So I came home from work and watched the end of the Phillies-Rockies game. Phils lost 5-4. Despite almost falling asleep again (I really should learn to watch TV sitting up I guess) I went to the gym and had a great workout; much better than I expected considering how I felt.
Off tomorrow. Scheduled 10 miles with Phillyfit on Saturday. The forecast is for rain in the morning on Saturday and a lot of people are sick and some are still recovering from the 20 miler last weekened. I wonder how many will show up!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Running against the wind...
... and with the wind and across the wind. It was windy tonight.. did you get that?
I came home from work and watched the end of the Phillies game (we won 7-1). I closed my eyes between innings and almost fell asleep. I had dressed for running though as soon as I got home to hedge against just that.
I decided to do four laps around my neighborhood, about 5.5 miles. I felt awkward the first lap but by the second I had hit a rhythm and felt pretty good. As I started the third though my hip started to bother me. It was like a burning more than soreness. I walked a few steps and it went away. I stretched and continued running and it returned. So I did a walk/run thing for the rest of lap 3 and called it quits.
Oh and I did got the the gym yesterday for an hour.... weights and bike.
I came home from work and watched the end of the Phillies game (we won 7-1). I closed my eyes between innings and almost fell asleep. I had dressed for running though as soon as I got home to hedge against just that.
I decided to do four laps around my neighborhood, about 5.5 miles. I felt awkward the first lap but by the second I had hit a rhythm and felt pretty good. As I started the third though my hip started to bother me. It was like a burning more than soreness. I walked a few steps and it went away. I stretched and continued running and it returned. So I did a walk/run thing for the rest of lap 3 and called it quits.
Oh and I did got the the gym yesterday for an hour.... weights and bike.
Monday, October 5, 2009
More thoughts on Saturday's run
The thing that is so great about it is that not once did I feel like I was not going to or could not finish. Last year when we hit 18+ miles I finished each run feeling totally spent and depressed. It was scary to be out there and feel like you shouldn't be there. That happened in the marathon too. Everyone said, "You hit the wall". Ok, but what did that really mean. On Saturday I didn't hit it.. and now I know what it means. I had read about it, I had been told about it but I never really got it. Until I had something to compare it to.
Properly hydrated and fueled was as much necessary for my brain as it was for my body. I hurt in the last miles of Saturday's run. But I was able to deal with it and work with it. I was able to think my way through it. I don't think I'm explaining this well but it's an amazing revelation.
Properly hydrated and fueled was as much necessary for my brain as it was for my body. I hurt in the last miles of Saturday's run. But I was able to deal with it and work with it. I was able to think my way through it. I don't think I'm explaining this well but it's an amazing revelation.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
The day after
Ok I woke up this morning and stepped gingerly out of the bed. My quads are very sore and my ankle a bit too. I opted right then not to run today. I think I knew that even when I went to bed last night but any shred of doubt was gone in the morning.
I am pleased to say nothing is damaged. I think I knew that too. I was doing a mental check of all my body parts as I ran yesterday. I wore my ankle brace for the day today and tried to keep moving; tried to avoid sitting for too long stretches. I tried to go up and downstairs a few times and do some slow gentle stretches too. As the day wore on it took fewer and fewer steps to feel comfortable. Although walking downstairs will still take another day I think. So all in all I think I've faired well after the long lay off. Today and tomorrow are all about recovery then and I'll be back to routine, I hope, on Tuesday.
Let's hope I can stay healthy now and not have to go through this again!
I am pleased to say nothing is damaged. I think I knew that too. I was doing a mental check of all my body parts as I ran yesterday. I wore my ankle brace for the day today and tried to keep moving; tried to avoid sitting for too long stretches. I tried to go up and downstairs a few times and do some slow gentle stretches too. As the day wore on it took fewer and fewer steps to feel comfortable. Although walking downstairs will still take another day I think. So all in all I think I've faired well after the long lay off. Today and tomorrow are all about recovery then and I'll be back to routine, I hope, on Tuesday.
Let's hope I can stay healthy now and not have to go through this again!
Saturday, October 3, 2009
USA Fit Philly: The longest 18 miler ever...
First let me say that I am proud of today's run. I am proud of all my runs and 'races' but I take special note of today. After ten days off - my last run was five miles on Tuesday Sept 22 then I was overtaken by a cold/flu thing and didn't have the energy - I finished today's workout.
I knew it would not be easy after the long layoff. So I chunked it up into 5 mile pieces 5+5+5+3. I would run five miles miles taking an electrolyte pill at about 3.5-4 and at mile 5 I would walk for the time it takes me to down a GU and water chaser; probably about 60-90 seconds. Just enough to rest the muscles before picking up the pace to running again. And repeat for the next 5 miles and so on. That was my plan and I was able to stick to it very nicely for the first 10 miles. The good news is that my brain and my energy held up beatifully the entire run. My legs though were feeling the effects of the layoff. After about mile 11 I took numerous stretch breaks and walked pieces of the final miles. No shame whatsoever.... this was going to be a tough run by definition.
Still when it was all over I was happy, alert and still had energy. That was so important.
Upon returning to our meeting spot I discovered that we actually covered 20 miles!!!! There are spots on our route that are not measured and the guestimate was off. I actually suspected when I was chunking the run up in my mind last night but I assumed I was misjudging the unchartered spots and adjusted them accordingly. Apparantly I was not. The runners in our group who have running watches all came in at 20 miles + or -. On any given run the watches will record a range on either side of the target but not by more than a few tenths. It depends on who took a detour to a bathroom or who zig zagged etc. But not a difference of 2 miles; and not on so many watches for sure. Sooooooo today we ran the longest 18 miler ever.......... until we screw up the measurements again that is! LOL
I knew it would not be easy after the long layoff. So I chunked it up into 5 mile pieces 5+5+5+3. I would run five miles miles taking an electrolyte pill at about 3.5-4 and at mile 5 I would walk for the time it takes me to down a GU and water chaser; probably about 60-90 seconds. Just enough to rest the muscles before picking up the pace to running again. And repeat for the next 5 miles and so on. That was my plan and I was able to stick to it very nicely for the first 10 miles. The good news is that my brain and my energy held up beatifully the entire run. My legs though were feeling the effects of the layoff. After about mile 11 I took numerous stretch breaks and walked pieces of the final miles. No shame whatsoever.... this was going to be a tough run by definition.
Still when it was all over I was happy, alert and still had energy. That was so important.
Upon returning to our meeting spot I discovered that we actually covered 20 miles!!!! There are spots on our route that are not measured and the guestimate was off. I actually suspected when I was chunking the run up in my mind last night but I assumed I was misjudging the unchartered spots and adjusted them accordingly. Apparantly I was not. The runners in our group who have running watches all came in at 20 miles + or -. On any given run the watches will record a range on either side of the target but not by more than a few tenths. It depends on who took a detour to a bathroom or who zig zagged etc. But not a difference of 2 miles; and not on so many watches for sure. Sooooooo today we ran the longest 18 miler ever.......... until we screw up the measurements again that is! LOL
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