"It's Just Emotion"

I had a bit of a down week running.... mentally speaking that is. I had a disaster of a run for last week's long run and I found myself fretting about it. From an intellectual standpoint I know that you shouldn't put too much weight in any single run, however, emotionally I found it taxing that it was such a disaster. 

Which leads me to yesterday's longish run. Basically, it was a long tempo run. I ran 13 miles and after a 2 mile warm up ran 9 hardish miles and cooled down for another 2 miles. The bulk of the 9 miles was run at sub 7 minute per mile with a couple of uphill sections just over the 7 minute per mile mark. I had actually planned on running more of the run at tempo pace but I set myself a 13 mile limit and the distance to the road with a cleared bike path is about 2 miles from my house and was quite slippery. So I used that slippery section as my warm up and cool down area. The exciting part about this run was how good I felt... better than I have felt in a long, long time. I didn't feel myself struggling to maintain the pace whatsoever.

Today, I ran a nice recovery jog for six and a quarter miles. Which actually leads me to the greatest benefit of my gps watch.  The greatest benefit I find is on runs like today - runs in which the focus is to recover and keep my pace down. I seem to have a much better feel for faster paced running as opposed to slower paced running. The gps serves as a nice reminder when I start to pick up my pace too much on a day I should be recovering. It was warmer today than it has been as of late, so it was nice to just get out there today and the watch kept me in check.

So the week was pretty good overall despite early feelings of dread. Emotionally, I think I am back on track. I just have to remember not to make too much of any single run. This goes for the good ones as well as the bad ones.

A New Week, A (hopefully) Smarter Runner

After last week's follies, I decided to be a little smarter about running this week. I took Sunday off to recover from Saturday's long run and ran an easy 7 miler yesterday morning at about an 8:15 min / mile pace. Nice and easy.

Today was a different matter, but hey, I was rested. Today was an interval session:

10 min warm-up at 10:00 min / mile

6 x 800 m @ 6:00 min / mile with 1:30 Resting Interval

10 min cool-down @ 9:00 min / mile

Felt pretty good during the run - speed and stamina both seem to be right about where I would like right now. If only I could shake this nagging cold as my breathing could be a little better. Both runs were on the treadmill as we had rain this past weekend followed by a flash freeze down to -15 Celsius. This has made running on sidewalks impossible and the roads are pretty dodgy in places as well. I must admit that the -15 temps with wind have had more than a small role in keeping me inside as well. Given that I find it difficult to do intervals on a road as opposed to a track this is probably just as well anyway. 

So what's up over the next couple of days. Tomorrow is a cross training day - spinning at the gym. Thursday I am considering a 8 mile tempo run (1 mile warm up, 6 miles @ 6:50 min / mile, 1 mile cool down). Friday, if I run at all, will likely be some easy slow miles and Saturday I am looking to do 13 miles at about 7:15 - 7:25 min / mile as I try and add some pace to my longer runs.

I am now trying to ensure after each hard run that I give myself an easy day or a day of rest. No sense getting older if you can't get smarter. 

Recovery and Tempo

After Tuesday's Intervals, I ran a nice easy recovery run on Wednesday - 6.25 miles at a 7:59 pace. It felt good to slow down and not push myself. To be truthful, I don't think I could have pushed myself even if I had wanted to, the intervals of the previous day ensured that.

I took yesterday off and went for a nice tempo run this morning. Seven miles in total including the warm up and cool down.

1 Mile @ 8:01 warm up
5 Miles @ 6:56
1 Mile @ 7:50 cool down

I must say that I am feeling like I am getting better. Running the Johnny Miles 1/2 in June while sick took more out of me than I thought it would. Note to self, it is ok to skip a race if you are not feeling well. This is a hard lesson for me as I feel I have lost a few weeks of training just getting over the cold I have had. As well, for those of you who follow this blog, my IT Band problem, which was flaring up a little, seems to be under control. I have been diligently stretching and while I can still feel it a little, the sensation is very faint.

