I Can Do This!

My first week back, and I took it slow and easy. I completely deviated from my schedule and worked around when my ankle felt good vs. not so good. I decided that I was running too aggressively early on, so I made sure to slow it down even more toward the end of the week... hence the 10 minute miles on Friday and today. I feel pretty good about this. I am definitely not feeling 100% when I run, but after today, I have the strong feeling I can do this, and that I will be ready to run 26.2 on October 30... albeit slower than I had originally planned for. But that's okay. Next weekend, I plan to do a 16 mile long run. I have also decided that rather than running regular training runs Monday through Thursday, and long runs on Saturday, I'll skip the Monday runs and replace those with shorter recover runs on Sunday. We'll see what this does for me.
And that's it. Now off to the Warrenton airport to watch airplanes dance through the sky all day and cheer on the McShuttle pilot. ("[Insert our last name here] are winners!")

Sunday (9/4):
Miles logged: 5
Miles I was supposed to log: zero
Pace: 9:45 / mile

Monday (9/5):
Miles logged: 5
Miles I was supposed to log: zero
Pace: 9:40 / mile

Tuesday (9/6):
Miles logged: zero
Miles I was supposed to log: 5

Wednesday (9/7):
Miles logged: 6
Miles I was supposed to log: 8
Pace: 9:40 / mile

Thursday (9/8):
Miles logged: zero
Miles I was supposed to log: 5

Friday (9/9):
Miles logged: 5
Miles I was supposed to log: zero
Pace: 10:00 / mile

Saturday (9/10):
Miles logged: 10
Miles I was supposed to log: 16
Pace: 10:00 / mile

I'm Baaaack!?

I ran.  I ran, I ran, I ran.  And I am happy to say that my ankle survived my first post-sprain run intact. It definitely felt a little sore, but it wasn't a sharp or strong pain, so I kept on.  I set out to do 4 miles, and did just that.  (No more, no less, although I had to talk myself down from doing more than what I set out to when I encountered the packs of Potomac Runners on the trail.  Shockingly, I kept my ego in check and ran smart.)  I am debating whether or not I will run tomorrow or wait until Monday.  It might do me good to rest since I spent the last 8 1/2 hours painting in my kitchen, and my muscles are sore from that.  We'll see what I'm feeling like at 5:45 tomorrow morning.

Miles I was supposed to log: 8
Pace: 9:40 / mile

Miles logged: 4

Broken

So I started off week 9 kicking all sorts of ass.  I woke up early each morning (that's right!) and ran before work.  On Saturday, I was on the road by 6:00 (before dawn), planning to run a 16.5 route as my long run, and do it all before Hurricane Irene's winds made the run more challenging.  (Wind = hills = not my favorite thing.)  And I was chugging along thinking only 2 more miles to go, and don't I just rock, and isn't it great that I can run these long distances with pretty much no problem.  And then twist, crunch, crash.  My ankle rolled, and I crumbled to the ground, laying there for a good couple of minutes before I could move.  Fortunately, I had my phone in my water belt, so I called my support vehicle to ask to be picked up.  I had sprained my ankle and I ended up spending the whole day in bed with my foot propped up on a pillow with ice.  Sunday was somewhat similar, except I had no ice with since Irene knocked out our power.  Needless to say that I didn't do any running all week, although today, my ankle feels pretty good (with a sports brace to prevent lateral movement.)  Thus, I am going to attempt to do a short run tomorrow morning.  Here's hoping I'm as ready to go as I think I am, because I am uber-twitchy and need to run.

Monday (August 23)

Miles logged: 5.65

Miles I was supposed to log: 0
Pace: 9:20 / mile

 

Tuesday (August 24)

Miles logged: 5.65

Miles I was supposed to log: 4
Pace: 9:20 / mile

 

Wednesday (August 25)

Miles logged: 7.25

Miles I was supposed to log: 7
Pace: 9:40 / mile

 

Thursday (August 26)

Miles logged: 5.65

Miles I was supposed to log: 4
Pace: 9:20 / mile

 

Saturday (August 27)

Miles logged: 14-ish

Miles I was supposed to log: 16
Pace: I never stopped my watch after the crash, so I have no idea what my pace was

14.5 Before Breakfast... How 'Bout you?

Today when I left the house at 6:00, the sun was not yet up and it was barely hovering at 70 degrees.  Awesomeness -- a reminder that Fall is right around the corner.  I cannot wait for this fall.  Running in 60 degree weather.  Tackling my first marathon.  Halloween.  Tall suede boots.  But I digress. 

