Where's the Donuts?

Evening run from home to the Illahee Preserve, around the trails and back. Sun came out tonight so I was glad I waited. Good pace, nice running in the forest, but some pain in my left hip came back on the way home, maybe mile 8 or so. It's still a little painful and stiff after some vigorous stretching and relaxing on the couch. Day off tomorrow to travel to Texas, so hopefully those muscles just need a break for a day after three good mileage/effort days in a row. 1:10:15

supernova glide (red) -- 46 

It's swealtering by 6:30 a.m. in South Texas, before the sun is even up. But that's where I was, and it was good to get out and run (and sweat). Ran along the Corpus Christi shoreline before dawn, I was there for work meetings (we have a newspaper there). Corpus isn't much as a town for running, but they've built a wonderful waterfront path with a wide sidewalk and marinas and some sandy beaches and a park, so I like to run there. I stay at some fancy hotel across the street from the path, so it's easy. The sun rises completely red over the Gulf of Mexico, which is actually pretty stunning. You can feel it get more oppressive every second, and I then feel myself appreciating Washington every moment. Still, nice to get a hot one in sometimes. 52:00

Right hip still pretty stiff and painful. Stretched as much as possible. 

supernova glide red -- 53

Day 2 in Corpus, I had considered a workout but with the heat and my hip still sore that wasn't going to happen. Hard to get the legs cranked up for that at 6 a.m. anyway. This time I went toward the big bridge, ran a circle around a Houston Astros minor-league baseball stadium then came back through a sketchy industrial stretch. Eventually made my way back to the shoreline and finished up the run by running an out and back on the one of the marinas. Then 5x100 striders.

Same heat as the day before (it would get up to 101) and same red eye in the sky as the sun came up. It's really cool. 44:00 or so.

Hip loosened up, not feeling so much pain. Stretched again pretty good, and took Thursday off after a second long day of meetings and late night of travel. So no real workout this week because I'm trying to be ready for a longer run Saturday. But feeling healthier (and not dead from the South Texas heat) is worth it.

supernova red -- 59

Not what I planned, because I slept in (until 6) and got a late start on Shore Drive. Got 12 in, and I was planning to get the whole run in (18) except a lot of Slugs showed up and, truthfully, I didn't want to miss the social time at breakfast. I then planned to get another 6-8 miles in the evening, but my garden and yardwork lasted longer than planned, and my cousin showed up so we had dinner together. At this point, the extra running is sacked. I'll get a good one in tomorrow. 

The 12 turned out to be pretty quick though, which wasn't necessarily needed but does always offer a little confidence boost (more so if I had a half on the horizon). Did the first two at a good pace, just north of 7, then dropped down to 6:xx for the rest of the run. A few in the 6:40s and 6:50s, and as low as 6:10. So it was more tempo than I set out for. Oh well. My hip was good (another reason I'm not too disappointed with fewer miles than planned this week) until mile 9, where it stiffened up. A quick stop to stretch helped. I don't think it's a structural problem, I'm pretty sure I just have an overworked muscle and some inflammation. I'll keep an eye on it.

Not the best week, but not bad considering the work travel and today's unplanned change. Hopefully another strong one coming to kind of wrap up the work (I'm planning to race twice next weekend), then taper to TOU. 1:23:07

supernova glide red