Friday, August 10, 2007

Training Run

Time: 30 min
Distance: 5.5 kilometers

Comments: I woke up feeling pretty ass-like today. A bit of a headache but sinus-like, not hangover-like. Since this is a shorter day I decided to gird myself and make a go of it.So I got out and got warmed up and started slow. I didn't eat super well yesterday so I didn't feel particularly strong. But, before I knew it, I was zipping along at a pretty strong pace and feeling pretty good about it. And, even more surprisingly, it didn't really fade.In the end it was a very good run and I felt better for having done it afterward. I'm a bit worried about Sunday's long effort, though.

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Training Run

Time: 60 min
Distance: 10 kilometers

Comments: Well, I felt better this morning heading out. Been busy so that's kept me from freaking out a bit too much over the situation with my lower right leg.So got down to the beach and got on with the running. Good solid workmanlike effort. Not a super-powerful effort or a injury-riddled crapfest, just putting one foot in front of the other for the full 60 minutes.I'll try and crank out a half-hour effort tomorra and then gird myself for the long run on Sunday.

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Training Run

Time: 60 min
Distance: 10 kilometers

Comments: A strange run. Felt strong and ready for it but these nagging injuries/anxiety really are throwing me off my game. I've got an interview tomorrow morning so I juggled the schedule around a bit. That meant bumping up the mileage today in case everything gets crazy later in the week. And, since I was going to put in a full mile I took it down to the waterfront.The idea being the dirt surface will be nicer to the oddness in the ankles. Despite that, there was a stretch a third of the way in that was not pleasant at all. But it eased up and the second half of the run went pretty much ache-free.I'm hoping the mid-week rest day does a bit of magic.

Monday, August 6, 2007

Training Run

Time: 30 min
Distance: 5 kilometers

Comments: Slow and easy. Felt strong, great form and a boatload of anxiety over my ankle.The idea is to go slow this week, building up mileage while monitoring my lower legs and put in the big run on Sunday if all goes well. On the one hand, this was a great run from a physical condition standpoint. On the other hand I'm now officially freaking out over my right ankle/shin thing.It's kinda like when you catch that first mosquito on ya and then, after that, you think they are everywhere. AUGH!

Sunday, August 5, 2007

Marathon Training Summary: Week 11

Time: 2 hours 40 min
Distance: 29 kilometers (18 miles)

Comments: This was supposed to be a building week with a ten percent push on last week's effort. Instead it turned out to be a pull-back week with me coming in at about 56 percent of Week 7's total.But, unlike the dog days of June, I'm not upset over this. A bit anxious, but not upset. Well, not yet, anyways.

And now we are less than two months with a solid four weeks of work left to get to the 20-mile long run monster. Part of the reason I pulled back last week was trying to avoid the push I felt obligated to do last time at this point. I'm now convinced that hard-headed insistence on completing the two 20-milers was where my plans went most awry.So I'm babying my ankle/shin with ice, ibuprofen and prayer. I'm trying to get three stretching sessions in each day and I'm doing my damndest to stay off my feet as much as possible.My nerves, though, are a bit on edge. Need to work on that.The plan this week is to start slow and proceed in that spirit throughout the week. My original schedule called for last week to have along run of 16 miles and a pull back this week. I've bumped up the long run to the 17-miles and will try to push that effort through into next week if I can.

Injury update: I've really noticed the lower leg ache during runs and, after the effort on Thursday, there was a noticeable bruise-type pain right above the shin. That led to icing and two days off.But I woke up today feeling dragged out and tired. Headache as well. That's the classic symptoms of overtraining right there, buddy. So I popped a couple of ibuprofin and slapped the ice on the ankle and made, that the plan for the day.