It's over, man. Let her go.

48F - drizzly

Did a double today.  I had 1.5hrs in the middle of my day that was the only open time on the calendar so I was going to hit the road and try to get in 5+ miles but I had to deliver a package to a contractor and they were late getting there so I only ended up with just under an hour.  I quickly changed and ran out the gym door.  I had brought in a long sleeved tech T on monday so it was perfect for the temps.  Legs were pretty cold with just shorts on when the rain would come down.  I started out on a 5k loop that I do but then mixed it up and came back a different way to make it a little longer to about 3.5.  Not super fast, but I think the AP was low 8s.  A little stretching and I got back just in time for my 1pm.  Iced the foot.

I needed more mileage and so when my 1-5pm meeting let out at 4:30, I decided to run again before going home.  I donned my smelly clothes and started my warm up inside this time, on the treadmill.  I immediately felt the sore hamstrings and calves and knew my shortened stretching the first time around was coming back to bite me.  So I just stayed on the TM and ran the 5k program.  After the first 1k or so, the muscles were fine.  Previous best was 23:33 (7.9mph avg) on Sept. 21 so I decided to make sure I PR'd on it since I was staying indoors and wimping out.  I started off at 8.0mph and after 2k bumped it up to 8.2 then was up to 8.8 before the 4% hill at the 4.3k point, dropped down to 8.0 before the hill was up, then "sprinted" the last .3k at 9.0mph.  New PR:  22:42 (8.2mph avg) which is just slower than my actual 5k PR.  I'll be so excited when I go sub-20 on this program.  Cooled down and stretched really well.  Feeling pretty good.

I believe the treadmill dissed me today.  I went down to the gym after getting my flu shot at our clinic and warmed up for a few minutes.  I had to get on one of the older treadmills since everyone takes the newer ones first.  No biggie, the programs are the same, the displays just aren't as nice.  So I punch in the 10k program thinking I'd just cruise on it at an 8:00 pace (7.5mph) and see if I can hold that for the whole program or see when I start to fall off.  Hit start and I'm cruising along just fine.  I get to the 1.16k 3% hill and decide to back it down to 7.2mph (8:25 pace or so) for the hill.  About 1k after the hill, the treadmill comes to a stop saying the program is complete.  What the heck??  I was at 5.80k and 30:00.  I think the treadmill kicked me off because I wasn't going fast enough.  Guess you have to be an elite to run on the older treadmills.  Guess I'll use the newer ones until next 2012.

So, I was then going to do the 5k program, but decided to challenge myself in a different way.  I cranked it up to 7.0mph and 3% incline.  Ran that for 8 min then backed it down to my Easy pace of 9:05 (6.6mph) and starting at 3%, each minute I increased the incline 1%.  I got to 9% before I decided I'd had enough and took it down to 2% and cooled down.  I think I'll do some more of those "hills," but extend the time or maybe bumping it up by 1/2% instead to get more mileage in.  1.5mi before I cooled down.

I'm working up my marathon training plan and trying to decide what paces to use since winter is coming and when running in the snow and ice, my paces slow down.  I guess I'll just be going by effort/time and then using the treadmill PRs to track my progress.  I prefer to run outside even if it's cold, slushy, icy, etc. but I don't mind the treadmill unless it's going to limit me to 30 minute workouts.  (The gym does have signs saying there are 30 min limits during peak hours, but I was there after 3:30pm which isn't peak.  Unless they changed the machines, they've never limited me to 30 min any time of the day.  As long as there's an open treadmill, I don't have a problem finishing my workout even if I'll be on there for 60+ min during peak hours.  That's just the kind of guy I am.)

THEN, I get home from work and my daughter, who thinks that my laptop is hers, has decided to surprise me with a little change to my desktop.  She designed it herself and is very proud of it (I didn't specifically say that she created it herself using Photoshop on FB and heard about it later).  She loves the song and she loves to torture me with it every morning on the way to seminary.  Anyways, here's a picture of my desktop - professionally designed by Annalee.  Copies of the background image are available for $0.99.

2:30pm - 60^o beautiful day!

Couldn't pass up heading outside.  Nice, easy run on the streets of Pittsburgh.  My big toe was fine today (I think I've adjusted my stride enough to land more on outside of the foot to take the pressure off it), but my left neuromas were barking pretty loud during the run.  Tonight, they're very painful to walk barefoot.  I didn't get shots in the left foot last time since only the right was hurting.  I've got to find a more permanent solution to these nerve problems in my feet.  I'm about ready to cut them off and get a set of these:

I'd have to get some cool sunglasses though and I don't think my insurance will cover those so I may suffer through it a little longer.  But don't push me!  :-)

Decent run this afternoon.  Temp in the 60s and sunny!  I didn't have as much time as I had hoped for the run but it was nice and I figured I'd save something for tomorrow's long run.  Feet were bothering me some so I tried to take it easy even though this was mostly up and down hills.

Hmm.  I'm not going to take the time to figure out how far 318' are in "miles" so I'm not putting any miles in.  I walked down the hill from my house and my left neuroma was sore even after putting the gel inserts in (thanks for the suggestion, Mike).  I thought it was just the pressure from going downhill.  I started my run and the pain was unbelievably that only got worse the farther I went.  I knew I wasn't going to get in any distance and so I called it quits and walked home.  I took some NSAIDs and will ice it.  I'll probably try for some miles later this afternoon.  Looks like I'll be getting in to the podiatrist on Monday for some shots and discussion on how to permanently fix these issues.