Denouement

Catching up on my blog.  Horrible, horrible sleep.  Paid big time for my Sunday nap.  Probably got 5 hours after taking ibuprofen PM at 1am.  12.54k @ 4:50 pace.  Have a slight cold (somewhat stuffy, a bit of a sore throat, somewhat tired). Started Sunday so it wasn't from the bad sleep, though i am sure the bad sleep didn't help.  During weights my left knee was not happy, so I skipped a rep on one machine and vowed to not return on Wed if my knee doesn't feel much better over the next couple of days.  Core workout.

AM: 8.04k at 5:00 pace.

PM: 23.9k in 1:46:34, 4:27 ave pace.  Felt hip soreness at times, knee just a bit, back felt pre-pinchy (where it might get a pain that wouldn't resolve for a couple of days, that concerned me), right ankle hurt for one k at around 14k.  At around 15, I thought, "Yeah, I have a bit of a cold, I can feel it sapping me."  It was so windy.  I don't mention it often, but I often think "I am going to blog about this" but I don't.  So, here it is: often I feel headwind both on the way out and the way back.  It is wierd.  I will fight the wind and think that it will get better when i turn around, only to find it's still there.  It may be because the trail is along the water, so it is really a cross wind?  Not sure but it tricks me all the time.  I find myself talking to the blog as I run, is that healthy?  Not sure.  I know I miss my running buddies.  Went to the bathroom every two miles about three times--I am wondering if I am slightly gluten intolerant?  I know--jumping on the anti-gluten bandwagon?  My diet here is heavy on the oatmeal and the pb&j or pb&b (banana) sandwiches, so I am cutting out gluten just for a bit to see if it helps.  I hope it doesn't take long to cycle it out, because I really like my gluten and want to get back to it. 

TMI, I know, but you're the one reading this :D 

Felt crappy so only ran a 10k slow 5:09 pace.  Hip sore, knees ok, work patellar straps, body sluggish.  Still a bit of cold.

Massage today, he got into my glute really good.  Did core but skipped weights.

AM: 4.86 miles, nice and easy, 5:06 pace.  Felt much better waking up this morning, and during my morning run.  Not 100% yet, but closer.

PM: Ran warm up at HKSI.  Wanted Coach Paul to watch my stride since my hip might be affecting my stride.  Had 4x2 miles at HM pace, 3 min rest between.  Did first two on the track, with first rest used to discuss form with Paul, then second rest used to run out to the bike path, then did second two on the path.  He said my right leg is fluid and good but my left was often wooden, which is bad.  He said perhaps I wasn't pushing off enough on it (favoring it because of hip or knee soreness or fear of soreness).  On the second set I was angry from the feedback (not at him, but at any prospect of this new injury throwing a kink into my marathon--which is not going to happen!), and I focused on my stride and trying to keep it even.  I think I am going to have to conscientiously do this to keep my stride even between now and then to not mess up my right side or make my left side lazy.  Anyway.  My goal was 90-92 pace, fine with 92 if that's all I can do because of slight cold I have had this week.  First set was 12:07, started at 92, then did 90-91 for the rest of the laps (3:01 rest), 12:00 for second one, all laps at 90, it was awesome to be so even (4 min rest), 12:10 for the third.  Involved a wardrobe malfunction of sorts.  I forgot to take off my tank during my break (they have unwritten preference that athletes wear shirts in HKSI, so I obeyed that, but the weather was 22-23C (71-73F) with 72-82% humidity, so to me that is still uncomfortable and my tank was sweaty). So in the first k I took it off, then threw it in the bushes, but as I looked back I saw it bounced off and landed on the bike path and this place is way too urban to leave it there, so I had to turn around and get the tank squarely into the bush, so this maneuver perhaps cost me 5-10 sec.  I had the watch on ave lap pace, and I wanted 3:49 or better, so after that issue was at 4:05 and eventually crept it down to 3:46, so I was really happy even though it was my slowest one. 2:59 rest , then fourth was11:58.  This one reminded me of how I feel in mile 9 of a half, tired but nowhere near the finish.  So glad to finish strong.  I guess this workout means I am officially over my cold (though i am blogging at 4am because I woke up at 3:30 with major hunger pains-hope the sleep issues doesn't cause a relapse).

10.66k at 4:47/k pace.  Massage appt, weights (did lower weights and knee was fine), core

8.54 k at 4:41/k pace.  Felt good. Stretching/rolling.  Watched 2/3 of Bridges of Madison County.  Had never seen it and wanted to veg before the race.  It was so sad and a bit disturbing.