Freethinker ~ Freerunner

Long Run.  25 feels like 15.   12 mph winds.

Yeah, it was a touch cold this morning.  I wore my nylon jacket over my turtle neck.  Instead of wearing my hat and ear warmers, I decided to break out the ski mask for the first time this morning.  The left side of it was frozen somewhere around mile 10.  For the first two miles I thought the ski mask was too much.  I couldn't really feel the wind at all and in fact I was beginning to feel too warm, but eventually I was very glad I decided to wear it.  When I got out on the open trails with the north wind to my side or when I was running head on into it I was very happy with my choice. 

I felt my right achilles tendon just a little near the end of the recovery run yesterday and again this morning.  I thought it was going to be a problem this morning when I started to feel it between the 1 and 3 mile marks, but it eventually went away and did not bother me for the rest of the run.  I know that sounds bad like I warmed it up and ran through it, but I'm pretty sure from a past injury to my arch that tendons don't work that way.  If they are injured or torn they will start to hurt and not get better as you go.  I felt the tenderness way down low right near where it would be attached to the back of my heel on a few steps.

There were a few icy patches on the trail this morning.  I lost my balance one time and felt like I through my shoulder out of socket for a moment trying to recover my balance.  Fun times. 

Tuesday MLR to be followed by the usual MLR on Wednesday.  Build the base is the mantra this week.  7:38 AP. 18 degrees.

The wind was not as bad this morning as it was on Sunday.  I thought I felt that weird tenderness in my right achilles again, but it was very faint.  

A weird sequence of events resulted in my new head lamp going out of commission.  Hopefully it is not broken.  Follow me here:  I grabbed my gear and headed out the door this morning only to realize I did not know where my new head lamp was.  I then remembered I left it in my jacket pocket.  It was in my jacket pocket because on Sunday I ran without my hat, because it was so cold and windy I needed my full head mask.  Since I ran without my hat Sunday I tried clipping the light to my jacket sleeve, but that was very annoying because your arms move in ways that are not optimal for a head light.  I ended up just holding it for most of the run, but while I was getting a drink or otherwise not needing a light I would put it in my pocket.  Turns out I left it in there after I got home.  Alisha, being the good wife that she is, washed my running gear soon after I got home.  Thus the new head lamp got washed and now the light does not work.  I'm going to try replacing the batteries to see if that works.  Hopefully I didn't break it. 

13 MLR.  7:26 AP.  18 degrees.  Calm winds.  

I'm definitely going to be sore after to MLR's in a row.  Especially since I ran both less than 10% slower than marathon pace.  I still felt that tender soreness in my lower right achilles for the first 2 to 3 miles, but then I really didn't feel it after that.  

I'm going to take it real easy on the recovery run tomorrow, and preserve my strength for my first tempo on this cycle on Friday.

Recovery run.  8:33 AP.  Nice and easy.  33 degrees.  It was so nice to finally feel the "warm" weather once again!  Seriously it felt warm after 5 or 6 days of sub 20 degrees in the mornings.  

I still felt the weird mild tenderness in my right achilles.  It's not what I would call pain, but definitely a small thing I'm keeping in my mind.  I'm excited to run my first tempo of this cycle tomorrow.