The tendon problem behind my right knee got worse over the weekend, until by Monday and Tuesday it was very painful to get up from the desk and try to walk across the office. Wednesday and this morning it is better, although this week for the first time I am really noticing joint pain in both hips and knees. It is apparent when I get out of bed or when getting up from the desk after sitting for a while. Will take this week off before deciding how to proceed.
Heard a pair of stories on "All Things Considered" NPR last night:
Study: Humans Were Born To Run Barefoot
Americans Long Way From Running Barefoot"
Funny that they felt the need to counter a science story based on research with a story that mainly uses as sources people whose income relies on selling running shoes.
It looks like the marathon in March won't work out. My stepfather is visiting that weekend, so it would be hard to get to the Jersey shore on Sunday. So maybe instead I will take a little time off to heal, and give some barefoot/Vibram Fivefingers runnning a try.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Garmin Connect
13.11 miles
8:31 pace (8:15 target)
Still low-energy today. Took a two-hour lunch and did the East Falls loop from the office. Made my mileage, but at a slower than target pace. Only had 2 mile splits under the target pace of 8:15. Weather was decent - overcast, but low 40's. Will have the weekend to recover, then back to the track on Monday or Tuesday.
13.11 miles
8:31 pace (8:15 target)
Still low-energy today. Took a two-hour lunch and did the East Falls loop from the office. Made my mileage, but at a slower than target pace. Only had 2 mile splits under the target pace of 8:15. Weather was decent - overcast, but low 40's. Will have the weekend to recover, then back to the track on Monday or Tuesday.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Week Minus 10 - Tempo (8 miles)
Garmin Link
8.14 miles
1 mile easy
6 miles @7:31 (7:44 target)
1 mile easy
Skipped a couple of runs, including the 20-miler I had planned for Saturday. Legs were starting to really bother me by the end of last week and I've been feeling a bit under the weather. By today the legs were better, and although I still wasn't feeling great, my belt was starting to feel a little tight, which isn't a good sign.
It's funny how some days you can get a great time without putting out a lot of effort, and other days require constant pushing just to make an unremarkable time. Today was one of the latter. After straining to hit 7:44 for the first three tempo miles, I decided to pull back a little at the halfway point and just get through the run. To my surprise, I continued to get negative splits (faster each mile) until the last tempo mile was 7:02. Not blazingly fast, but a nice surprise after the struggle of the first half of the run.
Afterwards I was a bit wrecked for the afternoon at work - different from the pleasant relaxation that usually follows a run. Tonight I'm getting to bed early and try to catch up on some sleep. Will sleep better after finally getting some excercise.
8.14 miles
1 mile easy
6 miles @7:31 (7:44 target)
1 mile easy
Skipped a couple of runs, including the 20-miler I had planned for Saturday. Legs were starting to really bother me by the end of last week and I've been feeling a bit under the weather. By today the legs were better, and although I still wasn't feeling great, my belt was starting to feel a little tight, which isn't a good sign.
It's funny how some days you can get a great time without putting out a lot of effort, and other days require constant pushing just to make an unremarkable time. Today was one of the latter. After straining to hit 7:44 for the first three tempo miles, I decided to pull back a little at the halfway point and just get through the run. To my surprise, I continued to get negative splits (faster each mile) until the last tempo mile was 7:02. Not blazingly fast, but a nice surprise after the struggle of the first half of the run.
Afterwards I was a bit wrecked for the afternoon at work - different from the pleasant relaxation that usually follows a run. Tonight I'm getting to bed early and try to catch up on some sleep. Will sleep better after finally getting some excercise.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Week Minus 11 - Tempo (6 miles)
Garmin Link
6.63 miles
1 mile easy
5 miles @7:26 (7:29 target)
cooldown
Beautiful today - sunny and 40 degrees when I left the office at noon. Left the gloves and earband behind; in fact, would have been more comfortable in shorts. Legs were hurting at first, but I took it pretty easy the first mile (8:41) before shifting into ~7:30 tempo gear. Wasn't feeling my best, and it was a struggle to keep the pace up for five miles, but I did manage to make it. Hope I didn't pound my legs up too much and that it won't be a problem for the 20-miler scheduled for Saturday. I am still intimidated by those long runs, but after last week's 18-miler went so well, I'm not dreading it too much. The weather should continue to be nice and on the warm side through the weekend.
