Running The Race

I have continued to struggle with discomfort in my right lower leg.  It has been a cycle.  I would feel fine.  Run. Hurt. Hobble around for the rest of the day and half of the next. The discomfort would go away and then I would run again.  My mileage has taken a nose dive in the last three weeks.

Wednesday morning I was feeling the after effects of Tuesday’s 7 miles.  So, I decided enough and called my GP to at least start the process of hopefully getting some resolution. 

The Doctor measured my calf, it is not swollen, and poked around my knee.  He ordered an ultrasound to make sure it was not vascular.  The test was negative. So, he referred me to the Orthopedist.

This morning I had the appointment.  He asked a lot of questions. Said my knee was slightly swollen and order x-rays.  Nothing.  Knees are good.

The bottom line,  I have strained or torn the right calf muscles.  For the near term, I need to focus on cross training.  But he could not say for how long.  I just need to be careful and not try to come back too soon.

I was hoping for a silver bullet, in that the Dr would say, “Oh, your problem is x.  Do y and z and you will be back to normal.”  Instead, it will be cross train and come back slowly.

It is looking like Tom King is iffy at best.  I’m still holding out for Country Music Half but I don’t know about the Pig.  I’ll just have to see and hope the cross training will keep up my fitness level.

This afternoon I experienced pool running for the first time.  I spent an hour going in a small square. I hope the healing comes fast!

It is Saturday morning. I should be out running.  I want to be out running.  I need to be out running. But here I sit.

For the past month, I have had some discomfort around my right knee.  At first, I thought it was in my upper calf.  When I start to run, it would feel like it was going to give way and I would hopple for about 100m or so and then I was all right.  As I warmed up, the discomfort would go away.  But after running, it was difficult to go down steps.  It would feel like my leg was going to give way. 

After Monday’s run, I decided it would be in my best interest to take a few days off.

I have not been very successful in identifying the problem.  The discomfort begins at the top of my calf behind the knee.

Yesterday, everything felt fine, so I ran for a couple of slow miles.  It felt better but the discomfort returned.  I stopped by the house and put a pair of Superfeet inserts in my shoes and ran another mile.  That seemed to help.

Needless to say, I didn’t feel like doing a 17 mile run today was in my best long term interest. So here I sit. Hopefully, I will not be sitting much longer.

I’m a little behind in my post for last week.  I was out of town this weekend and didn’t get back until Sunday night.  Went to North Carolina to visit Mom and Dad.  Dad was recognized at his church Sunday for serving as treasure for almost 60 years!

For the last few weeks I have had a nagging soreness in my right knee/upper leg.  I can’t decide if it is my knee or tendons. When I start to run, I feel like I’m hobbling for the first 100 yards or so and then I’m all right.  There is some discomfort when but it usually goes away as I warm up.  After the run it is sore and tight and hard to go down stairs.  For right now, I guess I’ll just keep babying it and see if the discomfort will go away. Maybe, I need to start taking Celebrex again!

Monday,  I ran 8 miles with 10 x 100m strides. Most of the intervals were in the 25 sec range.

Tuesday was a recovery day, only 5 miles.  I didn’t make it to the Y to swim because I wanted to watch the Inauguration.  The streaming feed was choppy so I decided to eat lunch instead.

Wednesday was a general aerobic run of 10 miles.

Thursday, I did make it to the pool at lunch. I guess one day is better than not at all.

Friday, I took a vacation day and ran 15 miles before flying to North Carolina.

Saturday was a short but hilly 4 mile recovery run.

Training for the week
Sun: Rest
Mon: 8 miles w/10x100m strides – 1:09:11, 8:39 pace
Tues: 5 miles – 44:39, 8:55 pace
Wed: 10 miles – 1:25:18, 8:31 pace
Thur: Rest/Swim
Fri: 15 miles – 2:12:05, 8:48 pace
Sat: 4 miles – 36:27, 9:05 pace

Total for the week: 42 miles

The word for the week was cold! I hope this past week was our one week of real winter weather but in Middle Tennessee, you never know.

I did manage to make it to the pool twice and keep up with the plan of three days of stretching and core.

I finally put my money down for the race. With the price set to go up the end of the month, it was just a matter of time.  So, now I’m committed!

Monday was the speed day. Ran 8 miles with 4 at half marathon pace (8:01, 8:04, 7:56, 7:53).

Tuesday, I swam at lunch and then ran 4 miles after work.

Wednesday’s plan called for 10 miles.

Thursday, was another trip to the Y at lunch.

Friday, I ran 4 miles in 22 degrees.

The overnight low Friday night was in the low teens.  So I waited until the sun came up before heading out Saturday morning around 7. Later than I normally like.  Once I got warmed up, didn’t really mind the cold.

Here is a link to the splits.

Training for the week
Sun: Rest
Mon: 8 miles w/4 @ tempo – 1:06:45, 8:20 pace
Tues: 4 miles – 35:22, 8:49 pace/Swim
Wed: 10 miles – 1:26:00, 8:35 pace
Thur: Rest/Swim
Fri: 4 miles – 34:37, 8:38 pace
Sat: 15 miles – 2:03:00, 8:47 pace

Total for the week: 40 miles

Well, training for the Flying Pig Marathon is off the a “flying” start (groan).  It seems that I just finished one cycle only to start another.

One thing I want to do this cycle is try and swim more and do some stretching and core exercises.  (At least, I was successful do that this week.)

Monday, I went to the Downtown Y at lunch and did the core and stretching routine. It was raining after work so I stopped at the Brentwood Y and ran 8 miles on the treadmill.  The scheduled called for 10x100m strides.  On the treadmill, it was just easier to do one-tenth of a mile intervals. The Y was really crowded, with the rain and all the NYRPs (New Year Resolution People).

