Recovering from CECS

30 minutes exercise bike, 1.5 mile walk, lunge exercises, light A skip

I met with my surgeon today.  His exact words were, "I think it's time for you to start running again."  It's been about 7 weeks since the fasciotomy.  Everything seems to be going very well.

Afternoon: 30 minutes exercise bike, lunge exercises

20 mintes exercise bike

1 mile super easy run.  1 mile total walk wu/cd.

30 minutes exercise bike

1.5 mile easy run. 1 mile total wu/cd walk

30 minutes exercise bike

2 mile run, .5 total wu/cd walk

30 minute exercise bike

2 mile run, .5 mile wu/cd walk

40 minutes exercise bike

lunge exercises

PT appointment.  I told my PT the doc gave me the OK to start running.  He gave me more advanced exercises to do and suggested I ease up the running by adding walking bits in the middle for a few more weeks.

20 minutes exercise bike

4W, 5R, 1W, 5R, 1W, 5R, 1W, 5R, 1W. 20 munites run total.

30 minutes exercise bike.  Skip and hop exercises

20 minutes exercise bike

4W, 5R, 1W, 5R, 1W, 5R, 1W, 5R, 1W, 5R, 1W. Total 25 minutes run

skips and hops

30 minutes easy walking and jogging with Anne.  She's thinking about trying to run a bit this year,

35 minutes exercise bike, 1 mile walk

afternoon, 40 minute elliptical trainer

skip exercises

4W, 10R, 1W, 10R, 1W, 10R, 2W, Total 30 minutes run

Feeling a little under the weather.  I think I'm fighting off a cold.

10R, 1W, 10R, 1W, 10R, 3W. Total 30 inutes run.  I had a bad day at work and I let it carry over into my workout.  I didn't warm up, I just launched into a run.  It wasn't very smart considering I'm still recovering from compartment syndrome surgery.  Everything turned out OK, but I'm a little sore.

15 minutes bike

skips and lunges

3W, 10R, 1W, 10R, 1W, 10R, 3W. Total 30 minutes run.

When I met with my surgeon he suggested I try running fast under controlled conditions to evaluate the calf pressures and pain.  I ran the last bit of the first two run sessions fairly hard: 3:20 half mile for the first, 3:10 half mile for the second.  My calves felt great, no pain whatsoever!  My cardio fitness is awful, but that will change.

My right calf was a little tight from running quickly on Saturday.  I'll wait a bit longer before I try anything faster than my easy pace.

5W, 10R, 1W, 10R, 1W, 10R, 5W. Total 30 minutes running.  20 minutes exercise cycle.

It'll probably take a few more weeks of running with bits of walking mixed in before I'm comfortable trying a full run. 

40 minutes on the exercise bike

5W, 10R, 1W, 10R, 1W, 10R, 5W. Total 30 minutes running.

Had my final PT appointment today.  I already have better balance, ankle and hip strength than I did pre compartment syndrome surgery.  I'll keep the new exercises in my weekly repertoire.

The plan for the year continues to be mainly base building, weight loss and staying injury free.  I'll probably enter a 1/2 marathon in the fall as my first race.  I topped out around 187 or so before Christmas.  I'm down to 178 so far.  I'd like to get down to around 160 by summer.

5W, 15R, 1W, 15R, 1W, 10R, 5W.  40 minute total running.  I'm still estimating 10:00/mile.  I'm really running closer to 8:00/mile but I figure I'd underestimate.  I'm doing all my running on an indoor track right now because it is about 15 below zero outside, the roads are slick, and I'm still in a very protective recovery mode.  I'm not keeping track of laps or distance, just time for now.

Feeling pretty good today.  Another few weeks and I'll remove the walking....

40 minutes exercise bike

I worked out with Anne first, then I split off to do my running.  We did a bunch of form exercises: straight leg running, skips, bounding, karioka.... She's getting better at these exercises and not looking quite as clumsy.

15R, 1W, 15R ,1W, 10R, 5W.  Total 40 minutes running.

Worked out with Anne again.  We walked/jogged about 1/2 mile and then did a few stretches before starting our workouts.  15R, 1W, 15R, 1W, 10R.  Total 40 minutes run.

Pretty easy today.  All I did was 30 minutes on a Precor Adaptive Motion Trainer.  Pretty odd machine.....  More success with the weight loss.  175.8 pounds.  That's close to 10 pounds since mid December.

I was a little sore & stiff this morning.  I played racquetball for about 2 hours last night.  I took it easy, but the lateral movement was a test for my calves.

5W, 20R, 1W, 20R, 5W.  Total 40 minutes run.  I counted laps on the indoor track for a bit this morning.  I'm running 8:00/mile pace consistantly now.  I'm not overly ocncerned with my distance or pace.  Time on my feet isthe most important thing for me right now as long as my HR is in the mid 130s.

50 minutes on elliptical trainer

5W, 20R, 1W, 20R, 5W. Felt pretty good.  My left anterior calf muscle is a little sore,nothingtoo bad.  I think it's from playing racquetball on Tuesday.  Other than that, it was another good run towards a successful recovery

Running drills with Anne.  We had to cut it short so we wouldn't get beaned by a basketball. We went a littel later than usual and had to share the gymnasium with a kids bb league.  

20R, 1W, 20R, 5W.  40 minutes running total.

Today was my first legitimate run since about August.  I had fasciotomy surgery on November 11 and I've been waiting for this day.  I've been very patient so far and I plan on taking it easy for a while longer.  40 easy minutes on the indoor track with 5 mintues walk warm up & cool down.  I felt fine.  My legs were a little tired at the end.

1 hour on the elliptical trainer.

32 minutes easy running indoors w/ 5 min walk wu/cd.

50 minutes on the elliptical trainer.

32 minute run indoors.  5 min walk wu/cd

48 minutes running indoors.  5 min walk wu/cd.

running drills with Anne.  32 minutes running indoors.  5 min walk wu/cd.  4 miles.  I'm still pain-free while running.  I haven't run very hard yet and don't really plan on running much faster than my easy pace for a while.  Everything is still on track and I'm following my comeback schedule.  It seems pretty easy at times, but I'm hoping my patience during the recovery and mileage buildup phases will create some resilency against injuries down the road.

I became a member of our local area running club, the Green Mountain Athletic Association and I volunteered to help at a couple of spring races.  Part of my running plan is to become a part fo the runing community.  I still don't plan on racing until the fall after I've dropped another 15 pounds and I've logged a bunch of miles.

1 hour on the elliptical trainer.  Bleh.

40 minutes running indoors.  5 minute walk wu/cd.  5 miles.

40 minutes running indoors.  5 min wu/cd.  5 miles.

I did some weight training today for the first time in quite a while.  Geez!  I'm weak!  It felt good and I think I'll inclulde a simple full body circuit training day to my workouts occasionally.

50 minutes running indoors.  5 min walk wu/cd.  6 miles.  I'm worn out.  Anne and I spent much of our Valentine's Day morning shovelling a foot of wet heavy snow!

Running drills with Anne this morning.  I overdid it a little.  I strained my deep posterior calf muscle in my left calf while doing one legged bounding exercises.  That's probably a little too advanced for me right now. So..... it looks like I'll treat myself to a couple days off to heal.

