Winning Back What I Lost

Chicago, IL 630AM: My hotel is only a couple of blocks from Lake Michigan so I made my way down to the Lakefront Trail. Havent been to the Windy City since '05 which was a couple years before I caught the running bug. So glad I got to see so much of the city. Ran past Navy Pier, the Aqaurium, and Soldier Field. A moderate amount of traffic on the trail but not bad. I've got a pain in my right calf the past couple of days. It loosened up a little halfway through the run. I'll get some rest, stretch and do a shorter run tomorrow.

Chicago, IL 7AM: Easy recovery run. Headed north on the Lakefront Trail. Wind was blowing and Lake Michigan was crashing hard against the concrete "lake wall." Right calf is not getting better. Very tight & moderately painful but I can still run. I may have to forego my weekend long run unless it gets significantly better. Saw a girl out for a run with her pet pit bull. Fortunately, it had a leash. Unfortunately, for the dog, it had a pink sweater. Almost made me pity the animal.

I'm freaking out a little right now.  Made an aborted attempt at a run this morning.  Turned around after about 7 seconds.  Right calf is still very tight and sore. It seems to be located deep inside the mid-calf but its also sore to the touch. It feels like I have a huge cramp in it even when I'm not running.  Massaged it, iced it and rolled it out on a foam roller last night. Also, did some reading about my symptoms and it was enough to make me very wary of testing it and tearing something.  This is not good timing at all but at least I'm still 3 months out from my target race. 

6AM:  Back in the saddle again. I've been icing, massaging and resting like a mother trucker and decided to give it another try this morning. I resolved that if I felt any pain that I would turn around. Didn't feel any pain but the right calf was definitely tight.  I don't think I'm ready for any tempo or speedwork yet but at least I'm back running. 

Started slow on a cold morning, mid 20's w/ a chilly wind, sped up in miles 6-10 against the wind.  I think I'll add another short run during lunch to make sure I hold onto the base I've been methodically rebuilding since the beginning of this year.

1230PM: Easy recovery run on the GB from Muni Park.  Very stiff for about the first 1/4M but loosened up and enjoyed the cool weather & sunshine. 

535AM: Super slow medium long run. The pace was slow but I really labored through this run w/ tired legs and a sour stomach. Short run tomorrow then I'll try to long on Saturday.  I could say a little about my hammie, calf and foot issues but at this point it would just be redundant. 

Easy run on the TM. Going long tomorrow. How long will depend on a ton of variables and commitments.

Long Slow Run. Probably one of the longest and definitely one of the slowest I've run.  First 20+ miler of this training cycle. I won't/cant push the pace until I drop some more weight. Conditions were excellent (temp in the 50's w/ a 10-15 mph breeze).  I was able to run the first half in daylight but the last half I ended up on Ustick in the dark w/ no sidewalks and a lot of uneven ground.  I'll avoid Ustick from now on.  The really good news is that I felt pretty good apart from a sideache that developed in mile 19.  No calf pain and no PF issues. 

6AM: Lactate Threshold Run: 2M warm; 3.5M @ 7:10/mi; cool. This is a makeup run from the one I missed last week. I think there's a reason why Pfitz doesn't schedule a LT or VO2 max workout 36 hrs after a 20 miler because my legs were still a little sore.  I powered through most of it, the plan called for 4M @ 15k to HM pace.  I don't really know where my current fitness, much less my LT, is due to the extra weight I'm carrying and the fact that it has been so long since I've finished a 5k race.  I'm hopeful that I'll be back to where I was last summer in another 3-5 wks of training.  This will give me another 8 weeks to make marginal improvement.

530AM: Another really slow run. Avg HR was 136 bpm. Resting HR before I started was 42 bpm. This is not unusual for me. I've seen it as low as 38-40 bpm first thing in the morning. Very mild temps (mid 50's). I was actually able to run in shorts.  Not liking this daylight savings thing.  Just when it was starting to get light out in the morning we lose an hour.

6AM: Easy recovery run. Raining this morning so I hit the TM. Picked up the pace every mile with the last half mile @ goal MP.

540AM: Rain again. TM again. Boring easy slog of a run.

6AM: Weight training (3x single leg extensions, single leg press); Easy w/ 6 x 200m @ 7:00. 

430PM: Easy Medium Long Run. Good to run outside in the daytime with mild temps.

6AM: LT workout: 10M- 2M+ warm; 5M progressive (7:30, 7:22, 7:13, 7:05, 6:58 last half mile); 2M+ cool.  Worked into the pace this time rather than putting the pedal down and going right to 7:10 pace. It felt more comfortable to do it this way but still enough to get the HR to top out near 168ish bpm.

530AM: Easy Medium Long Run. Did the first half outside and the second half on the TM. Didn't plan to do it that way but I looked at the radar and a large mass of rain/snow was approaching and didn't want to get outside. As it turned out, the precip held off and still hasn't hit as of this writing(9AM). Got a hectic schedule this week that may infringe on my workout schedule: T-Ball practices, a funeral in Montpelier, ID and then driving to Mesa, AZ on Saturday-Sunday for Spring Break.

6AM: Super slow easy recovery run. Much warmer this morrning but it was tempered by a stiff breeze. Pretty tired these days. Need to get to bed earlier.

Easy Long Run. Had to get this one before all the traveling begins. Perfect temps and sunny but the wind was brisk, at east for half the run. Heading to Montpelier, ID and AZ. Running will be a tight squeeze in my upcoming itinerary but I'll try to make it work.

6AM: squeezed in a mediumish long run before my niece's baptism and a full day of travel. Staying in Ely, NV tonight. The long road beckons.

Mesa, AZ

8AM: Easy recovery run. Beautiful weather here- sunny with highs in the 70's-80's all week. Oranges in full bloom everywhere. Gonna try some trails tomorrow out in the desert nearby. Lots of options here- paved sidewalk, gravel canal banks to dirt trails.

730AM: Medium Long Run- Found a nice canal road that took a couple miles outside of Mesa city limits. Slight uphill grade and against the wind on the way out. Temps a little warmer but not what you would call hot, especially for AZ. Felt good to see some new geography/terrain and not run on pavement.

Mesa, AZ

7AM: Easy recovery run on a canal path through town. Temps are getting warmer by the day. I have a hard LT workout planned for tomorrow so I'm planning on getting up a little earlier to avoid the heat. Going to see Dodgers v. Giants at Scottsdale Stadium this afternoon w/ the boys. They've never been to a MLB game, spring training or otherwise, so it should be a blast.

8AM: Moved up my easy long run because we'll be travelling on Saturday. Ran the canal road from Mesa to Gilbert and back. Had an emergency trying to find a public restroom at the ten mile mark but fortunately google maps helped me locate a youth baseball complex. It appeared like a beautiful oasis in the desert. Sweet relief!!! Got a little warm the last 10k and my hips were a bit sore. Luckily,my bro-in-law has a pool and the water is still cool this time of year. Felt pretty good, almost like taking a nice ice bath.

Mesa, AZ

8AM: Last full day in the desert. 2M warm; 6M @ tempo effort; cool. Went by effort v. strict pacing. First 3M were moderate uphill + wind. Felt good to stretch out the legs. Didn't think I would be able to do anything but a recovery run the way my heel & PF were barking at me the first mile. Started to feel better in mile 2. Lowlight was being scared sh&$less by a stray dog that was napping in a bush as I approached. The thing was some sort of boxer/ great Dane mix. Thought he was gonna charge but he let me back away and cross the street w/o giving chase.