Long Run

Distance: 15 kilometers (9.31 miles)
Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Surface: asphalt/concrete/sand/dirt
Weather Conditions: cool, overcast, 60s, mid-morning run
Location: Miraflores/Barranco/Chorillos, Lima, Peru

Comments: The long run of the week. After my achyness yesterday I waited till this morning to decide if this was a go or not. But I got up feeling good and without any of the little pains that have been hanging around during the week. So I laced up the ASICS and hit the road.

Knowing I am probably pushing my endurance at this point, I stretched out really well before taking off. I went down the hill to the beach and headed south. Instead of heading back up the cliffside in Barranco I kept going - all the way through Chorillos and around the Virgin del Marro. On the back side of the hill, and just shy of 45 minutes, I turned it around.

Most of the run was asphalt but I did a little on the dirt and a little on the beach. More to mix it up but not enough to freak my knees out. I also used a gel and drank during the run for the first time. The former tastes like crap and the latter was annoying to carry. But both seemed to work.

This was a really great run. I felt in control the whole way. I held a good pace but got slain by the huge hills at the tip of Chorillos. Not to mention I finished the run on the hill back up to Miraflores. At the top I pounded an Inca Kola for the sugar.

Training Run

Distance: 5.5 km (3.4 miles)
Time: 30 minutes
Surface: asphalt/concrete
Weather Conditions: cool, overcast, 50s, mid-afternoon run
Location: Miraflores, Lima, Peru

Comments: I wasn't really in the groove today. I did only half the time of the runs I have been doing for my recent workouts at the suggestion of the guru and, lordy, I was thankful for that.

I stretched and got out on the road but never really felt into it. I wasn't running particularly hard or fast yet it was clear the half-hour was about as much as I could hope for and pushing it probably wasn't a good idea. Which isn't to say it was a necessarily "bad" run, because it wasn't. I just could feel I wasn't at my peak.

Thing is... I am plumb tired. I have been running every other day for a week-and-a-half at some of the longest distances I have regularly taken on since start of this endeavor. I have been sleeping very hard and, this morning, I just lay there for about half an hour working up the strength to get up.

The plan is for an hour-and-a-half long run tomorrow but if I wake up feeling out of it, I won't have any qualms calling it off.

Training Run

Distance: 12 km (7.45 miles)
Time: one hour
Surface: asphalt/concrete/dirt
Weather Conditions: overcast/sunny, cool, 60s, early afternoon run
Location: Miraflores and Barranco, Lima, Peru

Comments: Super great run today... except for the last ten minutes.

During my last run I felt I was wanting for energy so today I downed a powerbar before heading off to the gym. It seemed to do the trick, I had plenty of energy for almost the whole run but, at about the 50 min mark, it was gone. 

Looks like the lengths of my runs have reached the point I am going to have to start getting calories during the enterprise.

I took the beach route yet again including "the hill." Which I now refer to as La Bruja for obvious reasons. This is a shot of one section, the last soul-killing steep section. Don't be fooled by the begnin appearance, it is a hateful and nasty stretch of cobblestone.

But, as I said, I felt pretty good the whole way. I had a good pace and a good form. I really felt in control of the run. As usual, it started a bit slow but I've been immediately doing the downhill portion of the run for this part and it keeps me busy enough I don't let it get in my head. By the time I hit the beach I was running well. I kept that up pretty much the whole way till the problems at the end.

There were some equipment problems. Over the weekend I finally used the 20 percent discount at the Reebok store I got for running in their race. This was my first chance to use the stuff. The runner's fanny pack is worlds better than the regular fanny pack I had before but it doesn't stay in place. Needs tinkering. Also used new lightweight breathable shorts and shirt. Makes a bigger difference than I imagined.

Training Run

Distance: 11.2 km (7 miles)
Time: one hour
Surface: asphalt/concrete/dirt
Weather Conditions: overcast, chilly, 50s, mid-afternoon run
Location: Miraflores and Barranco, Lima, Peru

Comments: Went out and did the beach/hill run again today. Got a heck of a lot further in the hour than on Saturday but that is probably because I know the route now. It's easier when you know where to save up your energy and where to spend it.

The start of the run was unpleasant. I really doubted if I was going to be able to finish. Yet, somewhere around the 35 minute mark it was automatic. I found myself at a good pace churning it out. And I felt strong enough to go another half hour but I didn't think that would be too wise.

The knee was a little sore yesterday afternoon and this morning. Nothing specific, just not happy. Stretched out real well and didn't have any problems with it during the run at all.

Week Wrapup

Total Distance: 27.5 km (17 miles)
Total Time: 2 hr 45 min

Comments: First week back after the post-race layoff. More than a few mornings I spent quite some time awake but not willing to move and further aggrivate the aches my body was suffering through.

After three damn good runs, I feel a lot better about my progress. I have a lot more strength than before and my recovery time is a hell of a lot shorter. The best news is that my knee hasn't been much of a problem at all. Which isn't to say I feel confident that problem is solved - but I do feel rather optimistic for my ability to accomplish my goal.

But there are still serious concerns to be dealt with. While I clearly have the endurance for the distance I don't seem to have much speed right now. My pace is steady but not spectacular by any means. It's clear there is going to have to be some speed work involved as the training goes further along.