30 minute elliptical trainer,

I tried to run today to see how my left calf would react.  After a 5 minute warm up and started slowly jogging.  After 5 minutes my calf started to hurt.  I'll email the doctor today and see what he has to say about it.  I think I'm going to take at lesat 2 weeks off from running and any high impact activity to let it rest.

30 minutes exercise bike

30 minutes elliptical trainer.  I traded emails with the ortho office.  It sounds like I strained my medial gastroc.  The nurse recommended I spend a longer period warming up before running.  He reminded me that I had been pretty sedentary for a few months before/after surgery and my muscles will require time to bcome reconditioned.  If I cannot run within 2 weeks, he wants me to come in for an examination.

1 hour on the Adaptive Motion Trainer.  I'm getting used to it.  I think I like it better than the stationary bike or the elliptical trainer.  I still have a tender spot on my left calf.  It's one specific spot about 1 inch square.

45 minutes elliptical trainer. Left calf feeling a little better....

1 hour on the AMT.

I was crunched for time, so I did a quick 30 minutes on the elliptical trainer.  I worked pretty hard & kept my HR at 160.

I did some non-impact running drills with Anne and 40 minutes on the elliptical trainer.

60 minutes on the AMT.  It's been 2 weeks since I strained my left calf.  It feels pretty good, no pain at all.  My rough plan was to try running by the end of the week, but I might put it off for another week to play it safe.  

I'm heading to Wisconsin for a week on the 10th.  I'm not ready to run outdoors yet either, so I'll just stay with cardio until I come back on the 14th.  If all goes well, I'll try a little easy running on the 15th. 

60 minutes elliptical trainer.

50 minutes on the AMT.

45 minutes on the AMT followed by walking, stretching and an easy 2 mile run in abount 18 minutes.  It's my first run since my minor left calf strain 2 weeks ago.  It went well.  I had no pain at all.

60 minutes on the AMT

40 min AMT

20 minutes easy running. probably about 2 miles.  No pain.

40 min AMT

20 minutes easy running. Probably about 2 miles.

I'm in sunny Wisconsin for the week.  Usually I try to pick warmer places to visit in the wnter.  I try to make my winter business trips an excuse to thaw out from the Vermont ice box.  Oh well, at least it's a week away from the office.  It was 50 degrees today, so I ran outside from the first time since probably September.  I didn't wear a watch or measure it.  I'll call it 30 minutes & 3 miles.

40 minutes on the elliptical trainer

Back in Vermont.  I missed a 20 inch snowstorm while I was away.  We'll probably have snow on the ground until May.  It's nice to be home.  I wasn't able to exercise much and my diet went off the rails.  I'm looking forward to my home made smoothies for breakfast and again!

No exercise today, just a long travel day that started at 3:30 am and culminated with a lost bag and arriving home late in the afternoon.  I feel bloated & sluggish.  

Back to the gym.  I stepped on teh scale for giggles.  I weighed 176 this morning.  A full 5 pounds more than last week.  I know it's not a true weight gain per se, but I can feel every extra ounce!

20 minutes on the AMT followed by some stretching and 40 minutes easy running.  5 miles.  No calf pain, but my calves were starting to feel a little weak by the end. 

30 minutes elliptical, 20 minutes AMT

20 minutes on the AMT followed by some easy running drills for a warmup.  I felt the slightest muscle pain in my left calf, so I stopped running at 28 minutes.  It was purely precautionary; I'm just playing it safe.  3.5 miles.  

15 minutes on the AMT plus light stretching for a warmup.  42 minutes running, 5 miles.  I went a tad slower today and concentrated on keeping my HR under 135.

15 minutes on the AMT and light stretching.  41 minutes running, 5 miles.

15 minutes AMT.  Light stretching followed by 32 minutes running.  4 miles.

15 minutes on the AMT. Light stretching and lunges.  40 minutes running on indoor track.  5 miles.

I volunteered at my first race ever today.  In my 20+ years of racing this is the first time on the "other side of the race course."  I had fun, but wished I was racing instead.  I plan on helping at a few more races this year to help me stay motivated while I slowly build my strength this year.

15 minutes bike warm up.  Lunges & stretching.  60 minutes running on indoor track.  7 miles.

45 minutes on the elliptical trainer.

15 minutes AMT warmup followed by stretches & lunges.  41 minutes running on indoor track.  5 miles.

10 minute warmup on the AMT followed by stretching & lunges.  45 minutes running indoors.  I ran a bit with a new friend, Russ.  Pretty easy running, heart rate stayed around 120-125.  I wasn't keeping track of laps; I'll call it 4.5 miles -ish.

40 minutes elliptical trainer

15 minutes on the AMT.  Stretching & lunges.  50 minutes running on the indoor track.  6 miles.  I saw lots of people running outside today.  It was about 45 degrees.  The roads are still really sloppy, so I'll stay indoors for now.  I think this is the ugliest time of year.  Still a little snow on the ground & everything is muddy; plus all the gravel & crud on the sides of teh roads.  Oh... and potholes, lots and lots of potholes.

15 minutes AMT, lunges & stretches.  41 minutes indoor running.  5 miles.

15 minutes on the AMT.  Stretching & lunges.  66 minutes running indoors.  8 miles.

The weather is finally shaping up a little.  I planned on running on our base 1/2 mile outdoor track, but it's still covered in snow, ice & water.  So, I ran on the roads for the first time in about 9 months.  I've been really spoiled by running indoors all winter on a flat indoor track at 65-70 degrees.

5 minute elliptical followed by stretching & lunges.  5.19 miles River Cove Road loop in 43:08. I felt pretty sluggish & slow.  45 degrees & windy.  8:19m/m, 138 Avg HR.

15 minues AMT warmup.  Lunges & stretches.  41 minutes running on indoor track.  5 miles.  I'm trying a new pair of shoes, New Balance 880s.  So far, I don't really care for them.  The outside bottom of my forefoot is a little sore/numb.  I'll give them a few days beefore I make up my mind.

15 minutes AMT.  Stretchs & lunges.  40 minutes running indoors.  5 miles.

Finally!  A nice day to run outside.  I've been super cautious about running outside since my surgery in the fall.  The last thing I want to do is slip on ice or step in a pothole unsuspectedly.  This was the first time I've run on Middle Road in a long time.  It may sound odd, but it felt like bumping into an old friend.  I ran solely based on HR.  6.28 miles.  53:02.  8:27/m.  130 BPM.

Middle Road & Austin House Road.  It's a fairly hilly route, I'll probably choose to run this course infrequently until I feel stronger.  8.19 miles.  1:06:36. 8:08/mile.  135BPM.

Easy 4 miles on Middle Road this morning.  It's a little chilly & it rained all last night.  4.04 miles.  32:28. 8:02m/m.  136BPM.

Ran on the 1/2 mile outdoor track at the base.  It was extremely windy; probably about 25 MPH gusts.  So, half a lap was super easy and half a lap was dreadful.  I tried to maintain an even effort, but it was tough to pull it off.  My HR would jump 10 BPM in the wind and drop down on the other half.  5.09 miles.  39:22. 7:44m/m. 138 BPM.

On the 1/2 mile track.  I ran hard for the first time in a while.  I wasn't planning on it, but picked it up on the last 2 miles.  6:42 and 6:09.  Not exactly scorching the pavement, but I've only been back for about 3 months.  It felt pretty good, so I'll call it a successful test.  My legs felt fine; turnover was smooth and I was able to push off without any pain.  

