Bryan's Running Blog

36:30 ==> 8:07 pace. I took it nice and easy, running on about as flat a course as I can find around my house. I stretched my calves before and after the run and then took some ibuprofin and iced my achilles for 10 minutes or so during breakfast. I plan to take it fairly easy this week.

I ran slow half mile on treadmill, stretched, then ran another half mile on treadmill, stretched, and did one set of 10 calf exercises. Then I went outside and ran 5.5 miles in 50:55, which is about 9:15 pace per mile! My achilles felt fine the entire run (and now). Towards the end, my right knee was a little sore -- I'm not used to running so slow, so I take smaller steps, and my form is quite different. But my knee is fine. I'll probably try to go a little faster tomorrow, but again keeping the pace pretty slow.

Played basketball in the evening for 1.5 hours. I took it fairly easy, but I'll count it for 2 miles of running. My achilles felt fine.

1:02:53 ==> 8:37 pace. Faster than yesterday! I ran in the area just south of Charlotte Pike and west of 440. Not the nicest neighborhood and too many hills.

Achilles feels fine. After my run I did one set of heel raises to work on calf strength.

36:19 ==> 8:21 per mile. Two loops around Carondolet subdivision, up Shenandoah to Ford and then down Davis. I felt pretty bad this morning. My throat is a little sore, meaning a cold is probably coming on. Also I am stiff in weird places (stomach, quads) from basketball Tuesday night, and my calves are stiff from my calf exercises.

4 miles in 34:50 => 8:43 pace. Slow run around my neighborhood. I still feel a little sick, although my muscles are no longer sore. It was raining and after the run I did one set of ten calf exercises.

Basketball this evening, without any subs. We won by one point (a guy on the other team shot 5 free throws after time had expired -- 3 for being fouled on a 3-pointer at the buzzer and two for a technical, but he only made 1 of the 5 -- lucky us). I will count this as 2 miles, because I am quite tired.

1:18:25 ==> 8:34 pace. I ran along Old Smyrna, then Holt Road, and then through the Stone Ridge neighborhood to Edmonson Pike and then back through my neighborhood. It was a nice loop, particularly because half of Holt Road was closed because of construction. There were a few very steep hills in the Stone Ridge neighborhood that I didn't particularly enjoy.

I've been going pretty slow this entire week, but I've still gotten in nearly 40 miles, which I feel good about. My achilles doesn't hurt, but it is still a little stiff, despite my slow runs. I have done one set of calf exercises (heel lowerings) almost every day this week. I plan to do two sets every day next week. I've been making a conscientious effort to stretch before and after each run. After most runs, I have iced my achilles and taken two ibuprofin. Anyway, I feel like I'm putting in a valiant effort to get better. I miss the faster runs. Hopefully I'll get in one or two next week.