RUNNING UPDATE FOR JUNE 30

After Tuesdays good run, Wednesday I took off for bowling league. That went well, I bowled above my average and my team won all four points that week. In the last two weeks we are 7-1, which is way better than we were doing (toward the bottom of the league). Oh, and one guy bowled a 300 in the league. That was the first time I ever saw someone bowl a 300, it was cool. They were on the lane right next to us.

On Thursday I ran an "easy" 10k with plans to run a fast 10k like Tuesday on Friday. I ran pretty consistent miles (averaged 8:40ish) and it felt pretty good. My legs didn't feel super "fresh," not quite as good as Tuesday, but fine.

We're going on an adventure Charlie!

So on Friday it was time for a "fast run." Things started off on the wrong foot, I forgot to band-aid my nipples (a post for another time). So I was worried about my nips getting raw and then it started to drizzle. Wetness is extra bad for the nips. In addition to that, I just wasn't feeling it. My legs felt old and tired.

Anyways, I started off well but then quickly fell off. My mile times plummeted (7:37, 7:39, 7:53, 8:08, 8:26) and I just felt tired. I was still going to complete the 10k because I hate using excuses and whatnot, but shortly after mile five I could feel my nips starting to hurt and I decided to pack it in early. I could have easily finished the six, but the nipples go from feeling a little off to bleeding within a mile or two. So I didn't want to risk it.

That set up my long run today, my third day in a row running. I wasn't looking forward to it because of the run on Friday. I felt like I needed to take time off. But I had a great night of sleep (11 hours) and since it was a long run, took it easy. Seriously easy, averaged 9:25, which is 20 seconds slower than my 15 mile run. It is also hillier, but still, I was taking it easy on purpose.

Glad to report the run went really well. I just decided to run my 10k route and then follow it up with the 5k route to make things easy. Didn't want to drive anywhere special today. My calf felt GREAT during the run, didn't feel it a bit. Really haven't felt it the last few runs, on the Friday crap run it twinged weird once, but that was it. So it is much better!

To recap, today's long run felt good and went well after a crappy run Friday and a good but easy run Thursday. Taking tomorrow off (although, I am taking Brandon to the waterpark, so that will be a workout in a way) and then running with the PRC group Monday. We'll see after Monday how I feel... if I still feel like a rickety old man I might take Tuesday and Wednesday off. Or maybe just a 5k Tuesday, easy 10k Thursday, then try a fast 10k Friday. Whatever, we'll see.

Topics to come:
 - Sensitive Nipples
 - My upcoming half marathon in Coburg, OR

I WEAR A FANNY PACK AND AM 79.4% HEALED

Today I ran another 10k after taking Sunday and Monday off. My calf was feeling pretty good and I decided I was going to push my pace a little. Get back to the "old" Thomas, pumping out a 10k under 8 minutes a mile.

Recently I was at Marshall's and happened to stumble across some running gear. I only bought one thing, a "running pack" to hold your cell phone, Gu, keys, and other small stuff. A lot of runners have them because where else are you going to put all that crap? I've been carrying it in my pockets but I would be lying if I didn't say it was annoying to have that banging around as I ran. When I would run races sans cell phone it felt like freedom.

So the last two runs I've ran with this pack (it is slightly less dorky than it seems) with my cell phone inside. I no longer can hear my mile times as I am running, which is a good thing and a bad thing. It's a good thing because I constantly feel like I'm going slow because I have no re-enforcement that yes, Thomas, you are running fast. However, if I am trying to shoot for a time goal (say under eight minutes a mile) I have no idea if I am hitting that pace. My times could be varying wildly and I wouldn't know.

Instead of listening to the music on my phone I've just been listening to the radio. It's a nice change up and I have presets on a little radio that straps onto my upper arm.Not a bad setup and a nice change from the phone.

