Where's the Donuts?

The usual, 11th-Shore Drive on a Monday. My hamstrings were pretty sore, not from running but from weeding in my yard yesterday. They needed a good stretching afterward. Other than that no problems, decent pace but tried to keep it real comfortable. 36:08. 

supernova red -- 118 

Mid-week workout day. Like last week, I headed toward Tracyton Beach Road. Two miles at 7:20 min. pace to start, then began the workout. Rather than Tinman Tempo I bumped that up a bit, since I've run pretty close to Tinman most weeks on my Saturday runs (in the 6:40s for at least a few miles). I shot for CV pace for a few miles. I went 5:23, 5:57 and 5:55. Then I jogged around Lions Park a few laps and headed back to Shore Drive, did 6x100 there and headed home. I was pretty beat on the way home, definitely a good workout. It's not hot outside, but I'm working a split shift today so I ran at noon and it was 75 with 70 percent humidity or something, so kind of uncomfortable. My legs got a good workout, I was dragging a little after the striders and pretty pooped. I thought about adding another 2 miles, but I need to eat and get back to work. 1:10 total.

I had a weird pain in my right knee all morning. I woke up with almost a charlie horse right above and to the left of my knee cap, on the thicker part of my knee there. It continued at work, almost like a cramp except really dull. I felt it the first two miles just as soreness, but three steps into the tempo the pain was gone. It's slowly coming back now as I sit here writing. It's not really an easy area to stretch, though it feels like that's what it wants rather than being damaged. Strange.

supernova red -- 128

Worked until 11 last night, so I slept in (woke in time to watch Usain Bolt trounce everyone) and ran this evening. I thought by evening the clouds would have blown away, but no, it was October out there. I got caught in a little wind and rain storm, not a soaker but enough to get me wet. It really did feel like fall, even some leaves have changed color.

Anyway, the Illahee State Park run. My knee was bothering me at work and on the bicycle ride home, so I went out easy hoping it would loosen up. I was able to stride normally without pain, but I felt it very slightly the whole time. The pain never totally disappeared like Tuesday, though when I stretch my legs on the downhills the muscles feel more normal. Icing now. Other than that the run was nice, easy pace for the first half then picked it up a bit when the weather hit (plus there's more downhill on the way home). 46:27.

supernova red -- 134

11th-Shore Drive, still real cool and cloudy. My knee was bothering me at the start and on the first few hills, but as it warmed up I felt a little better. Maybe because some hip soreness took over. It's aches and pains week, I guess. The muscle on my knee had loosened up
by the end so I was able to run pretty free, still took it pretty easy. 37:02.

I've now played dog-catcher twice. My deadbeat neighbors haven't noticed that their fence comes open when it's windy, so I've had to corral their two big dogs before starting my run the last two days. Yesterday was a little scary because they started growling at me, but today they thought it was playing. What puzzled me about today was the other neighbors were outside (they live across the street from the dog people) and were yelling and screaming about the dogs before I showed up. They didn't even know what house the dogs belonged to, even though their kitchen window and driveway looks directly at the yard where the dogs sit all day. Helloo? Safe to say I won't ask them to watch my house when I'm out of town.

supernova red -- 139

Just a short easy run this morning to test my knee and loosen up, more miles tomorrow. I ran down to Shore Drive and dinked around for 15 minutes, had to go to the bathroom so I ran home. My knee feels much better today, after icing yesterday I was able to get my fingers down to the tissue that hurt and that massage helped. Took a break from riding to work also, biking puts pressure on that part of the knee more than running. In any case, a positive sign. 19:27

supernova red -- 142

Perfect running morning, cool with the sun out. More like September weather than the October earlier this week. Slug at the usual place, with Mike. We met up with another guy, Brian, for a few miles in the middle of his run to help us keep to a more even pace. It worked a little, we had one 6:36 mile but the rest of them were between 6:50 and 7:10, with a few right at 7/pace. I felt us pushing on the 6:36, probably because we were talking politics, but the rest felt relaxed and comfortable. I timed my bathroom stop perfectly on the way out, unfortunately the urge came back when I dropped Mike at 12. So the last two miles were a touch short and a little slow because I walked on and off or jogged very slowly as my gut dictated. Other than that a beautiful run. 1:33 total, so I was actually just a bit shy of 14. Still, a good week for me, finally topping 40 miles. Doesn't sound like much but I'm pleased to be there, it took longer than I had planned at the start of summer. I'd like to stay at that amount and slightly above it (in the 50s for 2-3 weeks) through the marathon in October. Most importantly my knee is healthy after that little scare, and my legs held up well to that amount of mileage. So maybe it's ok to be a little conservative, I'll take that ahead of getting hurt.

supernova red -- 156