August (2016) Running Challenge

@greenolivetree Thanks and big gargantuan virtual hugs to you!!!

karllundy wrote: »

mbaker566 wrote: »

@karllundy you were probably too close to the nest. we have a trail by us that the owls would do that because the nest was right next to the trail.

I had that thought as well, but I run in that spot ALL the time...several days a week. Maybe a new nest? My neighborhood has a lot of barred owls, so this could become a recurrent problem

maybe the babies are popping around on the ground now learning how to fly. so parent owls are swooping...

Hello everyone!

Today I failed miserably in my attempt to get up early and go running, so I once again ran on my lunch hour. I did an easy 3.5 miles (39:03 5k, not my best) and a little bit of walking after. My knees are once again giving me issues with stiffness, and I still have the twinge in my lower back right above the glute. I'm very familiar with pain in this area, having endured a pinched sciatic nerve and muscle inflammation above the sciatic nerve. I've even had to have PT for my back issues in the past. I will have to monitor this twinge very closely, as I do not want it to develop into more serious issues. It loosened up quite nicely after about a half mile so I think it's just a tight muscle in that area. My knees, OTOH, I'm not sure what to do about. I think it may be shoe related. I will have to go over to Runner's High and ask the dude there if he's got a different shoe that won't give me knee stiffness.

Oh! My ticker:

8/1 - 2.23 - HS XC Practice
8/2 - 6.0 - Easy
8/2 - 4.15 - Easy
8/3 - 15.03 - Easy
8/4 - 6.0 - Recovery
8/5 - 11.06 Easy + 3.47 @ MP XC Practice
8/6 - 7.0 Easy W/ 10 x 160M Strides
8/7 - 10.22 MP
8/8 - 4.38 Recovery
9/9 - 9.53 Easy
9/10 - 11.05 VO2Max workout with 6x600 w/ 400 recovery @ 5k pace.

Total 90.13 of 285 miles

This was a tough workout. It was 75 degrees with 90% humidity again today. I ran 5 miles easy then met the guys for xc practice. I had intentionally scheduled this for them today so I'd have a few kids to compete against to push myself. After explaining the workout and course layout to them we headed out. Since it was humid i told them i'd like them to walk off about 100-200 meters to recover then jog the remaining 200-300 before starting back. I typically am able to jog the recovery and get HR back but that was not happening today. I did the first 3 repeats jogging the recovery but the final three I needed to walk off 100M to get HR recovery back into z2. I'm fairly please with the repeats and did them at an average 6:45-7:00 pace, which got me ahead of all but 2 of our varsity boys who are 18min 5k runners, and even those guys were gassed after this workout. I got my HR to between 184-195 on the intervals which is pretty good for a 43 year old. It's safe to say 220-age is a bit off for me. Finished off with a 2 mile cool down. I'm glad there are not too many of these VO2Max intervals on the schedule since they are leg crushers.

@skippygirlsmom So sorry about your mom. My hubby is abnormal in staying a little overweight :-p He's had Crohn's 20 years now and he got thin in the early years right out of high school but since I've known him he's always been a big guy

I got the paperwork from the post office and his tests are scheduled for early September. So we'll wait and see.

@karllundy I appreciate the comment about the challenges of being the healthy spouse. We've missed so many events over the years due to him being sick or hospitalized or I've attended events alone. He also has had major issues with kidney stones and is diabetic. He's a mess :-p

@MNLittleFinn Thanks

@RespectTheKitty Not quite sure about the "stiff" knees. Lately when I've been sitting awhile mine will feel like a tight rubberband feeling when I first walk around. I don't know what's up with that either! On the getting up early, just keep setting the alarm even if you don't get up Over time you'll get used to being awake.

@5512bf - I'm gonna need a rest day just from reading that.

@karllundy and @mbaker566 Hugs to you both! It's hard for everyone involved. There was many times we put a sleepy kid in the car and dropped him off at grandparents in the middle of the night when we headed to the hospital. The last time my husband was in the hospital overnight for a kidney stone that wouldn't pass, I was thinking oh my goodness I am so over 30 now! I felt invincible in my 20s :-p I was super hard-headed and didn't want help from anyone either. I gotta be better about that.

@greenolivetree I'm sorry to hear your husband's illness has flared back up--hopefully he will be back on to good numbers and better health soon. Hugs to you.

@karllundy I love owls...they are my favorite thing. But I would probably have screamed so loud you would have heard me in the next county over if something landed on my head!

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Well, I intended to go back to trip-me-up-trail for my long run today, to work on that whole mastering my fear thing, but it didn't work out. I forgot one of my kids had a dentist appointment this morning, so I didn't get out for my run until 11:30. Did I mention it was brilliantly sunny and over 90 degrees? Ugh. So I "ran" 6 miles on the streets around my daughter's school while she took driver's ed. I think I probably walked at least a mile of it, just because when I would hit a steep hill I just couldn't.do.it. Too hot. And now I'm lathered up with pain relief (bah, humbug) neosporin and non-stick bandages on my ribcage from chafing.

Complain complain complain. That felt better!

8/01: Off, rest day
8/02: 4 miles, easy + strides + strength training
8/03: 8 miles, fartlek
8/04: 4 miles, easy + strides + strength training
8/05: Off, active rest day - leisurely biking and walking
8/06: 13.1 miles, long and super easy
8/07: 10K race (51:59 - 6.30 miles) + 2.13 mile warm up
8/08: Off, rest day
8/09: 4 miles, easy + strides + strength training
8/10: 5 miles
Total: 46.7 miles

Overview:
Well, it is officially time to take some time off and revise my training plan
I had a really painful 5 miles this morning. Training schedule called for 9 miles today, but I got 2.5 miles out and knew it was just plain stupid to do 9. I started walking back, but decided running actually hurt less than walking so I ran the 2.5 miles home. Cried a bunch before work because I always seem to get injured. I have this fantasy where I make it through a whole training cycle injury-free; maybe one day it will come true?
The shin/calf pain I'm having right now is pretty awful, but it is my fault for pushing through the pain for a few days even though I knew it was a bad idea to do so. Not sure exactly what is wrong with my leg this time; the pain is where my calf and shin meet on the inside about half way up my leg and has radiated up to my knee today too. There is no visible bruising or swelling and it is only a little tender to the touch; it just hurts like hell to walk or stand on it. Definitely feels different from my usual shin splints, and also different from the stress fractures I had in the past so who knows. I don't have an exact plan yet, but I'm going to take at least 4 days off running; if it no longer hurts to walk/put weight on it by then, maybe I'll try running on Monday. Biking around today didn't hurt, thankfully, so I'll at least be able to do some cross training in the meantime. Fortunately we are still two months out from the Chicago Marathon; I may have to revise my goals for the race, but at least I should still be able to complete it! Fingers crossed...





Upcoming races:
8/07: Chicago 10K 51:59 - not my best by a long shot but I'll take it
8/26: Rock the Night 5K
9/10: Chicago Women's Half Marathon
9/25: Lifetime 5K
10/09: Chicago Marathon
10/30: Hot Chocolate 5K
11/27: Space Coast Half Marathon

@ariceroni I'm so sorry to hear that! Hope you are feeling better soon.