought my Garmin the first week of December, I’ve run 176 miles at an average pace of 8:35 and an average heart rate of 166. I’m not in racing condition yet, and don’t expect to run my first race of the year until April 11.

Planning ahead has caused me a lot of pain in the past and cost me a lot in lost registration fees, so my only aim these days is to run a prescribed distance at an average pace of 8:12. As I achieve that, I increase distance by a mile. Every third week I reduce mileage by one-third.

That’s it. When I start stringing a lot of 8:12s together, then I’ll start thinking about halfs and fulls. In the meantime, the pressure’s off.

8 and Sub-8

I’ve been slowly, gradually and quietly increasing my distance and speed over the last month and am happy to report I ran 8 miles on Sunday (8:55 pace) and 3.7 miles today in 29:32 (7:58 pace).

My scheme has been to continue running a distance until I can complete it at target marathon pace (8:12). Then I increase it by a half-mile or so. If I go an entire week without making pace, I add one mile to my Sunday long run. I have no target races and am very reluctant to register for anything after what I went through this year. Once I’m doing double-digit miles at target pace I can start thinking about what will be next.

Two Miles Never Felt So Sweet

It wasn’t far, and it wasn’t fast, but it was fabulous.

My first run in 23 days covered a scant two miles, but I did it in 17:03, which was about three minutes quicker than I expected. Both legs feel exactly the same – pain-free.

No need to warn me about doing too much, too fast. I’ve already given up on the marathon, and my only plan is to work my way up to 20 miles per week by the end of the year. I’m most happy that I can enjoy the primo running weather here in Sacramento, before the rains start.

The Moment of Truth?

Well, here we are again. My Maui races went pretty well, and my post-race recovery was uneventful. But after the flight back home, I experienced some lower leg pain, and I quit after a mile last Thursday. Last Saturday I ran 2 miles, and on Tuesday I did 4 at an 8:55 pace. I haven’t run since and I don’t plan to. I’m in limbo because although my leg isn’t getting worse, it’s not getting much better, either.

I’m registered for the Sacramento Cowtown Half-Marathon on Sunday, and my choices are to drop it, run it, or switch to the 5k. I don’t think my choice will have any real effect on my marathon plans, which are currently screwed because I can’t do a high mileage week yet.

I know if I could get through just one marathon training cycle without injury, I could make a credible attempt at a BQ, then let it go. In the meantime, it’s one race at a time.

Hiccup

First, the Monday holiday condensed my work week, so the Carnival of Running will appear tomorrow. My apologies.

Next, you may have noticed a dearth of training updates since last Tuesday, and that’s because I developed lower right leg pain soon after my 5k. This time it’s not a shin splint, nor my chronic peroneal tendinitis. It’s difficult to pinpoint, but it seems to originate in my arch, and long distances spread the soreness and stiffness to the top of my foot and up the outer side of my right leg.

I took 4 days off, ran 6 miles on Saturday, then tried a long run on Monday, but I gave it up after about 20 strides. I could have continued, but it was immediately obvious I would have to quit before reaching double-digits, so why aggravate it?

Took Tuesday off, and ran 6 today at an 8:29 average pace. Felt OK, and I’m using a lot of ice. Bottom line: My focus is just getting through the next couple of weeks. I don’t know what will happen to my marathon plans. Common sense would dictate resting until I’m 100%, but there’s no way I could restore that lost training and run a decent race. Anyway, the message I’m getting after six lower leg injuries in three years is that it might be time for me to become 5k-10k Guy and leave the longer distances to the indestructible old dudes and you young pups. If so, it’s moderately disappointing, but jeez, you can’t say I didn’t keep trying.

I get moody when I can’t run, so this morning’s jaunt was soothing. I took my blood pressure afterwards and got a reading of 102/43. I knew that couldn’t be right so I took it again and got a 100/52. Maybe I’m dead.