9:00 AM - Legs are a little tired from biking this week, but not hurting sore, just a little achey. Went on the treadmill and started with 1 mile walk in 15:00, then eased into a 2 mile jog in 21:53 (10:56/ mile), then finished with 1 mile walk for cooldown in 15 minutes. Post-run stretching followed. Before run did arm exercises with the 12lb free weights 3 or 4 sets of each exercise. 200 crunches and 150 situps.
Total Time: 51:53 Total Mileage: 4 miles Average Pace: 12:58/ mile
From one of my local running clubs' May 2008 Issue of The Pace Setter: pg 23: Article titled "Reasoned Accomodation": "We really stink at accomodation when it comes to ourselves. We are usually much better at extending it to other fls. Accomodation is not neglecting ourselves. It is protecting ourselves... What is more important, topping off some weekly mileage or being healthy enough to enjoy your next run whenever the sidewalks are clear or whenever that horrendous chest congestion and fever subside?... What I have began to espouse is accepting reality and working with it rather than fighting it or, if you will, accomodation." - Hank Steadman
I think Hank's article especially hits home for me as I've been battling this achilles issue for nearly four months now. I think I erred in the fact that I expected a couple days off or reduced mileage and I'd be good to go once again. Rather than taking a couple of weeks off to see if that helped at first, I tried to run through it, which I suspect only made my injury worse. We have a lot to learn as runners, and while we are definitely good at giving advice to other runners, we very rarely take the necessary time to reflect on our own training and our own bodies. If there's anything I've learned during my layoff that I can take away and use later in life, it is this idea of accomodation. We need to listen to our bodies rather than dictate what we desire from them. Progress comes at its own pace for each one of us. We shouldn't hasten the process. At least we can know that if we listen to our bodies we stand a better chance at not only recovery, but future progress. Keep on truckin' friends. | 