I will not run hard like this very often since it goes against my plan of becoming a base monster this year. Average HR was a little high.  I'm shooting for 135 max on all runs except for longer ones where I expect a little HR creep.  6.09 miles overall. 45:05. 7:24m/m. 139BPM.  

No running today.  Circuit weight training after a 15 minute crdio warmup.

It was rainy and cold this morning so I chose to run on the indoor track.  My new Garmin Forerunner 620 did a pretty good job tracking the run without GPS.  It recorded 8.24 miles so about 2-3% error assuming the indoor track is accurate and I ran most of the curves wide.  8 miles by actual laps.  1:03:31. 7:57/mile. 130BPM.

6.38 miles on Middle Road this morning.  It is pretty windy today.  I felt a little slugish, but the pace was fine.  48:22. 7:35/mile. 139BPM.

I'm back in Tucson for a few days visiting my dad. I met an old friend from a long time ago.  I haven't seen him in close to 20 years.  He's an accomplished doctor nowadays http://www.adventuredoc.org/.  A nice, easy run with my old buddy.  6.44 miles.  52:49. 8:12m/m.  139BPM.  I think it was a tad high since I'm at 2200ft and I'm used to living at sea level now.  

I'm still in Tucson.  Tucson has really grown since I moved away in the 1990s.  I had a nice run on the dirt roads I trained on 20 years ago; very nostalgic.  I cruised at a pretty good pace for my fitness level right now for a few miles in the middle: 7:07. 7:05, 6:49.  6.55 miles. 48:24. 7:24/mile. 139BPM.

Lunges & strectches.  6.54 miles in Tucson.  Another excellent run.  6.54 miles.  50:26. 7:43/mile. 136BPM

I'm in Tucson for a couple more days.  Today was my longest run since I've returned from compartment syndrome surgery.  10.24 miles. 1:18:23.  7:39/mile.  141BPM.

I didn't do much of a warmup today and I can feel the difference.  I'm probably also a little sore from running 10+ miles yesterday for the first time in 9 or 10 months.  I ran the same course in NW Tucson on mainly flat dirt roads.  I picked it up again on the middle 3 miles: 6:41, 7:10, 6:55.  Overall, a good run but I need to back off a bit tomorrow.  The gameplan is to only run easy pace (<75% max HR) for another 6 weeks or so.  6.54 miles. 47:44. 7:18/mile. 147BPM.  

Last run in Tucson for a while.  I fly back to Vermont this evening.  I've run a little harder than planned for the last few days.  I'm sure it had something to do with the excitement of being back on the old running paths from 20 years ago.  I figure I logged somewhere over 10,000 miles on these roads back "in the day."  I kept the pace easy today.  6.57 miles, 51:16. 7:48/mile. 138BPM.

Back in Vermont.  50 degrees with 25 MPH winds.  I opted to run inside.  15 minutes on the AMT for a warm up followed by lunges and stretches.  It's been almost 2 weeks since I've done a full warm up.  6 miles on the indoor track.  47:36. 7:56/mile.  132 BPM

Middle Road. 6.25 miles. 45:43. 7:19/mile. 140 BPM

Brrrr!!! I can't feel my fingertips!  I've avoided running outside in less than fair weather.  Today was probably my chilliest run in a long time:  39 degrees with drizzle and a cold north wind.  Lunges and dynamic stretching for a warm up.  10.33 miles.  1:19:35. 7:42/mile. 140 BPM.

A little warmer today, but still breezy.  48 degrees with a 20 MPH north wind.  Middle Road. 6.24 miles.  47:15. 7:35/mile.  143BPM.

Stretches and lunges to warm up.  I ran on the 1/2 mile track at the base.  It was nice to run on a flat surface but it was windy again.  I felt pretty tired.  The weather forecast is highs in the low 50s and showers for the next week.  I'm planning on running on the indoor track if it's rainy or windy.  I'm still a fair weather runner while I recover.  Maybe once I'm stronger I'll be more inclined to run outdoors.  6.11 miles. 46:49. 7:40/mile.  144BPM.

Rainy, gloomy day so I ran on the indoor track.  15 minute warmup on the AMT followed by stretches and lunges.  6 miles.  46:05. 7:40/mile. 136 BPM.

Lunges and stretches.  I ran on the 1/2 mile outdoor track at the air base.  6.15 miles.  47:08. 7:40/mile.  136 BPM.  

Anne & I went to Rutland for my parents-in-law's 60th wedding anniversary.  I decided to go for a longer run this morning.  It was breezy and chilly when I started and turned cold, windy and rainy; it was actually spitting snow & freezing rain at the high point of the run.  600 feet of vertical climb before I turned around.  This was about the max my calves can handle at this point in my recovery.  I felt some minor pains at about 9 miles so I backed off to a very easy jog.  I attribute the pains to the cool temperature, the substantial uphill and downhill, and the distance.  This was a good test.  I've made a good bit of progress with conditioning my calf muscles since I started back at the beginning of the year.  This run would have hobbled me 3 months ago.  11.08 miles. 1:26:35.  7:49/mile.  140 BPM.

Middle road. 6.29 miles. 46:23. 7:23/mile. 147BPM.  I'm feeling a little tired today.  I stayed very busy this weekend and yesterday's long run was really hilly.  I might reevaluate bumping my mileage another 10% this week.  We'll see how I feel by Thursday.

I've been running a little too hard since I've been feeling better so I used the HR alert on my watch to keep me in check.  I set it for 135 BPM and it worked well.  It was a very easy run and I felt great afterwards.  I re-read my initial training plan to remind myself that this first year is all about mileage and easy running.  That's the key to building strong bones & joints and future injury prevention.  But, it can be a litle boring.....

Lunges and dynamic stretches followed by 6.14 miles on the 1/2 mile outdoor track.  47:41.  7:46/mile.  132 BPM

Lunges & stretches.  It was chilly this morning, about 35 degrees.  I ran at the 1/2 mile track using the HRM alarm to keep me under 135 BPM.  9.01 miles. 1:12:19. 8:02/mile. 130 BPM.

Lunges & stretches.  Ran at the 1/2 mile track.  First 5.5 miles very easy (7:40/mile)  w/ HR under 135.  I decided to run hard for a bit.  1.5 miles in approx 9 minutes (160 BPM).  7.57 miles.  56:57.   

Lunges & stretches.  Very nice morning minus the wind.  Lost Nation Road.  11.58 miles. 1:30:21.  7:48/mile.  136 BPM.

Lunges & stretches.  A beautiful morning.  50 degrees, sunny & no wind.  Calves were a little tight from yesterday's long run and doing a bunch of yard work.  Nothing too bad, maybe a 1/10.  I'll massage them with the foam roller & the stick tonight.  6.26 miles.  47:13.  7:33/mile.  135 BPM.

Lunges & stretches.  Easy run on the 1/2 mile track.  Drizzly and 50 degrees.  6.68 miles.  49:02. 7:21/mile. 134 BPM.

Lunges & stretches.  Very windy and a little muggy at the 1/2 track today.  6.17 miles.  45:09.  7:19/mile.  138 BPM.