Tuesday, I swam at lunch.  Not long. Not fast. But I swam.  It had been several months since I had been in the pool.

Wednesday, I ran 10 miles and then did my stretching and core thing.

Thursday, it was back to the pool.

Friday, I ran 5 miles and did the third day of stretching and core.

Saturday morning it was raining, so I went back to bed. I know, I’m a wimp.  I just didn’t want to run in the rain for two hours.  And this time of year, I don’t want to get sick because I did something stupid.

Finally around 2 pm it appeared that the rain was moving out so I headed out the door.  The forecast was for the temperature to drop and the wind to shift to the North after the front moved through. It was 60 degrees when I started the run and it had dropped to upper 40s by the time I finished. 

See how the temperature dropped. (This chart is from my weather station.)

The last three miles were tough because one last line of rain came through. I was glad to be done.  But also very pleased with my time.

Here are my splits.

Training for the week
Sun: Rest
Mon: 8 miles w/10 x 100m strides – 1:13:11, 9:08 pace
Tues: Rest/Swim
Wed: 10 miles – 1:25:451, 8:34 pace
Thur: Rest/Swim
Fri: 5 miles – 42:56, 8:35 pace
Sat: 13 miles – 1:52:37, 8:40 pace

Total for the week: 36 miles

On Christmas morning, when the girls were young, they would sit at the top of the stairs and wait for for their Christmas stockings. This year they sat at the top of the stairs and called me. Here is what I found….

They all had new sweatshirts. It was their presents to me. I am happy they are proud to wear them. What a great Christmas present!

It has almost been two weeks since I last posted. I have been on vacation from work and it appears that I have also taken a break from blogging. The good part is that I have not taken a break from running.

The day after Christmas we loaded up the car and headed East to visit the Grands. It was good to have all three girls along for the trip. It was good to see everyone but as always, it was good to get back home.

It is always good to see Mom and Dad. Mom is 88 and Dad is 96. Each visit is special and a gift.

Gayle’s Mom is still having some health issues and she did not come back to Tennessee with us. Therefore, I will not be returning to South Carolina in February to run the Myrtle Beach Marathon. Maybe next year.

On New Year’s Eve, I turned my desktop on to check email. It promptly died. It appears to be the power supply. I hope that is the problem. A new one will be here Monday.

The total mileage for 2008 was 2,033.

Before the new year, I signed up for the Tom King Half Marathon in March and the Country Music Half Marathon in April.

This morning I ran 12 miles, on schedule for the first week of training for the Flying Pig Marathon. The temperature was in the low 50s and it was damp. Had a couple of rain showers in the last two miles. Got a little chilled. Just hope I don’t get a cold.

Training for the week
Sun: 4 miles w/Amy – 44:32, 11:08 pace
Mon: Rest
Tues: 3 miles – 26:29, 8:48 pace
Wed: 9 miles – 1:18:16, 8:41 pace
Thurs: Rest
Fri: 4 miles – 35:14, 8:46 pace
Sat: 12 miles – 1:51:30, 9:17 pace
Total for the week: 32

The temperature was in the single digits this morning. Even though we don’t have any snow, at least it feels “seasonal”.

Today was the first day of vacation, so I pittled around the house today and ran errands and did some shopping with Gayle.

Ran 6 miles this afternoon. It was in the mid-20s. Felt really good to be out running.

With Sara and Laura working tonight, Gayle and I went out to eat. We are beginning to get glimpses of what it will be like next Fall when we have an empty nest.

So much for recovery…

I still haven’t signed up for the Myrtle Beach Marathon. The race is filling up so I may not be able to get in. But I am waiting to sign up until I know that Gayle’s Mom is coming back to Tennessee with us after Christmas. I will be surprised if she doesn’t but her health is not that great, so we never know. I will not know for sure until December 30th.

All that is to say, I am hedging my bets and am running as if I am going to race in February. I figure I can always back off if need be.

This past week was wet and cold forcing me to the Y Monday and Tuesday to run on the treadmill.

Wednesday, my girls gave me my Father’s Day present, a custom running shirt listing my marathon cities. Better late than never. One advantage of delaying, they added Memphis.

Thursday, I ran 7 miles in the fog. It was so thick, I almost got hit twice and I have on my reflector vest.

Friday was like a Spring day in the low 70s

Saturday morning I ran 12 miles. As I was heading into Crockett Park two hot air balloons were lifting off. (The second balloon is behind the tree, barely off the ground.) The temperature was in the mid-30s. It had to be a cold ride for the first day of winter.

Training for the week
Sun: Rest
Mon: 5 miles – 44:55, 8:59 pace
Tues: 5 miles – 45:13, 9:02 pace
Wed: Rest
Thur: 7 miles – 1:03:15, 9:01 pace
Fri: 5 Miles – 44:51, 8:58 pace
Sat: 12 miles – 1:51:17, 9:16 pace

Total for the week: 34 miles

I have taken it easy this week to recover from the St. Jude Marathon.

Ran three times this week all easy runs.

So, what’s next?

• The Tom King Half Marathon in March.
• The Country Music Half Marathon in April
• The Flying Pig Marathon in May

And maybe, the Myrtle Beach Marathon in February. (It depends if Gayle’s Mom comes back to Tennessee from South Carolina with us after Christmas.)

Amy says she is going to run the Tom King and the Country Music. And Michele is going to run the Tom King and the Pig. So it will be a fun Spring.

Training for the week
Sun: Rest
Mon: Rest
Tues: Rest
Wed: 4 Miles – 36:42, 9:09 pace
Thur: Rest
Fri: 5 Miles – 43:55, 8:46 pace
Sat: 8 miles – 1:14:20, 9:17 pace

Total for the week: 17 miles