6.63 miles
1 mile easy
5 miles @7:26 (7:29 target)
cooldown
Beautiful today - sunny and 40 degrees when I left the office at noon. Left the gloves and earband behind; in fact, would have been more comfortable in shorts. Legs were hurting at first, but I took it pretty easy the first mile (8:41) before shifting into ~7:30 tempo gear. Wasn't feeling my best, and it was a struggle to keep the pace up for five miles, but I did manage to make it. Hope I didn't pound my legs up too much and that it won't be a problem for the 20-miler scheduled for Saturday. I am still intimidated by those long runs, but after last week's 18-miler went so well, I'm not dreading it too much. The weather should continue to be nice and on the warm side through the weekend.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Week Minus 11 - Intervals (7 miles)
Garmin Link
7.04 miles
2 mile warmup
2 x 1200m @4:44 (4:55 target) (2 min RI)
4 X 800m @3:06 (3:13 target) (2 min RI)
1 mile cooldown
Chris came with me down to the track - a bit warmer today; about 30 degrees and sunny. Although the speed work is never fun for me, it seems to be getting easier to make the target times. I took a look back at this same workout back in August, and my times are significantly better now.
7.04 miles
2 mile warmup
2 x 1200m @4:44 (4:55 target) (2 min RI)
4 X 800m @3:06 (3:13 target) (2 min RI)
1 mile cooldown
Chris came with me down to the track - a bit warmer today; about 30 degrees and sunny. Although the speed work is never fun for me, it seems to be getting easier to make the target times. I took a look back at this same workout back in August, and my times are significantly better now.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Week Minus 12 - Distance (18 miles)
Garmin Link
18.07 miles
2:34:03
8:31/mile pace (18 miles @8:45 target)
It was so cold when I left the house at 7:30 this morning that after the first mile I thought I would start circling around back towards home, and do maybe three miles. Fingers were completely numb, which has never happened with these lightweight running gloves before. By 1.5 miles, they were thawing a little, so I continued on towards the river. By the time I got down to the river path, the sun was coming out, and the temperature display on the PECO Building read 21 degrees.
From home, the Falls Bridge is about 7.75 miles, so if I am going farther than 15 miles, I usually cross the bridge and run till my halfway point (never more than 10 miles for this program) then double back home the way I came. Today, after crossing the bridge I followed the path in the opposite direction, towards Manayunk, until hitting 9.15, then returned without crossing the bridge, the way I would if I were doing the 15-mile loop. The path peters out after about half a mile, but I think you can take the sidewalk all the way into Manayunk. This was part of the Philly Marathon route.
Aside from the cold, the run wasn't difficult. I kept the speed conservative. 20-miler next week, so I want to be careful and not beat myself up between now and then. Track was closed last week, but I think the students return Monday, so hope it will open then. I think Chris is planning to join me.
18.07 miles
2:34:03
8:31/mile pace (18 miles @8:45 target)
It was so cold when I left the house at 7:30 this morning that after the first mile I thought I would start circling around back towards home, and do maybe three miles. Fingers were completely numb, which has never happened with these lightweight running gloves before. By 1.5 miles, they were thawing a little, so I continued on towards the river. By the time I got down to the river path, the sun was coming out, and the temperature display on the PECO Building read 21 degrees.
From home, the Falls Bridge is about 7.75 miles, so if I am going farther than 15 miles, I usually cross the bridge and run till my halfway point (never more than 10 miles for this program) then double back home the way I came. Today, after crossing the bridge I followed the path in the opposite direction, towards Manayunk, until hitting 9.15, then returned without crossing the bridge, the way I would if I were doing the 15-mile loop. The path peters out after about half a mile, but I think you can take the sidewalk all the way into Manayunk. This was part of the Philly Marathon route.
