Easy transition

In O'Fallon, IL again this week. Didn't run on Monday or Tuesday, as knee still hurt. Yesterday afternoon though, I actually forgot about it, so I figured today I should run a little bit.

It was rather mild this morning (45 degrees at 5:15 am) and I didn't quite have the clothes for such mild weather, so I got a little hot. I didn't get a time, because I wanted to focus just on running 4 miles, and not running 4 miles in X minutes. Coming back with about a mile to go, I turned my head hard to the left, and then noticed that my hamstring was a little tight on my left side. At that point, I began wondering if having tight or weak hamstrings contributed to my knee problem. It makes sense. My knee doesn't actually hurt when I press on it; it only feels weird when I open and close it. It's also a bit swollen. I don't think that my hamstring is the sole reason for my knee injury, but I have a feeling that it is related. I think I need to stretch and strengthen my hamstrings. This has been a weak point in my long runs since my first marathon. My hamstrings have traditionally cramped up on very long runs (and marathons).

Anyway, it's an interesting thought. I'll need to be mindful on that. Anyway, I had a good run this morning, and hope to have another good run tomorrow morning - and it's due to be much colder, lower 20's, so I'll be dressed properly :)

Didn't run today

I woke up with my knee hurting more. I didn't feel that it was worth the risk of running 10 miles this morning with that condition. Hmmmm....

One down, One to go

I ran 14 late this morning. I elected to not run 20, but run shorter runs two days in a row. My knee has been bothering me lately, and I didn't want to injure it more (as is running 14 miles doesn't affect it at all....) I was under a 10 minute mile (something like a 9:40) but I wasn't really watching my pace (too much). I took 3 walking breaks on purpose, including one half-way through. We'll see if I can do 10 tomorrow morning (whew).

I actually felt very good at 7 miles (half-way), and pretty good at 10. In the last mile, I actually ran as fast as I could up a steep hill near my house (but only got down to an 8:40 pace, so I wasn't running all that fast). I could have handle another couple miles easily, but I'm not sure I would have felt just as fresh after 6 more miles....

Oh well, wish me luck for tomorrow morning.

One Word - Treadmill

Well, I did manage to get a run in last night -- on the treadmill. I didn't / couldn't run in the morning, so I decided to do a run every 36 hours or so this week (Tuesday am, Wednesday, pm, Friday am) as my knee still feels funny. Doesn't actually hurt (unless I bend it all the way), but I do notice it, which probably isn't a good thing.

So, during the new episode of Lost last night, I got on treadmill, turned closed captioning on the TV, and started running. I actually got engaged with the storyline and all of the sudden I was at 2 miles. However, I was feeling twinges in my left foot during my run. I think I was changing my running gait, or doing something to compensate for my left knee, and it was causing issues with my foot, so I stopped at 4 miles. Now, if I were running outside, I wouldn't have had that luxury. However, on the other hand, given the high winds and rain, I probably wouldn't have noticed the twinges and continued running (plus, I would have been 2 miles away from home still). All reasons aside, I stopped at 4 miles (9:30-ish pace).

That brings me to a whopping 10 miles this week. Not sure if I should do 20 (!) this weekend, especially with my knee. I wonder if I did 12/12 (Sat/Sun) if that would work. Hmmm...

Day After

I was thinking after my run today that I don' t have a race scheduled for after this next race. They say that you should have a race already scheduled so that you don't hit the post-race malaise (too much). Particularly for a marathon. You prepare so much for it, and all of the sudden, it's done, and you are left in a funk. I know -- I've have it before. After my first marathon, I stopped running for nearly 3 months (!). After other big races, I fought to stay motivated as well.

This past year, my motivation has flagged somewhat (just recent posts from last fall, and you'll see). The question is... what race should I run? It'll be mid-Spring by then (well, early Spring). Maybe some 10Ks. I haven't done them in a while.

Oh, I ran 6.00 miles today at a 9:30-ish pace. My left knee continues to make itself known.

Long, Slow Run

Today I set out to run. Didn't really know how far I was going to go when I woke up this morning. In fact, until I "settled" on running 14, I wasn't really motivated *to* run. However, I finally got out the door around 8:30 am (as opposed to the plan of 7:00 am). I ended up running 13.35 miles. I felt my knee during planned walking breaks (at 6 miles and 11 miles) while I ate my peanut butter sandwiches. I figured I shouldn't push to run too much today. I cut it short a bit but felt okay about the run.

Since I was running a slower pace, I felt fine at 10 miles. I felt my legs after mile 12, but that might have been because I was back in my (hilly) neighborhood. But, I ran (whew).

Late Night Run

Yesterday morning, it was all I could do to get up in time to go to work. There was no chance in heck to get up earlier to run 8 miles (I think I'm coming down with something, various members of my family are/were sick, plus several friends -- especially those with children). So.... last night, I told My Lovely Wife to force me to run after dinner, etc.

Last night I did.

8.02 miles at a 9:22 pace. It was rather like an early morning run, but with less traffic. I started out around 8:55 pm and was back around 10:05-10:10 pm, so it wasn't too late, although it was much later than I usually run :-)

It was kinda cold -- 24 degrees, but not too windy. I'm starting to think that running wearing cotton gloves may not be the best idea. My hands got hot, then sweaty, so I took them off, but then after my hands cooled off, I had to put on cold and wet gloves. I also have some issues other apparel items made of cotton, but that's certainly not a topic for a public blog post :-)

I'm taking off today, and trying to figure out if 18 miles for tomorrow is in my future....

Yay, I ran today!

Whatta headline. To have to announce (gladly) that I ran today is something.. but not exactly a good something.

I woke this morning at 4:30 am (I'm getting too used to this) and for some reason, didn't manage to leave the house until 5:30 am. May have something to do with the fact that I did a little bit of work before I headed out. Anyway, I ran 'okay'. I did 6.2-something, at a 9:20 (I think) pace. I think a) not running consistently; and b) taking my long runs on trails, where my pace is slower, has something to do with the fact that my daily (ish) runs are not as fast as they used to be. I would have hoped that my daily runs would be under a 9-minute pace, but hey, at least I'm running (Yay, I rank today!)

I'm hoping to do 8 tomorrow, and then either skip a day, or run 4, and then do a long run on Saturday (not sure for how long though -- yet, but I posted last Saturday that it should be another 18. yikes).

Slogging It

Okay, it took a little bit of willpower, but I got myself out of bed and ran outside. The weather forecast said it was 31 outside, but it felt warmer than that. It was actually 41 at my house, but I didn't find out until after I came back in -- I was dressed a little too warmly.

Anyway, I was waffling to run either 4 or 6, but was leaning towards 6, when I realized, about a 1/4 of a mile from my house, that I forgot my water. Whoops. That made my decision for me, so I ended up doing the loop around my neighborhood, 4.34 miles, at a 9:39 pace.

My left quad was feeling a little tender from my long run on Saturday. I was also still a bit tired from that run. So I didn't want to push the pace too much. A 9:39 was a little slower than I would have liked, but at least I ran, and hopefully didn't injure myself.