Up until a month ago, I had been pretty diligent about doing abdominal exercises, however, since getting sick that all kind of got put aside. I have gotten back on the supplementary exercise bandwagon this week though. I am doing a little circuit with an exercise ball - squats, push-ups, dips, lunges, crunches, planks and a couple of more. I am hoping that if I can stay diligent about it this will help me out overall.

Post 1/2 - One week

Well, it has been a week since running the Blue Nose Half Marathon and just shy of 3 weeks before running the Johnny Miles Half Marathon. The first week post race had its ups and downs.

On Wednesday, I ran 4 easy miles @ 8:30 min / mile pace just to get my body moving again. It felt pretty good all things considered.

On Friday, I ran a tempo run with a mile @ 8:12 min / mile pace, followed by two miles at 6:52 min / mile, with a mile @ 8:12 min / mile, with another two miles at 6:52 min / mile, finishing with a mile at 8:12. Overall it wasn't a bad run.

Yesterday, I ran a 15 mile long run at 7:39 min / mile pace. For about the first 11 - 12 miles it went pretty well, however, the final 3 miles were pretty tough. I could feel my hamstrings tighten a bit during the run and post run my hamstrings were quite sore - they are today as well. I guess I could be accused of doing too much too soon.

Trying to balance two races of significant distance only one month apart is tough (at least for me) - how much or how little training to do. I think that next year I will refrain from such a schedule. I think people like Frank Shorter and Lasse Viren had it right in training for a limited number of well selected races each year allowing for enough recovery before focusing on the next race. That said, I am going to try and train by feel for the next week or so to ensure my body is completely recovered. As well, I am going to heed my own advice - once finished the Johnny Miles race, I am looking at a 5 K in late July, with perhaps a 10 K in August and finally a marathon in October. The 5 K and 10 K will just be an opportunity to fine tune before the marathon in the Fall with a desire to peak at the marthon.

Now We Are Getting Somewhere

I have to admit that I was somewhat... well, largely skeptical when I read about Active Response Technique (ART) therapy on a running forum about a week-and-a-half ago. However, I was desperate, and as the old saying goes, "Desperate times call for desperate measures".

Well, I have to admit that my initial doubt is, thus far, unfounded. After 2 treatments I was able to run close to 5 miles without any discomfort whatsoever. Considering that just over a week ago I couldn't manage more than 2 mile, the bulk of which was painful, I think this represents significant progress. Things are by no means perfect yet, but at least I have hope of recovery on the horizon. One week ago, I would not have thought it was possible.

I am not ready to write about Tempo Runs or Intervals or Long Runs, but I now have hope that I am over the bulk of my injury with real training on my horizon.

The Great Outdoors was Great!!!

Sorry about the long hiatus. Frustration was rearing its ugly head and frankly, I didn't have much to write about as I was unable to run recently. The few times I had tried I had to stop after about 1.5 miles as my running form was way off due to the level of pain I was under.

Since my last report, I have moved on to another treatment approach. I went to see a chiropractor who specializes in Active Response Technique (ART) on Thursday. Without any disclosure from me he was able to detect an abnormality in my right leg that I was aware of but did not think would be implicated in my current problem - he disagreed and who am I to argue. Anyway, I received one treatment from him on Thursday and he seemed confident that I should see marked improvement in 3 weeks. He also gave me the go ahead to continue running - as long as the pain was not too intense.

With the above instruction, I set out for my first run on Friday. I went for 4 miles and it went reasonably well. Yesterday, Sunday, I went for 6 and that too was pretty good. I can still feel pain, but it was not debilitating. Today, Monday, I went again - this time for 7 miles. I feel much as I did yesterday. I have some pain in my knee and my glutes, but nothing I can't handle. This marks the first time that I have run outdoors back to back since early January when this issue began. I am beginning to become a happy camper. Given the duration that this has lasted, while not convinced I am on the road to recovery, I am at least cautiously optimistic. With the way I have felt recently, this is an accomplishment in itself.