Lunges & stretches.  I forgot my wath today.  6 miles at the VTANG 1/2 track.  approx 45 minutes

Lunges & stretches.  I really think the dynamic stretching before running has helped.  I rarely feel sore or tight when I start running.  It was a little cool this morning.  It rained all last night.  Middle Road.  6.39 miles.  46:50. 7:20/mile.  136BPM.

Lunges & stretches.  Beautiful mornning.  45 degrees.  No wind and sunny.  Colchester Pond - Lost Nation Rd.  12.39 miles.  1:32:53. 7:30/mile. 136BPM

Stretches & lunges.  Middle road.  Felt like running quicker today.  I still have a lot of work to do, but I've made steady progress up to now.  6.27 miles.  42:47. 6:50/mile.  144 BPM.

Lunges & stretches.  Easy run at 1/2 mile track.  6.21 miles.  46:44.  7:31/mile.  131 BPM

Stretches & lunges.  Easy run at the base 1/2 mile track.  8.23 miles.  1:01:44.  7:30/mile.  132 BPM.

Rolled out of bed & ran this morning.  I felt a little tired & groggy.  Stretches & lunges.  Colchester Pond loop.  6.58 miles.  49:44.  7:34/mile.  140BPM.  

Stetches & lunges.  Hilly run in Whitefield, NH.  6.02 miles. 46:33.  7.44/mile.  144 BPM

Lunges & stretches.  Another hilly run in the White Mountains.  Temps in the low 40s and foggy.  I saw a deer and about a dozen snowshoe rabbits.  Pretty tired again.  Hopefully I'll feel better on my long run tomorrow at home.  6.68 miles.  52:20.  7:53/mile.  137BPM.

Stretches & lunges.  Stayed out late and had a few margaritas, so I wasn't feeling my best this morning.  13.25 miles.  1:40:35. 7:36/mile.  139BPM.

Lunges & stretches.  easy run on the VTANG 1/2 mile track.. After the last few hilly days, I welcome a flat run and a day off tomorrow.  6.20 miles. 45:42. 7:23/mile. 133 BPM.

Stretches & lunges.  Easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  9.79 miles.  1:16:56.  7:52/mile.  128 BPM.

Lunges & stretches.  Easy run on the 1/2 track.  6.25 miles.  46:47. 7:29/mile. 131 BPM.  The top of my right foot has been sore for a few days.  It started last week after driving for a few hours.  It's more annoying than painful.

Lunges & stretches.  Middle Road.  6.28 miles. 48:00.  7:39/mile.  133BPM.

Lunges & stretches.  Middle Road.  6.28 miles.  48:36.  7:44/mi.  130 BPM.

Stretches & lunges.  Pretty tired today.  Anne & I planted her father's flower gardens yesterday.  I'm scaling back a few miles this week.  I've been building mileage for 8 weeks straight.  Colchester Pond - Lost Nation Road.  11.58 miles.  1:31:12.  7:53/mile.  136BPM.

Stretches & lunges.  4 miles warmup with a quicker last mile.  Changed into my new racing flats.  I haven't worn racing flats in about a decade.  I'm taking my annual AF Physical Fitness test on Friday and I wanted to be sure the flats fit properly & didn't hurt my feet.

I ran a quick mile to test the shoes and get an idea of my pacing for the mile and a half test.  I haven't done any speed work or much quick running since coming back this winter.  Everything has been easy slow mileage, so I was surprised how quickly I ran my mile test.  I ran 5:09 and figure it was about a 90-95% effort.  Looking back, the last time I ran that fast is probably 1999 or 2000.  The oddity is that my max HR was only 163.  I'm pretty sure it's my max.  It flattened out for a good 3 minutes.  1 mile cooldown.

Stretches & lunges.  I ran too quickly today.  I planned on taking it easy because I'm taking my annual physical fitness exam tomorrow and I ran a hard mile yesterday.  I felt good and ran faster than I should have.  Now my right calf is a little sore, maybe a 1/10.  I'll ice, stick & take ibuprofin tonight.  6.69 miles.  46:00.  6:53/mile.  141 BPM.

I took my AF PT test today.  I haven't done any quality work since starting back so I haven't got a clue how quickly I can run 1.5 miles.  My original goal a few weeks ago was to run slightly under 9 minutes for 1.5 miles.  After my 1 mile time trial in 5:09 on Wednesday I shifted that goal to slightly over 8 minutes.  My right calf was a little sore from running hard Wednesday and Thursday (failure to curb my enthusiasm).  

I decided to start out around 5:20 pace and adjust based on how my calf felt.  After the first 3 quarters, I felt a little calf tightness so I decided to back off a bit.  I ended up running 8:18 according to the timer's stopwatch.  GPS had it as 8:20 for 1.54 miles (I had to go around a few runners as I lapped them).  I give my effort an "A-" since I couldn't go all-out because pushed it too hard on Wed and Thurs causing a little calf pain.  I'm further along than I expected considering I've only put together 2-3 months of easy mileage and I haven't done any consistant training for a decade due to my (now corrected) injury.

I still do not plan on any racing or much hard running until the fall; just a bunch of easy mileage.

Stretches & lunges.  Easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  6.13 miles.  46:06.  7:32/mile.  129 BPM.

AM - Stretches & lunges.  Home to VTANG.  Rolled out of bed & ran to work.  Felt pretty sluggish the whole way but my pace & HR was fine.  7.24 miles.  53:38.  7:24/mile.  135 BPM.

PM - Stretches & lunges.  VTANG to home.  Pretty warm afternoon.  Felt better than this morning, but I was uncomfortable from the temperature.  I've done most of my runs in the early morning when the temps are around 50 degrees.  I picked up the pace over the last 2 miles to get the run over with - 6:57 & 6:30 miles.  7.27 miles.  52:21.  7:12/mile.  140 BPM.

Easy run indoors today. 6.04 miles.  44:33.  7:22/mile.  130 BPM.

Lunges & stretches.  Easy run on the 1/2 track. I'm pretty sore from playing dodgeball 2 days ago, especially my groin.  I felt sluggish again, but pace & HR were fine.  8.18 miles.  59:56.  7:19/mile.  131 BPM.

Stretchs & lunges.  easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  6.17 miles.  47:07.  7:38/mile.  131 BPM.

Stretches & lunges.  I'm worn out!  I've worked 11 day straight and I haven't had any down time.  I've been sleeping fewer hours also.  I've noticed it in my running.  I'm not sore, but I've been tired on most runs.  I plan on napping a bit over the weekend to get some needed rest.  8.20 miles. 1:00:44.  7:25/mile.  136 BPM.  I ran the last 2 miles a little faster to get the run over with: 7:06, 6:39.

Stretches & lunges.  Middle Rad & Austin House Road.  7.49 mile.  56:40.  7:34/mile.  135 BPM.  Felt a little better, but still tired.  It feels good to have a day off from work finally!

Lunges & stretches.  Middle Road.  6.26 miles.  45:49. 7:19/mile.  140 BPM.

Stretches & lunges.  Lost Nation Road + Indian Brook Road.  I started to bonk a little bit around 12 miles.  I'll have to remember to hydrate a little better the day before.  I seem to sweat more than I did in the past.  I noticed significant HR creep over the last few miles; a good indictaion of dehydration.  I'll also consider stashing a water bottle on the route for 2:00+ runs.  15.10 miles.  2:00:36.  7:59/mile.  139 BPM.

