Clyde's Comeback!

Finally got out for a run. The first 2 miles were nasty as the hip was just screaming in pain. I was only planning on doing 6 or so but as I got to 4 things kind of loosened up and I felt good enough to take it around the DC loop instead. So the run started crappy but ended pretty good. Still way tight in the hip and the dang knee... not sure what it's deal is but I was able to run today and that was a blessing. 

Busy day with the home project. I knew I wouldn't be able to run. Got a lot done. It's really close now!

10.2 miles with the guys around the DC loop. Nice to finally get the circle together after a long hiatus. Felt way better than the last few weeks. Was able to run and not just suffer in pain the whole time. 

10.2 miles with Misty. I had about an hour and a half between runs so got some oatmeal and hydrated then went and worked on the garage. Misty showed up and we looped around Stone Cliff into the bottom of St. James, then back through B-hills and home the long way in Little Valley. She rocked it! 1:40 or 9:51 pace. We left the  house planning on only doing 8.5 or so but 7 miles into it she was still chatty and I said she felt good so told here she could get her first 10 mile run in. Did it and stayed strong all the way to the finish. It was awesome.

21.8 mph avg for the 36 mile airport/ sunriver loop. I had it up to 22 at around mile 30 but crossing River Road and traffic slowed the pace on the last 4 or so miles. Still my fastest ride avg ever. Kept the hammer down most of the ride and couldn't have gone much faster alone. But I didn't have my areo helmet on and that is supposed to make me 1-2 mph faster? So nonetheless a solid ride. Got the final inspection done on the home addition project too. So all done with the city crap and almost all done period. 

Maybe the worst run of my life. Worst run hip related for sure. The first 4 were pretty good too. Ran the Stone Cliff loop that I ran with Misty on Weds. By mile 5 my hip started to tighten up and by 8 I was suffering. Got home and stopped running only to find I couldn't walk. Super painful and even more frustrating. Maybe due to the hard ride yesterday? IDK should have stretched out good last night but got too busy with projects. 

Another big day working on the house. I got up early and worked all day into the night on projects... just didn't do any workouts. Felt bad about it but there wasn't time or energy at the end... just bed time. 

70 min's on the spin bike then

6 miles running on the treadmill in like 52 min's

60 more min's on the spinner later that night

Pretty solid indoor tri training day. Didn't want to mess with the wind and rain. Hip felt painful but doable on the machine. Actually better there than it does out on the road. More forgiving and lower impact for sure.

Up early and ran the DC loop. Not as painful as last Thursday but almost. Ugh. My wife thinks that I'm worse the day after riding when running and I'm starting to think she's right. If I ride at all the day before my hip seems more painful the next day running... but not so much the same day. ?

.7 mile swim with Mike. Oh boy! He picked me up at 8:30 a.m and we went straight out to Sandhollow. Got there and it was a hurricane wind with air temps around 45 F. We dressed in our wet suits and got out by the water. I was shivering then. Got my feet in and it hurt- just super cold and painful in the arch and around the ankles. Water temp is at 55 f. After a few min's of standing there the pain slowly left but the wind was just hammering from the north west. Whitecaps. We swam into it. It was crazy and at time I thought I might end up at the bottom of the lake. My goggle in the left eye leaked super bad and it was a pain in the rear the entire swim. Anyways you'd have to have been there to understand but it was crazy. After we got going the coldness of the water didn't seem to bother which was comforting to know for race day. I just can't imagine getting out of that and on to a bike... I might have pulled out if today was the race. Mike said it was worse today than it was at last years IM race. Guess he went out and watched... so that's comforting too:) 

DC loop with Dave this morning. A little cooler than it's been (40F) but once we got going I had to pull up the sleeves. Felt achy and tight but again runnable and glad I didn't have to let Dave go.... although I'm sure I slowed him down. 

60 min's on the spinner after the run. Just couldn't get going... at all. Stayed around 95 watts or so and usually I'm around 120+ just regular effort. Really felt like I was working hard and the output was super weak. Plus my butt hurt the whole session. But glad to get in a decent workout timewise and watch a couple days worth of PTI's too. 

Oh and I did something off the wall- registered for LOTOJA. IDK?

2 hours on the spinner first thing this morning. This is my longest or equal to my longest time on the spin bike. And let me just say that 2 hours on that thing is like 5 outside. 

12.2 mile run with Misty right after the spinner. This was her longest run ever so far. We did the DC loop then extended back down the inner river trail in to B-hills, then back to River road to home. She ran great and kept it solid throughout. 9:58 avg for the run. 2:02:xx. So that gave me 4 hours of tri training for the morning. 