Anyways, I felt great, like the old me, through five miles. Calf wasn't even an issue and I was hitting great times (as I would later find out). However, around mile five it started to act up and I had to adjust my stride up hills to avoid the "pull" feeling. So that was disappointing. It was better than last time I ran though. So as long as I keep not pushing it I should be good.

Today's time (last 10k time):
Mile 1: 7:42 (8:06)
Mile 2: 7:36 (8:05)
Mile 3: 7:31 (8:02)
Mile 4: 7:42 (8:21) Mostly uphill portion... crushed it!
Mile 5: 7:41 (8:04)
Mile 6: 8:09 (7:48) Calf limited me on this one
Homestretch: 2:09 (2:36)
Overall: 48:29 (51:02)

10k time today was 48 minutes flat... considering my Rum Run balls out 10k time was 47:31, not bad at all, especially being a gimp the last 20% of the run.

QUICK INJURY UPDATE

My calf appears to be getting better. Yesterday I ran another 10k (I scrapped a "long run" to not push my calf), this time taking the revised course I made after my first 10k run. I liked the change and will keep it that way. All together it was 6.31 miles, which is perfect, I like a little cushion.

The calf felt pretty good, I could definitely feel it still being 'injured' but it wasn't as noticable as previous runs. I was able to push harder up the uphills and it didn't really threaten to pull or anything. I will say that it was sore after the run for a couple hours, but after that passed it felt great (as with all of today). So as long as I keep not pushing it too hard I should be healed up here pretty soon. I'll try to take it easy at run group tomorrow and stretch it out well.

Mile times were 8:06, 8:05, 8:02, 8:21, 8:04, and 7:48. After feeling pretty good through four miles I decided to push it a little the last two and was very happy to finish on a 7:48!

NEW 10K ROUTE AND INJURY ALERT

So yesterday my mission was to find my new 10k route from the house. Since I enjoyed my 5k route so much, it seemed natural to just extend the 10k off the 5k. I could always just do the 5k twice, but that would be BORING. Plus, it's fun to plan new routes!

The one has me starting at the usual place and then cutting through on Flagstone Drive to Rigert Road. I could just go all the way up 155th to Rigert and it would be about the same distance, but I like a little adventure!


Today's 10k adventure.



I turn up 170th after going west on Rigert and then head back east once I hit Bany/Hart. I make a little foray in one of the powerline parks to add a bit of distance then back onto Hart. Hart hits 155th, I head south, turn on Sexton Mountain, and am now on my 5k route.

I still needed to add a little bit of distance so instead of just heading down Murray like I do on the 5k, I decided to cut through the neighborhoods and two parks. Sounds pretty, right? Well the parks are there for a reason... they are each little steep hills that couldn't be developed.

After trudging up and down those (including about a minute of getting lost) I decided I didn't want to do that again. My route had enough hills and these were steep MFers. Eventually I hit Beard and resumed the 5k.

So injury update. My left calf is definitely strained. It was the one that cramped up during my 15.4 mile run and was giving me a bit of grief on my 5k Tuesday. Well, I stretched it out extra good before this run but it started giving me trouble about three miles in. It really only hurts and feels strained when I am running uphill, so I was reduced to a slow trudge up the hills. Any bigger stride and it felt like my muscle would tear. I could run the flats and downhills pretty much unaffected, so it's not too bad. I'll just keep stretching and taking it easy on the uphills and hopefully it'll heal up quickly.



Modified (final?) 10k route.

Since I wasn't a huge fan of those hilly parks, I need to modify my route a little bit the next time I run that 10k. I fiddled around with the area around those parks for a while, running through the neighborhood streets instead of the parks, but in order to get the distance I wanted I had to take too my illogical turns, long ways around loops, etc. It just wasn't working. Then I realized I could make up the distance anywhere I wanted, it doesn't have to be there.

After a quick tweak I added a little bit around the powerline park detour and then forgot the whole neighborhood/park detour. It's a simple change, gets the distance I want, and makes the Sexton Mountain/Murray part easy again. In fact, I run the whole entire 5k route except the stretch of 155th from Flagstone to Sexton Mountain, maybe 300 yards or so. As you can see on the map, if you cut it down 155th, there are two distinct little 5ks, but they blend together nicely into a 10k.