Lunges & stretches.  Easy run at the 1/2 mile track in the rain.  6.16 miles.  47:11.  7:39/mile. 134 BPM.

Lunges & stretches.  Easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  8.13 miles.  1:01:56.  7:37/mile.  129 BPM.

Lunges & stretches. Easy run at the 1/2 mile track. I worked on keeping a faster cadence today. 8.2 miles. 59:39. 7.16/mile. 133 BPM.

Stretches & lunges. Colchester Pond loop time trial. 6.31 miles. 41:45. 6:37/mile. 146 BPM. I like this loop. It's a little challenging with a couple nice hills. It's mostly dirt roads without traffic. Next time I run it as a fitness test I'll do a proper warm up & cool down.

Lunges & stretches. Middle Road. 6.28 miles. 48:21. 7:42/mile. 131 BPM.

Lunges & stretches. Lost Nation Road & Indian Brook Road. I stashed 2 water bottles on the route today. Drinking during the run really helped. I didn't bonk today. My legs ached a little bit near the end, but that's it. 15.11 miles. 1:56:52. 7:44/mile. 136 BPM.

Stretches & lunges.  Easy run at the 1/2 mile track. Very windy and a little warm.  6.14 miles.  46:49.  7:37/mile. 129 BPM.

Lunges & stretches.  Colchester Pond & Lost Nation Road.  10.30 miles.  1:15:55. 7:22/miles. 136BPM.

Easy run with my nephew, Mitch.  He came along for the first couple miles.  Middle Road.  8.20 miles.  1:00:29. 7:23/mile. 134BPM

Stretches & lunges.  Colchester Pond loop.  6.57 miles.  47:20.  7:13/mile.  137 BPM.

Stretches & lunges.  Middle Road.  6.27 miles.  47:46. 7:37/mile.  134 BPM.

Lunges & stretches.  Long run today.  I planted my water bottles again before the run.  I think that'll become a regular routine for longer runs.  I noticed a big difference in my energy level about 5 minutes after downing a bottle.  I needed the fluids today especially since the weather was warm and humid.  I think 18 or 20 will be doable soon as long as I have enough fluids along the way.  15.12 miles.  1:53:59.  7:32/mile.  136 BPM.

Stretches & lunges.  Colchester Pond Road loop.  Very warm and humid.  The black flies were relentless this morning.  I was flailing may arms around trying to smack them for the entire run.  6.32 miles.  45:48.  7:15/mile.  137 BPM.

I attempted to run a couple fast intervals to determine a true max HR today.  It was super warm and humid.  I should've bagged it and just logged easy mileage.  2 mile warm up followed by a hard 1/2 and 2 hard 1/4s with minimal rest inbetween (30 seconds).  1 mile cool down.

I could only muster a max HR of 163.  I felt very uncomfortable running fast, probably because I've only been logging slow mileage since starting up in the beginning of the year.  I will definitely start running some sessions of strides a couple times a week to get my wheels going again.  The good news is that nothing hurt and my calves were up for the challenge.

In Boston for a few days with my nephew.  7.86 miles.  58:30. 7:26/mile.  no HRM.

My lower back has been really tight for the last few days.  The only reason I can think of is all the walking in Boston.  I think we walked about 15 miles in the last couple days.  I tried running this morning but could only get a few steps.  I don't want to push it if my back doesn't cooperate.  I'll switch to cross training until my back feels better.....

Lunges & light stretches. Easy run on Middle Road. My back is still a little tight.  It loosened up after a couple miles, but I'm still taking it very easy for a bit.  I've been stretching and using a foam roller on my back dailiy to rehab.  I hope to be back to normoal in another week or so.

4.11 miles.  30:09. 7:19/mile. 141 BPM.

Lunges & stretches.  Easy run in Middle Road.  Very warm & humid morning.  My back is feeling much better.  A few more days and it should be fine.  I hope my running gets better.  Taking a week off really goofed me up.  I feel very uncomfortable while runing.  I hope part of it is the weather...  4.06 miles.  29:51.  7:22/mile.  148 BPM.

Stretches & lunges.  Warm and muggy at the 1/2 mile track. My back is still sore.  2 miles into my run my left calf started bugging me so I stopped.  I'm a little annoyed.  2 weeks ago I was running 50+ miles a week without issues.  A bunch of walking in Boston and 6 hours of driving; now my back is a mess.....

2.1 miles.  15:54.  7:34/mile.  133 BPM.

Lunges & stretches.  My back feels a little better today and my calf feels better.  I think I'm going to go to the chiropractor this weekend.  Easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  4.14 miles.  31:44.  7:40/mile.  135 BPM.

Stretches & lunges.  Easy runat the 1/2 mile track.  Bacsk is feel much better and my HR is back where it should be, but my right calf is sore.  I'll take tomorrow off and let it rest.  4.15 miles.  30:42.  7:24/mile.  133 BPM.

Stretches & lunges.  Late afternoon run.  77 degrees and a little humid.  The black flies are really bad this summer!  Middle road.  Today is the first day in 2 weeks where my back and calves didn't hurt.  Musculoskeletal-wise I felt pretty good.  My HR is still out of whack, but it'll get back to normal in a bit.  

My diet was awful today too...  a double espresso mocha, iced coffee, a donut and a croissant. Caffeine and sugar rush followed by a huge crash.

6.27 miles.  45:31.  7:16/mile.  145 BPM.

Stretches and lunges.  Warm and humid this morning.  Lost Nation Road loop.  I felt OK through about 7 miles, then I started getting tired.  I worked too hard for most of the run, but slowing down was uncomfortable. My back pain was about 1/10.  10.83 miles.  1:19:33.  7:21/mile.  147 BPM.

Stretches & lunges.  Easy run down Middle Road.  4.06 miles.  30:02.  7:24/mile.  136 BPM

First true quality session since coming back after surgery.  It felt really uncomfortable, which I expected.  I ran them based on effort without looking at the watch.  4 x 400 with 400 recovery.  82, 83, 81, 82.  2 mile warmup/cooldown.

Easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  Very warm and humid.  I was a puddle by the end.  I slowed up and ran with a buddy after a couple miles.  6.13 miles.  49:06.  8:01/mile.  140 BPM.

Workout was supposed to be 4 x 1200 w/ 3 min rest, but turned into 2 x 1200, 1 x 800.  I'm still getting used to interval work again and it's taking a bit to get used to hurting again.  Additionally, I'm still learning all the whiz-bang features of my Garmin 620.  I tried using the workout feature, but programmed it incorrectly.  Consequently it was beeping and buzzing at the wrong times.

I should've gone old-school and just ran the darn workout without trying to use the program, but I was already halfway into the workout and too pooped to continue much further anyways.  I also need to keep the workbouts reasonable to avoid reaggrevating any old injuries.  It has been many years since I've run these types of workouts.  Oh well, it'll come.  I'm sure I'll be knocking out a dozen quarters or 6 x 1 mile in the Spring.

2 miles wu/cd.  4:27, 4:30, 3:00 for the 1200s and 800. 

Easy run at the 1/2 mile track with striders at the end.  6.16 miles.  46:13.  7:30/mile.  133 BPM

Middle Road.  6.27 miles.  48:16.  7:42/mile.  136 BPM.