Aside from the cold, the run wasn't difficult. I kept the speed conservative. 20-miler next week, so I want to be careful and not beat myself up between now and then. Track was closed last week, but I think the students return Monday, so hope it will open then. I think Chris is planning to join me.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Week Minus 12 - Tempo - 5 miles
Garmin Link
5.25 miles
8:08 pace
Chris came along for his first run a few months today, so we went a little shorter than the six miles I had scheduled. Windier than Monday and no sun.
I've transcribed the Run Less, Run Faster training program I'm using, and it appears over in the right hand column. Maybe I'll figure out some way to highlight the workouts that finish, skip or fail as I work my way to the marathon on 3/28.
5.25 miles
8:08 pace
Chris came along for his first run a few months today, so we went a little shorter than the six miles I had scheduled. Windier than Monday and no sun.
I've transcribed the Run Less, Run Faster training program I'm using, and it appears over in the right hand column. Maybe I'll figure out some way to highlight the workouts that finish, skip or fail as I work my way to the marathon on 3/28.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Week Minus 12 - Intervals
Garmin Link
7.27 miles
2 miles warmup
3 X 1 mile @6:41 (6:41 target)
2 miles cool down
Cold and windy today - as it has been since Saturday. I'm usually skeptical of "wind chill", but this weekend, with winds up to 30 and 40 mph, made a believer of me. It only got down to the low twenties, but really did feel much colder.
It was 30 degrees when I started my run today, but once down on the river path where the wind was whipping through, it felt like the wind chill adjusted temp of 20. Wore a new Xmas Brooks cold weather top from Mom and Bob, and it was perfect for this weather.
These 1-mile speed intervals are tough. It takes forever for those miles to end when in the process of being winded. So much of this is mental. Just made the target of 6:41/mile, but had to cheat a little - after the second interval I was so winded that I rested three minutes instead of one. Hope that didn't take away too much from the value of the workout.
7.27 miles
2 miles warmup
3 X 1 mile @6:41 (6:41 target)
2 miles cool down
Cold and windy today - as it has been since Saturday. I'm usually skeptical of "wind chill", but this weekend, with winds up to 30 and 40 mph, made a believer of me. It only got down to the low twenties, but really did feel much colder.
It was 30 degrees when I started my run today, but once down on the river path where the wind was whipping through, it felt like the wind chill adjusted temp of 20. Wore a new Xmas Brooks cold weather top from Mom and Bob, and it was perfect for this weather.
These 1-mile speed intervals are tough. It takes forever for those miles to end when in the process of being winded. So much of this is mental. Just made the target of 6:41/mile, but had to cheat a little - after the second interval I was so winded that I rested three minutes instead of one. Hope that didn't take away too much from the value of the workout.
Friday, January 1, 2010
New Year's Day 10-miler
Garmin Link
10.01 miles
8:30 pace
Did not feel much like running today - I think the Ethiopian takeout that we had for New Year's Eve dinner might have caused some problems. Barb, Doug and I all had some digestion issues today.
Barbara convinced me to go out, and I'm glad she did. The sun came out a little, and the temp was warm enough - about 40 - to leave the gloves at home. It is going to top out at around 30 the next couple of days. The inch or so of snow we got yesterday was nearly gone, but a few icy patches remained that seemed more treacherous for being wet in the sun.
Went out six miles before turning around, but quit after 10 and walked the rest of the way home. I'll get a fresh start on week -12 of the training program on Monday. With luck the track will be open.
10.01 miles
8:30 pace
Did not feel much like running today - I think the Ethiopian takeout that we had for New Year's Eve dinner might have caused some problems. Barb, Doug and I all had some digestion issues today.
Barbara convinced me to go out, and I'm glad she did. The sun came out a little, and the temp was warm enough - about 40 - to leave the gloves at home. It is going to top out at around 30 the next couple of days. The inch or so of snow we got yesterday was nearly gone, but a few icy patches remained that seemed more treacherous for being wet in the sun.
Went out six miles before turning around, but quit after 10 and walked the rest of the way home. I'll get a fresh start on week -12 of the training program on Monday. With luck the track will be open.
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