RECOVERY JOG & NEW 5K ROUTE

Yesterday I went on my first run since that 15.4 mile expedition. I skipped the PRC running group the night before; even though I probably could have done a easy three miles then, I figured I should just play it safe and not push myself. My legs deserved a break of at least a day.

Last night I went on a "recovery jog" on what I have determined is my new 5k course. One of the pains of moving, besides the actual moving itself, unpacking, changing addresses, etc. is finding new running routes. I had trusty 3, 4, 5, and 6 mile routes from my apartment. All with minimal car interruption! I don't know the roads around my new house as well so I just can't go for a five mile run without thinking.

Well, it feels like cheating, but I think I have found my new 5k. I really like it! Hills are unavoidable but the hills on this route aren't too bad. Goes up and down a couple times, so it's just not one big up and then one big down. It's simple and has a clever detour to avoid a Murray crosswalk with light. And the total distance is somewhere just north of 3.2 miles, just like my previous 5k was.

The actual run itself went well. For being just 48 hours removed from the giant run, I felt great. My muscles were fine, if anything my joints were the ones that were sore. I took it easy and seemed to loosen up as the run went on (8:40, 8:16, 8:13). My left calf, the one that cramped on Sunday, did act up a little towards the end. A couple of weird pangs but nothing major. I'll make sure it stretch it out extra well before I run next time. After the run I felt great and it seemed to fly by!

This week's long run will be on Saturday I think - and a lot shorter!

THE AFTERMATH OF 15.4 MILES

As I explained, I was a hot mess those last two miles. People were looking at me concerned at times because I was run/limping with what I am sure was a beautiful expression on my face. I was able to keep a decent pace though, while I fell off a little, I was still going at a decent clip and at no point did I walk. It was a point of pride for me at that time, I was gonna, excuse the expression, get'r'dun!


The part of the Eastbank Esplanade over the river.

Once I got back to the car I sat down in the front seat with my legs out the side onto the street. This was after a brief warm down walk. They felt tired and hurt but nothing too bad. I could still get around and I wasn't at that point that some people reach where they collapse and can't even walk. I was fine and was driving within five minutes. Driving wasn't comfortable however, my legs were aching and I was trying to stretch them out at stoplights.

The drove home felt like the longest drive ever. There was definitely some time dysmorphia going on, it took FOREVER. I just wanted to get home and lay down! That half an hour seemed like two hours. Anyways, I finally got home.

Stairs were a challenge at first as I had to climb each one individually with both feet before moving onto the next. By the end of the night I could take them in the standard one step, one stair fashion. Basically my legs were just achy and sore and laying down really didn't help. They hurt whether I moved them or not. I considered taking some ibuprofen but held off. It sucked but was manageable.

I was fairly sore yesterday but able to get around fine. I'm even better today. I think I'll go for a nice easy 5k tonight to work back into things. My long run this weekend will definitely be shorter! I am thinking 10 miles tops!

So maybe it was stupid to escalate my longest run by four whole miles, but looking back I think I got away with it and it was worth it. Really good marathon training by continuing to run even when you are completely gassed.

Most marathon training programs, especially those targeted at first timers, have the long runs capping out at 20-22 miles. So on marathon day you are going to be running 4-6 miles farther than you ever have before. This was a mini-practice of that then. Crazy to think a marathon was a whole additional 11 miles!

The good news was I ran a half marathon and was feeling good at 13.1 miles. So my first half marathon in a month won't be a total shock. I definitely didn't run this at the pace I would tackle at half marathon at (I am thinking 8:30mi), so I would expect to be a lot more gassed after 13.1 miles then. This was very good training though!

Anyways, I bowled a 223 last night on sore legs just over 24 hours removed from this long run, so I can't be that damaged.