POST RACE INJURY - HEALED?

So after my surprisingly good race on Sunday I definitely came up lame the next day with a strained left calf. This is the same left calf that gave me trouble after my 15.4 mile expedition early this summer.

This led to me missing run group on Monday and Wednesday and taking all the way until today, Friday, to heal. I am going to go for a run tonight because it feels 100% better. I hate not being able to run... I feel all lethargic, my body hurts, it feels like I have arthritis, etc. Maybe that is just the cold weather coming on, but this always happens when I stop exercising.

Running may not be "great" when you are in the middle of a run bored out of your skull, but it makes your body feel so much better. The difference between being in shape and out of shape is very noticable. So anyways, I really want to get back to 25-30 miles a week, running 5 times a week. I think with the new shoes and allowing myself to heal properly I can do it. I've stopped and started a couple of times now so hopefully I can get out of pit row this time. I can't bullshit my way through many more races - or a marathon.

Up next will be the 12k Hot Buttered Run in Vancouver... it is the Sunday after Thanksgiving. The distance is unique so I am looking forward to that. Right now a 10k is a "long run" for me, so I have to get that back to being my "normal" run. Long runs should be 9 miles or more! Depending on how much time I have on Sunday I would like to go on a long run, maybe do 8 to start? Sunday I'm busy all day so I'd have to do it Saturday.

Anyways, that's my boring update.

2012 GREAT PUMPKIN RUN 10K RACE REPORT

Today's jaunt through the park.

Today I woke up at 6:40am to truck my ass down to Corvallis for another race. It was the 10k Great Pumpkin Run, something I signed up for about a month ago, feeling a lack of races and something to train for. And while my lack of training has been documented, I was still happy to just have a race. Races are fun! Except during the race, that sucks, the actual running part.

Anyways, I had a Tall Skinny Vanilla Latte and a glazed old fashioned before the race. The breakfast of champions! And also a magical combination that tends to result in good times. And apparently sharp stomach pains today, but nothing too bad.

We started at the Benton County Fairgrounds and had to dodge some horse poop at the start. Oh Corvallis. Anyways, out to 53rd we went, south for just a little bit and then we turned up a bike path and run along that. It was really pretty, if I were a runner when I was in Corvallis that would have been my bitch because I lived right nearby. Anyways, eventually we hit a country road and the 10Kers turned north to do an out and back.

Pre-race (I did NOT look this good after)

At this point I was definitely breathing heavy and not having a great time. I shot out of the gate pretty good but I could tell I just didn't have as much in the tank as I would have liked. The whole thing was a giant struggle but I set a pace and tried to keep to it. My legs felt a little "worn" and I think they were still recovering from slant shoes and my run on Friday. My breathing was pretty labored too... I don't train much at this pace at all, so I was sucking wind.

Despite the coffee and doughnut I didn't have to poop or pee or anything. I did get a couple of pretty bad stomach cramps but they passed quickly and didn't really pop up in the 2nd half of the race. The turn around seemed like it took FOREVER to get there but finally I reached it. It was fun to run back and see all the people behind me. It put a pep in my step for a little bit but eventually wore off and I went back to hating life.

I had waves of "this isn't so bad" during this race where I would feel really good for like 15 seconds. I would start to think of sprinting the last half mile and shit... quickly though my body would resume with reality. Anybody else have this? Also the course was pretty flat, a few tiny rolling hills to keep things interesting but very manageable.

The last mile or so had two features. One, lots of slow ass 5k walkers in my way. Really annoying because they weren't getting out of the way and there was live traffic. At one point I had to jog slowly behind a group waiting for a car to pass then dart ahead on the road. Reminded me of dodging the 5k people at the Rum Run.

Second, people were passing me up. I figured my pace really dropped and I felt like it did. I was running on empty. I probably had about six to eight people blow by me. Not a good feeling. It turns out I was keeping a pretty steady pace though, so they must have just been saving some energy in the tank. I did not have that energy.

Lib at the finish line!

The finish line took FOREVER to get there. That last mile was torture. At the mile five marker there was a guy reading off times and I could tell I had a chance at a record if I went really fast. I didn't really have it in me to sprint though, so I would just keep my pace and continue to charge ahead.

Anyways, I pulled a Libbie by JUST missing out on a certain time. 47:43, thirteen seconds off a record. I let out a big "FUCK!" as I rounded the corner and saw the clock. I knew I couldn't get there in time. Family event you say? Oh well.

I finished, grabbed a water, then collapsed in the grass and eventually found the strength to watch Libbie finish.  My body hated me and the only other time I felt worse was after the half marathon. So despite the lack of training, I am still posting good times. Imagine if I trained properly!

Official Time: 47:43.8, 7:41/mile. 21/120 overall. 3rd place males 20-29.


Mile 1: 7:19
Mile 2: 7:31
Mile 3: 7:49
Mile 4: 7:47
Mile 5: 7:33
Mile 6: 7:48
Final .22: 1:47 (7:35/mi extrapolated)

SORENESS & RACE PREVIEW

So, since the run where I pulled up early I mentioned in my last blog post, I haven't run much. I did one 5k a week later and it wasn't very fast. I was just sore and running didn't seem to help.

Looking back, I feel like a total idiot for not knowing why. Anyways, I ran group this Monday but was sore afterward. Most the soreness was in my hamstring area, but more low and to the knee. Like a tendon or something. Felt like someone smashed me in the back of the leg with a club. Anyways, the soreness kept lingering and I would rest up to the point where I could run again, but then after I'd be sore!

Well, I figured out what it was. Look at my fucking shoe:

Yah think that might have fucked with my stride a little? No wonder I was so fucking sore, I was basically running on a slant. I had noticed the shoes deteriorating but they must have really gotten bad in the last few weeks. My legs are hurting just looking at this picture right now!

Anyways, that was my left shoe and my left side was always way more sore than the right. My right shoe is also really worn down but not quite as bad. So it all makes sense. I do pronate, which means I land on the outer edge and roll in, so I guess this really shows that in action. Needless to say, the shoes are retired now.

I won a pair of Brooks Adrenaline shoes at run group a few weeks back and moved into those. I ran a 10k last night in them, my first ever run in them, and they felt GREAT. Seriously, normally breaking in new shoes sucked, but these felt like they were made for me. I wasn't sore today either! So I think I can get back into the groove. And I'm not going to let the shoes get this bad again!

Last night it was pouring ran and low 50s when I ran. It was sort of fun but sort of annoying. I couldn't decide. At the end though I was soaked all the way through and my shoes were drenched as well.

Anyways, I have a 10k race tomorrow, the Great Pumpkin Run in Corvallis. It starts at the Fairgrounds and I think is fairly flat. I am not in near the shape I'd like to be because of my soreness stupidity, so the chances of me setting a PR are probably low. However, I did set a 5k record a few weeks back after not training great because of soreness (hmm) so who knows. The goals:

A Goal: Set a 10k PR record. This would be 47:30 or less.
B Goal: Under 49 minutes.
C Goal: Just do my best. Honestly, I wanted to train more but couldn't. Before my run yesterday, I last ran at least 6 miles over a MONTH ago. Six miles is long to me now.