Lost Nation Road.  11.53 miles.  11:26:54.  7:32/mile.  145 BPM.  Still not feeling 100%.  I'm keeping the "easy days easy," but my HR says otherwise.  I hope it's temporary and I get back to normal soon.  I feel like I stepped back a peg or two by taking a week and a half off.  

It's been raining steadily all day so I decided to run indoors and do a little weight lifting.  6.05 miles.  45:03.  7:27/mile.  132 BPM.

8 x 400 w/ 400 recovery.  Second week of adding quality sessions to my training.  I'm still getting used to the wonderful feeling of interval workouts.  I was fairly consistent: 78,79,77,78,80,80,79,79. 2 miles wu/cd.  I had zero calf pain or that "fullness" feeling I used to get associated with compartment syndrome.  I'm so grateful the surgery was successful! 

Easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  Weather was quite nice, if not a little chilly. 52 degrees and no wind.  I definitely run better in cooler temps.  6.13 miles.  43:50.  7:09/mile.  129 BPM.

Easy 8 miles at the 1/2 mile track with striders at the end.  8.18 miles.  59:37.  7:18/mile.  132 BPM.

4x1200 w/ 400 recovery.  4:20, 4:27, 4:29, 4:28. 2 wu/cd.  I was a little disappointed with the workout.  I was expecting to run closer to 4:15, but I guess I need to back off my expectations.  Another oddity was the fact that I couldn't get my HR above 160.  

I'm still not used to hurting so maybe I'm not pushing myself hard enough.... I dunno.  Too much to ponder right now.  I'm just going to "stay the course" for a while and see if I get used to interval workouts again.

Easy run at the 1/2 mile track with striders in the last mile.  6.17 miles.  46:40.  7:34/mile.  131 BPM.

Today's run was the type to make you question what you run at all in the first place.  I was tired and sluggish the entire time.  I should've been feeling great.  I took yesterday off and got plenty of sleep.  The weather was average and I ran a familiar course.  

20 years ago the purpose of my running was to win races, and to have a long shot at the perfect race and to eclipse the magic 2:22:00.  Career changes (joining the military), lost ambition and chronic injuries ended that journey.

Now I'm 43 years old.  I recently had surgery for an ailment that kept me sidelined for a decade.  I'm slowly jumping back into regular training and I think I have a shot a becoming a decent masters runner.  But is it worth it?  What's my goal now?  The Trials are out of the question.  2:22:00 was a long shot for me in my prime, 2:18:00 definitely won't happen now!  Win my age group at local races?  I live in a pretty small pond so that might be possible.  But will that be enough?  Perhaps 2:37:00 is the goal.  Then run Boston and NYC since they are in my backyard; not just to finish, but really race it and see how well I can do.  

On days like today the cost seems greater than the reward.  I know it's just a "bad run."  Everybody has them.  It's just been a long time since I've experienced a really really bad day.   I'll eat well today, take a nap and quit feeling sorry for myself.  It's just hard to stay motivated on days like today when the goals don't seem as spectacular as they once were.

Lost Nation Road and Indian Brook Road.  13.31 miles.  7:55/mile.  142 BPM.

Easy run at teh 1/2 mile track.  My neck and shoulders are killing me!  I can't even turn my neck left or right.  Driving to work was interesting to say the least.  I cut the run short.  I'm making an appointment to see my doctor.  I get this neck pain every once in a while and want to rule out anything serious.  4.11 miles.  31:43.  7:43/mile.  125 BPM. 

Went to the doctor about my neck pain.  The good news is it is not skeletal.  She wants me to try PT to evaluate my back muscles.  She also prescribed muscle relaxants.  Woohoo!

I got a good night's sleep for the first time in a few days.  The muscle relaxant really helped.  I could feel my shoulders droop as I layed in the bed.  I couldn't run until the afternoon because I was busy at work and overslept.  I felt really good, so I ran a little harder for a couple miles.  I stayed well in control and was able to cruise close to 6:00 pace without much trouble.  Last 2 miles were 6:28 & 6:06.  4.68 miles. 31:22. 6:47/mile.  145 BPM.

Middle Road - Gavin Hill.  I need to work on keeping my easy days easy.  I think I'm running too hard.  I'll turn on the HR alarm on my Garmin next week to kep me in check...  8.23 miles.  1:03:19. 7:42/mile.  142 BPM.

My first offical race since surgery in November.  Actually, this is the first time in over a decade I've been able to train for more than a month or two without being sidelined by injury.  This race establishes my "old man PR" for 5k.  Hopefully this will drop as I build mileage and get in better shape.

A minute into the race Joe McNamera & I were clear of the rest of the runners.  He's a very good marathoner in his 50s.  He's been at it for multiple decades and has a big engine.  I gapped him early on a steady uphill.  Joe caught me at around 2.25 and I couldn't stay with him.  I was starting to fade and knew I wouldn't be able to maintain pace.  I backed off a little more than I should've in the last mile.  I think I could've held pace a little better, but I'm not overly disappointed in the outcome.  I figured I'd run close to 18 minutes; maybe a touch under.  There were no mile markers, but the race was probably pretty accurate.  My Garmin had it as 3.15.  Splits:  5:41, 5:36, 6:11, 51 sec for last .15.

Colchester Pond & Lost Nation Road.  Another disastrous run.  I turned on my HR alarm in an attempt to keep my easy days easy.  I also forced myself to run extremely slow; like I was waiting for a buddy to catch up after he stopped to tie his shoe.  It didn't help.  I ended up walking several times along the way.  I felt like this once before decades ago.  Then, I self diagnosed/medicated with iron supplements and the symptoms went away.  This time around I'm asking the doctor to perform a blood test to see if I'm anemic.  I've noticed my energy level has dropped over the last month and my long runs have become increasingly difficult, regardless of the pace.

10.17 miles.  1:28:32.  8:42/mile.  142 BPM.  

Easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  Same feeling as yesterday - dead tired.  Had my blood drawn today.  I should have the results in a few days.  4.14 miles.  32:24.  7:49/mile.  136 BPM.

Easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  Again, HR elevated and feeling a bit tired.  6.22 miles.  47:11.  7:35/mile.  140 BPM.

Easy run today in the afternoon. Still feeling sluggish, but maybe just a tad better than the last few days....  Middle Road.  6.27 miles.  48:21.  7:42/mile.  136 BPM.

Easy run at the 1/2 mile track w/ a fast mile in the middle (5:50).  It was very cool this morning, maybe 50 degrees.  It felt great!  I'm feeling a little better today.  My long run this weekend will be a litmus test to see if I'm truly climbing out of this funk.  4.17 miles.  28:41.  6:52/mile.  140 BPM.

Easy run on the Colchester bike path from my house.  I felt OK today, but not back to normal.  9.33 miles.  1:10:03. 7:30/miles.  138 BPM.

I received the results of my blood work today.  Everything is in the "normal" range, but my iron is "low normal."  So I have no smoking gun to explain my recent running malaise.  I'm going to forward my results to a doctor buddy for an endurance athlete's opinion.  Additionally, I will work on my hydration.  I sweat way more than I used to when running and I wonder if I'm not staying properly hydrated.

I'll work on hydration and talk to my doc & runner doc friend about possibly adding an iron supplement to my diet.  More to follow.....

