High-Octane

My knee seems to be getting better but still has some pain. I now believe it's just an overuse injury and not a floating bone spur. The cross-training (combo of spinning, elliptical and treadmill) did not seem to aggrivate it any more and it is actually getting better. I'll probably do the same workout this week although I'd really like to get out and run some intervals and a tempo run in preparation for the Half Marathon on Sunday.

I really wasn't sure what I was going to run today because of my knee. But I did know I wouldn't run 20, as I originally planned, since everyone advised against it. I got up at 5:30 to give myself plenty of time to run some substantial miles anyway. I had predetermined that if my knee started hurting (got any worse) that I would just stop at whatever milage, but as I ran it didn't seem to get worse so I just kept going. During my run miles 7,8,9 seemed really hard. There are some rolling hills in those miles and my legs just seemed to want to quit, they got really heavy and stiff. I pushed through and actually felt much better on miles 11,12,13. I hope this is not any indication how I'll feel at the race on Sunday. I'm hoping to run a 6:45 pace but it seems impossible in my mind right now since that's a full minute faster than today's run.

I was supprised to find out, after I completed this run, that this run is exactly what my training schedule had for next week's long run (15 miles @ 7:46) and I hit it right on the mark. :-)

1/6/2013
Mile	Time	HR	HR %	Elevation Gain
1	7:27:00	140	72%	70
2	7:32:00	152	80%	115
3	7:52:00	152	80%	93
4	7:41:00	151	80%	44
5	7:41:00	150	79%	33
6	7:43:00	149	78%	42
7	8:19:00	152	80%	118
8	7:45:00	150	79%	91
9	7:54:00	152	80%	70
10	7:57:00	150	79%	76
11	7:55:00	155	82%	98
12	7:55:00	155	82%	147
13	7:42:00	155	82%	54
14	7:45:00	155	82%	27
15	7:30:00	159	85%	76
Total	116:38:00	152	80%
Pace	7:46:32		1152' Elevation Gain
Where Run - Smallville, Small Loop & Smallville again to make 15 miles.
Weather - 32 Degrees
Target: Long Run - 15 Miles @ 7:41 Note: My knee was just slightly hurting. Afterwards not any worse. This was supposed to be a 20 mile day but I opted for 15 since I have the 3M Half Marathon next Sunday.

Gym day, just trying to let my knee get better.

1/8/2013
Mile	Time
9.2	30 Min.	Stationary Bike
4	30 Min.	Eliptical
4.25	30 Min.	Treadmill
			Total Miles	8.25
SMAC Gym
Indoor
Target: 30 min. each exercise. Knee still has pain.

Jeremiah 17:14
Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; Save me, and I shall be saved, For You are my praise.

Ran in the evening.

.75 Slow, 1 Mile @ 6:50, .75 Slow, 1 Mile @6:29,  .75 Slow = 4.25 Miles Total

Knee was ok.

Gym.

7.5 miles @ 7:30 pace, 2.5 miles on elliptical.

Knee hurt a lot after the run.

My knee was really bothering me yesterday evening but this morning it feels a lot better.

Yesterday it hurt just to touch it and hurt even worse when I bent it back. The pain is a streching and grinding on the top and front of my kneecap. I'm sure it's just an overuse thing. It came on when I got the bright idea to "catch up" on my milage a couple of weeks ago (I had gotten behind because of my travel and busy schedule).

I would probably drop out of the race on Sunday if I weren't already entered. I'm still going to go into the race to try and beat last year's time.

I don't think I'm going to run any more this week unless I do a mile or so tomorrow just to get a feel for race pace.

Thanks for all your encourgment and advice!

4.2 Easy/Slow Miles