 

I set out to do 14 miles today, and ended up doing 14.5.  Why?  Because as I was nearing the 14 mile mark, I all of the sudden felt bad about doing less than I had run two weeks ago, so I pressed on.  I wouldn't want to run with a bruised ego this coming week, so it was worth the extra half mile. 

 

It also bears noting that my legs felt tired after 12 miles.  I realized after the fact that I forgot to take my second gel.  But I was also running faster than my target pace.  Bottom line: I don't know if my tired legs should be attributed to one or the other, or both.  Regardless, next week I'm scheduled to do 16, so I do need to slow it down.  That will be a challenge because I am half the time fighting the urge to race other runners on the trail.  Yes, I run imaginary races every weekend.  Who knew I was so competative?  Subsequently, it is this mentality which I need to get over so that I don't find myself injured a month before the race.

Miles logged: 14.5

Miles I was supposed to log: 14
Pace: 9:20 / mile

Mixing Things Up

I did some tempo running today.  I started at a 9:40 pace, and worked up to a 8:45 pace.  I threw some incline into the run for extra fun.  It was challenging, but I feel good (and nasty sweaty) now that it's done.  I am grateful that tomorrow is an off day.  While I felt pretty strong at the start of the week, my muscles definitely feel tired today.  I've been vigilant about hydration, but I haven't gotten as much sleep as I should have, so I think this has contributed to my general fatigue.

Miles logged: 5.65
Miles I was supposed to log: 4
Pace: 8:45 - 9:40 / mile

No New Kicks For You

I went to my local running store today to buy some gels and replacement running shoes (my current pair are close to spent.)  To my horror, I was told that they discontinued my shoe.  What, what, what???  Damn you Brooks!!!  Why can't you leave well enough alone!?  I have been running in  Glycerin 8s since I got orthodics.  I am hesitant to switch to the updated version, so my only other option is to go online and buy out the remaining stock from one of the online giant retailers.  This is sad because I'd rather give my money to the local running store which organizes group runs and puts on races than one of the online stores.  Frickin, frackin.

Subsequently, I'm wondering if I might be close to wearing out my orthodics, too.  I've seemed to have developed a reoccuring blister on one of my toes.  I used some body glide on it during my run today, which seems to have helped, but I can't help but wonder (how Sex and the City of me) if the blister is a sign of worn orthodics?  Or maybe just a sign of lots of miles?  I guess I'll find out soon enough.

As for today's run, it was perfectly fine.  Typical.  Miles 1-3 were more challenging, I loosened up after mile 4, and plowed on through miles 4-7.  I think I need to be better about stretching.  I did a lot of downward dog stretching after today's run.  Hope that helps for tomorrow.

Miles logged: 7.25
Miles I was supposed to log: 7
Pace: 9:40 / mile

This Mother Runner

I confess - I love blogs.  I do.  And one of my favorites is Another Mother Runner - I faithfully read this one several times a week.  This week, the blog is featuring guest bloggers who have posted on why they run.  I concur with everything that has been said so far this week: running gives me an invisible / baddass badge of honor; it gives me rockin' legs; my efforts are affirmed every time I have crossed any finish line; it's fun to shock people with the distances that I have logged so far and will continue to log; and it's a test of my determination.  I'm sure I will feel the same way about the rest of the posts that go up this week.  And I would also add that in addition to these reasons, I also run because I love hamburgers, and lots of miles means lots of guilt-free burgers.  Yum.  What's for dinner?

Miles logged: 5.65
Miles I was supposed to log: 4
Pace: 9:15 / mile