A clydesdale no more!

On tap for today was a 5 mile tempo run.  It was cold this morning and I was feeling some negative energy so I was concerned about being able to handle a tempo run.  Warmed up with 3 miles (8:41/mile).  My splits for the tempo miles were: 6:22, 6:26, 6:31, 6:24, 6:28.  My concern for not doing well caused me to push too hard during the first mile and run it too fast.   I never could get comfortable and felt like I was forcing the pace the entire run.  I let the pace really slip during the third mile and overcompensated on the 4th.  Mile 4 is also along a stretch of road that I hate and I convinced myself that I was running too slow which caused me to push the pace.  For a minute, I considered taking a break after the 4th mile but realized that these are the feelings that are important to push through to learn that, despite the fatigue, I can still run at a decent pace.  Pace felt erratic and took too much mental effort but it was a good learning experience.  Cooled down with 2 easy miles (8:47/mile).

Total Time: 1:15:47 (7:35/mile)

 My left achilles tendon started hurting on Sunday and yesterday's run aggravated it.  I wanted to run as flat as a course as I could today to avoid making it even worse so I ran out to the LPT.  Achilles was very sore to start and I was hoping that it would feel better as it warmed up.  Unfortunately it never did and actually started to hurt worse towards the end of the run.  I didn't really feel like I was pushing the pace at all but could not run very fast because of the sore achilles.

Total Time: 1:51:13 (7:57/mile)

Achilles felt better this morning so I was hopeful as I set out on my 5 mile recovery run.  Two steps into the run it started to hurt again and I was running with a significant limp.  As I was limping along, Kathie's words were echoing in my head: "Do what you would tell the rest of us to do in the same situation."  Got to the 1/2 mile marker and turned around and headed home.  I'm icing it now hoping that it will feel better by tomorrow.

Achilles did not hurt this morning until I put my shoes on.  The extra little lift the shoes give my foot must be causing the problem.  I started wearing new shoes on Friday and the pain started on Sunday.  It's gotta be the shoes.  I've been wearing the same model for over 5 years so it's strange that it started causing problems now.  There was pain during the run (6 out of 10?) but it is manageable and I should be alright once I get used to it.  Running did not seem to make it any worse.  The only issue is that I could start to feel my right ITB because it was compensating for the left achilles pain.

Total Time: 1:30:04 (8:11/mile)

I'm doing all that I can to resist the urge to run today.  I feel alright but know that the smart thing to do is let me achilles have a break today so that I have a better chance of getting through tomorrow's long run.  The probability of aggravating the injury with an 8 mile run far outweighs the benefit that I would receive from it.  I have always been one of those run through anything runners but am trying to be smarter about things. 

I bought some KT tape last night and taped my left achilles.  After putting the tape on, there was no pain at all.  I was very hopeful that this would fix the problem.  Once I put my shoes on this morning I could feel a little discomfort.  Drove to the KPT to get in 11 miles before the club run.  Started out at a comfortable pace (around 8:00/mile) and my achilles was killing me.  After 5 miles at this pace I sped up to 7:30/mile and it felt a lot better.  This seemed to be the sweet spot where the pain was the most tolerable.  Met the club (big crowd today) and ran 9 more miles alone.  Some guy caught up to and passed me so I decided to use him as a target and keep up with him.  He was going just under 7:00/mile and I could tell he was really laboring.  After 1 mile he stopped and I passed him while he was bent over holding his kness and gasping for air.  He must have been doing a tempo run.  Other than the achilles pain, I could not believe how great I felt during the run.  It really felt effortless until the last 2 miles which took more concentration.  Maybe focusing on the pain in one spot made me forget about anything else that may have been hurting.  After the run, I took my shoes off and there is very little pain.  There is a noticeable bump on the achilles which I am going to try to roll out with the stick.

Total Time: 2:31:43 (7:36/mile)