Easy run down Middle Road.  I'm feeling a little better each day.  I hope I'm back to normal in another week or so.  6.28 miles.  46:31.  7:25/mile.  138 BPM

Long run at Isle Lamotte, VT on Lake Champlain.  Windy, but flat.  I looped back to the house at the 1/2 way point to chug a quart of water.  I'm feeling even better today.  I'm really close to normal again, I think.

My doctor buddy replied and said he thinks my fatigue may be from dehydration.  This actually makes sense, but I feel a little silly to go through all the blood tests.  I guess better safe than sorry....  This all started after my Boston trip with my nephew.  We were on the go for 3 days straight, including miles and miles of walking.  I think I was neglecting my fluid intake, diet and sleep.  I know better!  I need to take better care of myself, especially since I'm not in my 20s anymore.

14.03 miles.  1:43:11.  7:21/mile.  140 BPM.  I picked it up after my water break and ran the last 6 miles in 42 minutes.  I started to tire quite a bit after 1:30.

Easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  After further consultation with my doctor buddy I will add slight overtraining to my dehydration diagnosis.  I plan on a renewed emphasis on keeping the easy days easy and only doing one quality session per week.  I ran 4 very easy miles today.  4.15 miles.  31:17.  7:33/mile.  128 BPM.  

Easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  I was sooooo tired this morning.  The run was fine, but I felt a little sluggish.  Pace and HR didn't show it.  6.2 miles.  46:33.  7:30/mile.  133 BPM.

My one quality workout for this week is a threshold pace workout, sorta.  I wasn't sure if I'd be able to run 4 miles at a slower threshold pace or if I should run cruise intervals.  It was also warm and humid today.  Finally, I still have a tough time recognizing proper pacing between easy paces and VO2 Max paces.  I made up my mind on the go based on how I felt.  After the first mile I know I wouldn't be able to run 4 straight threshold miles, so I decided on 2 x 1.5 miles.  I'm also still trying to avoid overtraining while still improving.  I figured 2 x 1.5 miles was a good compromise.  

So, the workout turned into 2 x 1.5 miles (0.5 mile rest) @ somewhere between 10k & 1/2 marathon pace: 6:17, 3:22 (uphill); 6:06, 3:04.  My pacing was all over the place!  I think I'll make a point of doing any pacework on a track and monitor 1/4 mile splits from now on until I get better at hitting the proper paces.

Easy run at Isle Lamotte.  We're at the lake house for one more day.  I really concentrated on going easy today.  7.4 miles.  57:09.  7:44/mile.  125 BPM.

Last day at the lake house.  It was humid again this morning.  Easy run around the south end of Isle Lamotte.  7.36 miles.  55:14.  7:30/mile.  133 BPM.

Easy short run this morning.  I slept in again and didn't get out the door until about 10AM.  It was a little warm & muggy by then.  4.05 miles.  31:49.  7:51/mile.  133 BPM.  

Very slow easy run today on the Colchester Pond Road loop.  I didn't sleep at all last night & woke up w/ a bad headache, so I bagged the long run.  As an experiment, I tried to run as slow as possible without it being awkward.  I think I'll try to run like this for the entire week as a little recovery week.  The only time I've really backed off much this year has been due to little injuries.  A planned easy week will be nice.  6.31 miles.  54:24.  8:38/mile.  130 BPM.

Easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  6.11 miles.  47:56.  7:50/mile.  132 BPM.

Easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  Warm and muggy morning.  6.15 miles.  48:45.  7:56/mile.  133 BPM.

Easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  My left calf was a little painful at the end of the run.  4.12 miles.  31:43.  7:42/mile.  131 BPM.

Another minor setback.  My left calf is strained again.  I've been pushing a full wheelbarrow in the evening for the last few days and I think I overdid it.  I was filling the wheelbarrow too full and really straining when pushing it.  Geez!  How many reminders do I need that I'm not 20 years old anymore!  I felt it yesterady when running but it wasn't too bad.  Today it was worse, so I stopped and walked home.  It looks like I'll need to take another week or two off from running.  I'll try to hit the cardio equipment in the meantime to stay fit.  2.28 miles.  17:14.  7:35/mile.  130 BPM. 

I tried an easy run today, but my calf is still bothering me.  I'll take a few more days off....

Easy run on Middle Road and my calf didn't hurt.  4.07 mile.  32:35.  8:00/mile.  141 BPM.  I've got about a month until my 1/2 marathon.  My goal is just to stay healthy until race day!

Easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  2 miles, .5 mile walk, 2 miles.  4.62 miles.  Taking it really easy to ensure I come back from my calf strain w/o a relapse.

Easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  4.11 miles.  32:19.  7:52/mile.  131 BPM

3 mile threshold run at the 1/2 mile track.  6:26, 6:19, 6:18.  A little on the quick side.  I probably could have kept going for a couple more miles.  A good effort, I'm getting a little better at cruising at faster paces.  2 wu, 1 cd.  

Colchester Pond Road loop. Super easy.  Right Achilles hurts a little....  6.28 miles.  52:46.  8:24/mile.  131 BPM

I met up with the Green Mountain Athletic Assocaitoin for its weekly Sunday morning long run.  This might become a regular routine for me.  It was nice to run with a group.  We ran out & back on the Burlington bike path.  I may have bitten off more than I could chew by attempting 14 miles.  I think 10 miles would have been a better bet.

I overslept and had to race out the door without ingesting much fluids or food.  I felt really good through about 10 miles.  The pace was very easy, 8:15/mile up to that point.  The last 5k was tough.  I slowed to a shuffle for the last mile.  14.09 miles.  1:59:48. 8:30/mile. 153 BPM!

Easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  2 mile run, 1/4 walk, 2 mile run.  4.61 miles.  38:42.  8:24/mile.  135 BPM

Easy run at the 1/2 mile track with a few striders thrown in.  Cold and rainy.  6.17 miles.  50:43.  8:13/mile.  140 BPM.

Easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  Chilly, but I'm wearing shorts and a t-shirt as long as I can!  4.16 miles.  32:10.  7:45/mile.  130 BPM.

Interval workout at the 1/2 mile track.  2 wu, 1 cd.  

2 x 1 mile @ w/ 1 min rest.  6:02, 6:02.  I was shooting for 6:20 (a little quicker than 1/2 mary pace).  6:00 is closer to 10k pace.

2 x 800 w/ 2 min rest. 2:52, 2:52.  I was shooting for 2:54 (5k pace), so right on the money.

2 x 400 w/ 400 recovery.  80, 81.  Right on target.

My calves were starting to tighten up on the 400s.  Overall, a good workout.

Colchester Pond Loop.  20 mph wind with gusts to 30 mph.  Rolled out of bed and ran.  My legs weren't cooperative for the first half of the run.  I was doing the Kenyan shuffle.  I picked up the pace after a steep uphill and cruised at 1/2 mary pace for the final 2 downhill miles 6:22, 6:19.  Overall 6.27 miles.  47:12.  7:31/mile.  140 BPM.  

Easy long-ish run in Rutland.  I picked a pretty flat route.  I ran a little quicker than I planned, but felt pretty good the whole way.  My left hip flexor is pretty tender.  It might have something to do with the drive to Rutland yesterday followed by yardwork at Anne's parent's house.  Hopefully it'll feel better after a few easy days.