I also intend to start doing gym work again on the non-running days. I considered it this week but I felt my body was busy enough trying to get back in the running groove. I will be focusing on upper body but with some quad work in order to build the strength there I need to keep the knee issues at bay.

The schedule this week is to follow the guru's plan. Although he suggests 5 mile runs each day, I have felt good with the hour long jaunts so far. So I will keep at that level for three runs and shoot for an hour and a half or so on the weekend long run.

That said, I will feel completely fine pulling the plug on any days run if there are any disturbing developments in the danger areas like the knee. And I'll make an assessment of how I feel Saturday before heading out for the long run as well.

In addition, my aim is to start the upper body gym work back up as well on the "off" days. I would have liked to do this last week but I felt it was better to abstain from any real exertion on my off days to get a sense of where my body was at.

Long Run

Distance: 10 km (6.2 miles)
Time: one hour
Surface: asphalt/concrete/dirt
Weather Conditions: hazy, overcast, cool, 50s, late morning run
Location: Miraflores and Barranco, Lima, Peru

Comments: Intended a 45 minute run initially but I took a very different route today and getting back took a bit longer than I expected so I just ran the hour.

Half of the run was on the seashore and the second half on the malencon on the cliffs above the ocean like normal. That means there was a long hill to go down to start and a steep hill to get up in the middle. The idea is to start mixing more of this up and down work in the runs to condition better. 

Overall the run went well. I got into it and stayed steady at it the whole way.The hill, although a cruel and brutal bitch, wasn't as much trouble as I feared. I stayed with it the whole way keeping my steps short but my pace as close to normal as I could. No aches, pains or problems to speak of.

Fitness Run

Distance: 6.5 km (4 miles)
Time: 45 minutes
Surface: asphalt/concrete
Weather Conditions: hazy, overcast, cool, 50s, late morning run
Location: Miraflores, Lima, Peru

Comments: Well, the last run clearly took its toll on me yesterday and the effects were still there today. There just wasn't a lot of spring in my step for the whole effort. In fact, it felt like I was slogging through molasses the whole way. But, despite that, it was a pretty good effort.

I started by stretching pretty thoroughly. My left knee was a little sore yesterday and this morning. Kind of generally sore, not the specific soreness that I associate with the IB problems I have had. So I really concentrated on limbering up my hamstrings and quads.

On the street it was a battle the whole way. I didn't set anything on fire with my pace, thats for sure. It was a one-foot-in-front-of-the-other type of run. Even my secret weapons had no effect (other than to keep my mind off the struggle itself).

Although it wasn't fancy, it wasn't bad either. I didn't have any real problems at any point and I was able to keep at a steady - if not spectacular - pace the whole way.

The knuckle of my left big toe was kind of sensitive during the run and the ball of the toe was sore after. I think the former was due to my sock and the latter due to the humid weather in Lima that aggravates my arthritis.

Long Run

Distance: 11 km (6.8 miles)
Time: one hour
Surface: asphalt, concrete
Weather Conditions: chilly, overcast, 50s, afternoon run
Location: Miraflores, Lima, Peru

Comments: After slacking off for two weeks I finally broke down and used the infallable motivation that is my birthright as an American - financial investment. Or, more to the point, I went shopping. After dropping my iPod during the race, it is clear I don't need to be taking it along on my runs. As my primary way of enjoying my music, getting it broken or stolen is just too high a risk.

So I ambled down to the Apple store and bought an iPod shuffle. Of course buying it here in Peru means I payed WAY too much for it but most MP3 players sold here are similarly pricy and I already have all the software on the computer. And even given the expense, it's still a cheaper option than risking the regular iPod.

With the new toy I was pretty much obligated to run today. I hit the gym, stretched out and took to the road. I didn't feel at all ready but, given my long layoff, I was determined to put in a solid run this time. So I kind of put it on autopilot and just started putting one leg in front of the other. The goal was one hour - damn the mileage.

As one might suspect, I felt a number of little pains as I progressed but nothing critical. The ball of my left foot has been sore and I got a twinge in my right achilles tendon at one point. I am very achy afterward but thats probably due to the excessive time off.

Week Wrapup

Horrible effort his week. I got busy on the stories from Ecuador and never really left the house for the entire week. By the time I got any work done each day it was after dark and, while I might be less nervous about my safety in South America than most, I ain't going running in Lima unless it is daylight.I hope to get everything wrapped up at the start of next week and start back on the training schedule. My worry is that I have gone so long since working out that I may have lost any real progress I have made. But, on the positive side, my different aches and pains have had plenty of time to heal up.

Fitness Run

Distance: not sure
Time: 25 minutes
Surface: concrete/asphalt
Weather Conditions: cool, sunny/hazy, 60s, mid-afternoon run
Location: Miraflores, Lima, Peru

Comments: I have been hunkered down in front of my computer since my last run so I really didn't feel like running or even very much up to it. The workout chart called for two miles at a pretty light pace so I made myself head out and do it.

It started slow and sloppy. Not pleasant at all. There wasn't anything particularly "wrong" but it definitely wasn't "right" either. I stuck with it and at about the 3/4 mark I slipped into a nice pace despite myself. I put in a little bit of upper body gym work after just to work up a decent sweat and to make up for the lameness of my effort. 

The training schedule calls for a regular repitition of double rest days. I'm not completely content with that and might recalculate the thing next week. For now, I plan to go heavier on gym work those days if I can get these stories finished and out of the way.