Big Workout Bike, Swim, Bike, Run

Loaded up my Ogio Tri bag  with food, wet suit, towel, beverages and other crap and took off on the bike to Sand Hollow. The bag fits much like a backpack but is designed for this... I guess. But riding with it was pretty hard. It was heavy and created a lot of drag. I only hit 18.5 mph on the way out to the lake. It's just a little over 20 miles from my house there. 

Once at the lake I did a swim of around .75 or so. I wanted to do the full course but after getting home and google earthing it I found I was pretty short... plus it only took just over 25 min's and I'm not that fast in the water. But it was a good day, good water and good test run for sure. Shoulders did get tired but they got tired at like .2 and never felt much worse the rest of the way.

Out of the water and changed back into riding cloths to head back home. Came home basically the same way but went around the Harley dealership then back down to Telegraph like the course does. Then when I got into the fields I cut in by Stone Creek meadows instead of out around by the corn maze. So it just about evened out. Was able to ride a little faster on the way in and brought the overall avg up to 19.2 mph but it was still slow with that bag.

Got home and ran 7 miles around the B-hills loop extended through the Secret Street. Hip didn't kill like it has been doing but was so tight that I just couldn't go any faster. Ended with a 7:20 avg on the run.

Another solid 3+ hour workout. Just bugged that the running is so my worst part... It should be my strength! Super stressed about it.

Finally had a good run. Maybe the best since... I don't even know. Started out slow and smooth with a little tightness so I was timid to push anything hard. But wanted to keep the run upbeat throughout. By the time I got to mile 6 I was really starting to feel good and realized today was a good day. I was only planning on going 12 miles max or maybe 8 if things were bad. But I felt good and extended just over 15. Sad I didn't have a watch on because paced was solid... know I pounded the 7 min guy. Which was all that mattered as he's been talking smack and in my ear like a bug for weeks now. Hit the DC loop then dropped back down  the inside river trail to the bottom then back home around B-hills and the park. Actually picked up the pace on the last 1.3 or so to were I was hitting sub 6 and really rolling... haven't been in that ballpark forever. Glad to feel a little flow.

And I wore some low profile race shoes. Kinvara's... anytime I've wore a shoe that wasn't really supportive I've got jacked up. But for some reason today I just decided to try it and my hips seemed to square up. Do I think it's a forever fix? No but even if I could get today's body to show on the half ironman I'd  run way better than I have been.

Had another decent run... shh! I'm trying to keep it on the DL. Hopefully I can stay on top of things and not get so tight and jacked up between now and race day. Beautiful and warm morning today as it was 61 F at 7 a.m. 

Birthday Challenge

20.5 mile run this morning. I had no intentions of doing this run this year due to the injuries and overall pain level I've dealt with for months. But as the night rolled on Monday night I just couldn't let the day pass and not try. So I decided if nothing else to get up and do a long run then see how the day went and at least be in position to finish it in the evening. 

So the morning run went great. Just kept it smooth and easy and only pushed the pace on the last 1.6 or so. Ended up hitting a 7:00 avg exactly for the 20.5 down on my river trails loop. Felt great other than from like 12.5-14 my left knee had some really sharp pain. But it came and went.

13.6 around the summer fields tempo loop and extended around the park a couple times in the fields by the river. Left the house and that same pain in the left knee was super sharp and painful from step one. But I just kept grinding through the first mile and by mile 3 I didn't feel it anymore. Didn't have a watch this time as I forgot to turn it off after the morning run. But pace and effort seemed about what I was running this morning. Got rained on pretty hard on the last 4 miles but it felt good- hands and forearms were pretty cold though by the end.

Anyways got it in and the hip really felt pretty stable throughout. The left knee thing was and is now (post run) super painful. Hope I can work through it without big issues. Hoping the hip continues to improve. I've been using a ball and rolling on it belly down on the soas area and hip. Seems to really be helping.

I felt like after yesterdays batch of running today should be a recovery day. 

40 min's on the elliptical this morning. Legs seem to be feeling pretty good. That left knee still has the same ache but not as sharp as yesterday. Think I'll pass on real running today as well. 

40.7 mile ride on the bike. I'm calling it my horse and naming him LeRoy. So old LeRoy and I went out this afternoon on the airport/ sunriver loop then extended around the fields instead of coming home on River Road. The wind was gusty but my legs were on fire tonight. Just pounded the ride. Had a 22.2 mph avg through 31 until I had to start really dealing with traffic. Still ended at 21.84 and bested my previous fastest ride ever of 21.79 mph avg. With the wind tonight that was pretty solid. And I felt good. Maybe I should do a 34 mile run a few days before IM to "light up the darkness" in these old legs and get LeRoy really rollin?