I bought some Clif Power Shots to try on longer runs to keep me from bonking. I like them. I also bought a Camelback water bottle belt so I don't have to stash water ahead of time.  It should arrive in the mail soon.  I don't like the idea of carrying all this stuff, but I guess I don't have much of a choice.....

11.83 miles.  1:25:35.  7:14/mile.  144 BPM.

Easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  Windy and 50 degrees.  Left hip flexor feels a little better today, but it's still painful to lift my knee powerfully.  4.18 miles.  30:24.  7:16/mile.  130 BPM.

Easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  Left hip flexor feels a little better.  6.2 miles.  47:15.  7:38/mile.  131 BPM.

4 x 1 mile @ threshold pace (6:20/mile) w/ 1 minute rest at the 1/2 mile track.  48 degrees and no wind.  2 mile wu, 1 mile cd.  I ran 6:11, 6:10, 6:10, 6:09.  A little quick, but it felt OK.  My left hip flexor felt fine until the last repeat.  It felt a little sore, but not horrible.  I think it's on the mend.

Easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  6.19 miles.  46:38.  7:32/mile.

8 mile tempo run at the 1 mile ARNG track.  Pace was supposed to be VDOT calculated marathon pace (6:37) but I ran much quicker (6:18).  I figure this is closer to 1/2 marathon pace.  After I came through the first mile too fast, I tried to adjust my pace but was afraid to slow down too much.  I kept hitting 6:18-ish splits so I decided it was better to run consistent splits instead of drastically changing the rhythm of a good workout.  Minor upper back spasm after a sneeze around mile 4 and my left hip flexor started to ache around mile 6.  I think I can hold this pace for a full 1/2 marathon, maybe a touch faster under race conditions with racing flats.  

Splits: 6:20, 22, 16, 15, 15, 17, 19, 17.  1 mile wu/cd.

Middle Road.  4.03 miles.  30:43.  7:37/mile.  136 BPM.  Tired form yesterday's workout and yardwork.

Middle Road & Austin House Road.  8.16 miles.  1:03:48. 7:49/mile.

Very easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  4.18 miles.  34:42. 8:18/mile  

2 x 2 miles (2 min rest) @ threshold pace (6:15 - 6:20).  I planned on 2 x 2 miles, 2 x 1 mile but my hip flexor started acting up again.  6:05, 6:12 for the first.  6:11, 6:19 for the second.  I started the first mile but backed off when my hip pain wouldn't subside.  2 wu, 1 cd.

Colchester Pond Road loop.  First day back after 4 days off.  My left hip flexor still hurts.  I'm just going to take it very easy until my race next weekend.  I've been looking forward to this half marathon since I had CECS surgery last November.  I really don't want to skip it.  It's been a frustating year of many minor aches and pains.  I'm feeling pretty fit, but I think I need more cross training and scheduled rest to stay healthy.  Every time I tried to bump my mileage above 50 and run 7 days/wk I ended up injured.  I'm pretty sure I can make it through the successfully, but I'm scaling back my goals.

6.32 miles.  46:35.  7:22/mile.  1 mile @ 1/2 marathon race pace (6:18).

Easy run at the 1/2 mile track.  Left hip flexor sore, so I didn't go very far; just enough to loosen up a bit and stay fluid.  I'll probably take another day or so off between now and race day to give my hip max time to heal.  3.09 miles.  24:59.  8:05/mile.

2 miles at the 1/2 mile track.  Hip still sore.  I'm probably going to pass on the 1/2 marathon this weekend.  I'm disappointed.  I've been looking forward to it since my surgery last year.  There will be other races....  2 miles.  15:20. 7:40/mile.

The nail in the coffin..... I'm passing on tomorrow's 1/2 marathon.  Unfortunately I had to pay for it way in advance because it sells out quickly.  I had a calf cramp this morning.  There is no way I can get through 13.1 at a decent pace tomorrow.  Either I'd run really slow or hurt myslef trying to race.  Instead, I'll stay at home and watch the Chicago Marathon on the internet.  Back to the drawing board.  I'll start back from scratch and build a new training plan through the winter and find a Spring race to look forward to.

Well, I woke up this morning and decided to run the race anyways...  I've been nursing a couple injuries, so my original goal of 1:21-ish was out the window.  Instead I just wanted to get throught it without getting hurt and having to walk.  My new pre-race plan was to go out easy and evaluate on the go.  Perfect weather, 46 degrees, sunny and a light breeze.  Not a PR by any means, but pretty good considering where I was a year ago.... 1:25:36.

Mile 1. 6:32.  I went by feel.  The pace seemed very easy.  No pains so far.

Mile 2. 6:08.  Pretty significant downhill mile.  I'm starting to pick off runners who went out a little quick.

Mile 3. 6:30. Climbing again.  I'm pretty shocked about how good I feel, but I'm concerned that my calves or hip will flare up at any time.

Mile 4. 6:16.  Downhill again.  Still feeling good.  I'm chasing down a couple of guys in front of me.  They ended up running 1:21.

Mile 5. 6:22.  Flat dirt road.  Still doing OK.

Mile 6. 6:34.  My right calf cramped up pretty bad.  I was not expecting this.  Recently my left hip flexor and calf have been the issue.  I had to back off quite a bit for a minute or two.  I was actually pretty worried I may need to walk/jog the rest of the race.  I let the two guys in front of me go...  I was in no-man's-land for the rest of the race.

Mile 7. 6:25.  Miraculously the calf pain has subsided a bit, but I can't push much harder than this pace or it becomes painful.

Mile 8. 6:23.  Steady as she goes.... I'm just trying to keep it together and not do any more damage to my calves or hips.  I'm a little bummed because I'm not taxed at all cardio-wise.  I can definitely run faster if healthy.

Mile 9. 6:51.  Right calf pain back with a vengence.  Now I'm really thinking about walk/jogging the rest of the way.

Mile 10.  6:47.  Climbing again.  Nursing my calf big time!

Mile 11.  6:27.  Downhill mile.  I know I can make it from here, but I have one more big uphill mile.

Mile 12.  7:01.  Big uphill and my calf is cramped up horribly and now my left hip flexor pain has returned, but running is still managable if I do not flex my ankle.

Mile 13.  6:25.  Flat final mile.  I pick it up a little with a wonky running form since I'm trying to keep my right ankle fixed.  I just want to finish well and not get passed since my pace slowed over the last few miles.

.11. 0:56 ish.  GPS was off a couple hundreths...  I held it together though the finish line.

Overall, I'm happy.  I've been looking forward to this race since compartment syndrome surgery last November.  I've come a long ways and feel I can get much faster, especially if I can keep the nagging little injuries under control.  Time to rest and get healthy through the New England winter.

Little bit of strength training and 30 minutes on the Adaptive Motion Trainer.  Left hip flexor is pretty sore, but calves are OK.

1 hour on the AMT.  Travelling this evening.  I'll do some easy running in Colorado.

Flew in to Denver late.  I got to the hotel after midnight.  I'm in a concrete lungle near the airport and I'm still a little banged up from the race, so I did an easy 45 minutes of cardio at the hotel gym.  I miss my nice cardio machines at the gym in Vermont!

Easy 6 miler in Denver with my old running buddy Darryl pedaling alongside.  First run since the race, calves still stiff.  My hip flexor started acting up around 4 miles.  6.03 miles.  46:50. 7:46/mile