Where's the Donuts?

Just a few easy morning miles to make sure my legs are alright after yesterday. I went pretty slowly, I'm dogsitting and this dog is unaccustomed to running (or just out of shape) so I couldn't even push the tempo after 2 miles or so if I wanted to. Almost none of that hamstring/hip pain the I felt Saturday, which was good. I have a feeling all the treadmill miles may be the source of some of that tightness in my legs. It seems that at the end of a week when I've been on the treadmill a few times I'll have some dull pain and tightness, and when I'm on the machine I can feel that my legs don't quite stretch out as much as I'd like. I'll try to do more of a mix this week, weather permitting. I think I've been neglecting to stretch as thoroughly as I should be as well, today I went at it and could tell I hadn't been pushing as much as I could. Anyway, a better mindset than yesterday, which is a good way to start the week. Now to not get too fat sitting and watching Super Bowl commercials while eating chicken wingadores all afternoon. 

 supernova -- 57

I took the dog out for a run this morning, and found out that this is a lazy dog. Even running slowly I was dragging the mutt after three miles, so I called it quits. I'll go out again after work for a few more. 11th Street-Shore loop, the short version. No pain in the legs, which is good. 

Left the dog in the car and ran 4.5 on the treadmill at 7:30-8 minute pace, then tacked on a -- go figure -- slow 1/2 mile dragging the puppy. So I learned from yesterday, got my miles in first then gave the dog all it could handle. Didn't get a chance last night to add more miles, 10-hour workdays do that do you.

My left hamstring felt a twinge a few times on the treadmill, but nothing sustained or too severe. I may (if it's not pouring like today) go back outside tomorrow to see if the surface I'm running on is making any difference.

supernova -- 65

Morning run, pretty decent day for a tempo workout on the 11th St-Shore Drive loop (out and back for the longer version). We're settling into one of those long rainy spells so it's good to get a few dry miles when I can. Anyway, 1.25 mile warm-up, 3 miles Tinman Tempo (I'm estimating between 6:35-6:45/mile), 1.25 back home, then half a mile up to Soundview Drive slowly with the dog. This workout was much better than the same two weeks ago, when I split it up into 3x1 mile. Part of that was settling into a more appropriate pace. My left hamstring was just a little tight for a bit, but it worked itself out without much problem. Felt pretty strong all the way through the tempo miles, pace was consistent and I was working by the end but not falling apart. 

Not a bad morning outside, but super windy so I went for the treadmill. 7:30 down to 7:15 pace, didn't really feel the hamstring tightness until the very end of the run, and just a little pull then. I cut it off there, needed to get going anyway, figured it would be a good thing to avoid extra stress. Day off yesterday to get one this week, I did ride my bike to work. 

A fairly brutal long run this morning. The distance actually covered was probably closer to 15.5-16. Rather than run in Port Orchard at the crack of dawn I stayed in Seattle last night (I was over there for other things already) and met Aaron kind of late in the morning (9 a.m.) at the Burke-Gilman trail and 25th. He was looking for about 7 miles so we took the trail down past Gas Works Park and Fremont, ran at a very nice comfortable pace and talked. I dropped him after 7.5 or so then took a route into Ballard, which I'd never run before. He estimated it to be about 5 more if I took the direct route back to where we started. I figured that'd be fine, I'd find a few more miles to tack on somewhere.

So I went through Ballard to Market Street, the main drag there, and started to head back. There's a really big hill as Market changes to 45th, which nailed me. I cut off the hill near the top, 1.) because I'm a pansy and wanted a few blocks of flat and 2.) because I'm not a total pansy and wanted to add a few more miles to the overall run by heading north. I got a little lost at this point, kind of wound through Phinny Ridge and wasn't totally sure where I was going. So there were periodic uphills and meandering as I ran block-to-block, but I had a general sense of where I was going. I ended up on the far northwest side of Green Lake eventually, which I figured would give me enough miles to make it close 14 for the day all told. I dropped down to the Green Lake trail, but went the wrong direction (wrong as in, the longer way around). At this point a few things dawned on me: 1.) I didn't eat dinner the night before other than grazing on carrot sticks and hummus at a party, 2.) I usually eat breakfast at 8 a.m. Saturdays, and my body now realized it was after 10 a.m. with no fuel to burn, 3.) I had a longer route back than planned, 4.) It was much warmer than I prepared for and I'd worked up a real good sweat in my layers.

I was a little beat at this point, and kind of exhausted mentally from the realization I'm a dummy. I finished the run around the lake (can't slow down with all those girls watching), then caught my breath before heading back up Ravenna/65th. I took that part back slowly, and walked a block here and there. My legs and lungs were fine, I was just completely out of gas. The hunger pain was the worst, reminded me of Paul and I's summer trail runs in Logan when the last few miles we only talk about what greasy fatty food we're eating (usually at Eddie's) when the run ends. Made it back to the trail, walked half a mile, then half-heartedly ran in the last half or so. Then ate, and ate, and ate. I've had two meals in the 5 hours since, and I'm gearing up for another soon.

I mapped the distances and, although my route wasn't completely precise because of my wanderings through Phinney Ridge, at least found out that I'd covered more than 5 miles from Ballard. But with a few walking miles I didn't feel right about counting the whole thing as mileage (anyone have an ethical opinion on that?), so I gave myself 14 miles. Good enough. My legs are tired, but didn't break down or give me any pain. I probably didn't stretch enough, so I'm going to head up to the YMCA now to loosen up again and stretch out. Then back to the kitchen.

supernova -- 90