DC loop with a little extra at the start. Left the house early and got about .2 away and realized that the left knee was super sore and wanted to get the brace thing I've been wearing. So I went home and got it then continued on the run. The brace is just a band that goes around the leg just under the knee cap and seems to help support that tendon on the inside of my knee that's been super sore. With it on the knee didn't seem to bug really at all- and the hip seemed pretty solid too. Maybe like a 8 out of 10. So way better than the 4 or so it's been at. Pace was slow as the legs did feel pretty heavy but that's due to the long run on Tuesday and the hard bike ride last night. Pretty chilly last night at 36 F but warmer than yesterday where the temp said 34 F but there was ice on the wheel lines out in the fields when I took Myler to school. A lot of ice too.

Up at 3 and out running at 3:30 a.m. Just wanted to get a little run in before we headed off to the hospital. Mik'L was already up showering and stuff anyways. It was a beautiful morning and I had a peaceful feeling during the run. I was just so happy to out running, and living such a wonderful life. The baby came and him and momma were both healthy too. So blessed. Spent the rest of the day in the room with family in and out. No name yet for him...

Did the same fields tempo loop run that I did last Tuesday on the second part of my birthday run. I had to run it again with a gps to see how far it was for sure. Ended up being 13.8 so .2 longer than I had google earthed it. I started out slow with a 8 min flat mile then a few 7:15's but then got going around mile 5 and ended with a 6:55 avg for the run. Hip was more sore than it was last week but I wasn't very good over the weekend about rolling it and stuff. Now back to the hospital and maybe we come home today. crossing my toes

36 mile ride on Leroy. I borrowed some 808's from Mike W and they rolled! It was super windy out on the AZ parkway but even with the wind I PR'd hitting my first 22.1 mph avg ride. Coming back to the west was  a lot of work right into the headwind and I was over 22 mph early around 15 miles but by mile 20 I was back under with the wind.  Then once I got to Sun River I had some trees and houses blocking and was able to roll. Was going as fast as 27 mph up the river trail. It was fun. Legs and lungs got a good push tonight.

Circle of Trust run. Super nice morning to be out running with the lads. Hips were more tight than they have been for about a week but still runnable. Just nice be out and get the run in with two local legends. 

1 mile swim out at the lake this afternoon. Air temp was around 80 and so the water didn't seem too bad. I swam pretty good but didn't time it. Ended up staying right in front of a couple other dudes who started by me. My swim isn't going to be amazing but it shouldn't break the race either. 

60 min's on the spinner. Semi hard effort. Ended at 15 miles. It's so different on the spinner than it is outside on the real bike. 

40 min's on the elliptical after spinning. Again a semi hard effort but it felt good. Ended the workout feeling strong and no aches!

20 miles in 2:18 or a 6:55 avg. I started out feeling amazing. Better than I've felt in months. Was rolling off 6:45's give or take for the first 13.... then I started to cramp up and the hips got super tight. Like worse than ever. Managed 7 min pace up to 17 and then just fell apart. It was later in the day as I didn't start until after 9. So heat was an issue and I was super dehydrated with some GI issues all night last night. Anyways the last 3 miles killed and my hip just broke. Got home and can't even move. I want to scream. I wish I would have just gone like 12. Buggin- just wanted one more good long run in the tank. Now I've really got to work hard to loosen up and get something back before next Saturday. 

Did a mock race workout out at the lake this morning. My wave starts at 7:15 a.m next week so I was out there early enough to get all set up and start the swim at roughly 7:15 today. It was a beautiful morning and with water temps at 55 F or so you'd think cold but I felt pretty comfy. Swam just over a mile but didn't time it. The swim went smooth... as smooth as it can for someone who's not a good swimmer. 

31.3 mile ride. I got out of the lake and transitioned in the back of the Rav4 and headed out on the bike course. I didn't want to ride the full things but wanted to get in a solid spin. Took the course over to Hurricane then back east on SR-18 until the Quail lake turn and took that up to the dam parking lot then back down to SR-18, then back up to Coral Canyon and under the overpass by the Harley shop and back west. Then just came back to the lake. 31.3  miles at a 21.6 mph avg. My legs felt super heavy as I got on the bike, quads for sure. Feeling some fatigue from yesterdays long run.

Overall great morning and home by 10 a.m to spend the rest of the day with the family. Our little baby boy is 1 week old today so we've at least been successful with two kids for that long.

B-hills extended through the Secret Street and Little Valley. Hip was worse than it was last week pre the Friday run. But better than the last three miles of the Friday run. It started out feeling very unstable with pain around a 5 out of 10. As the run progressed it seemed to gain in stability but the pain stayed the same. Dang! I sure hope I didn't screw it up for Saturday by doing that 20 miler on Friday. It was just coming around. Going to see April tonight and will play it safe all week with very little running or hard physical output in any sport.

Ran with Misty out 2.5 then back. Hip seemed ok at best but the pace was slow and EZ. Nice morning for a run and fun to see Misty so excited about running. She's really come a long ways since the middle of Jan when we started.