The Restorative Effect Of A Fig Newton

Knocked out at 19 of 20 today. Mike cruised on past the car to MP the final mile while I collapsed like a rag doll.

I fumbled into the seat, reclined it flat and stared up blankly at the car's ceiling, heart pounding. I raised the water bottle above me and shakily poured the sweet water down the spout producing some relief. Survival on my mind, I shakily dug into Mike's lunch box and found the Fig Newtons. Trembling, I brought one to my mouth and took a bite. In an instant my eyes opened and the lights came back on. Sugar started coursing through the blood vessels delivering small little bits of carbohydrate to the starved cells. My brain started to function, my breathing eased, and life was good yet again.

How quickly one can feel better when provided with food and water.

Today we:

1. Ran the course backwards
2. Experienced strong winds up abrupt hills
3. Ran the 1st half pretty quickly

But only I:

1. Felt the negative effects of the 7:49 to 7:12 progression from mile 4 through 9
2. Instituted a regression as I slowed the pace to 8:49 by mile 13.
3. Felt like throwing up at mile 14.
4. Thought about lying down in the road at mile 16.

In a role reversal, Mike kept the monologue as he chatted breezily into the teeth of the wind up the steep hills that were obviously created by some recent tectonic action since I couldn't account for their presence. I was stunned, astonished, flummoxed. I should have just stopped, thrown up and rolled into the gutter.

Other than that it was good run. 19 miles @ 8:07 pace. 148 HR.

Faster and still ok

60 minutes this morning @ 7:09 pace ~ 8.43 miles. Northwest wind with some light snowfall, 18F. Felt good with no complaints from the leg.

Another nice run

Easy again @ 8:22 pace. 90 minutes brought me 10.94 miles under clear skies with a slight north wind that chilled things down when heading in that direction.

The bay sparkled as the sun rose and I felt pretty good. The right leg is a little sore now as I sit here, but not while I'm running. Of course, it would probably talk a lot more if I ran faster.

It looks like I'm just going to have to run through it.

Not dead.

Just a long sleep it turns out. Very well.

Got out this morning for 60 minutes. Pure joy. Balmy 16 degrees with slight wind here & there. Beautiful sunrise, clear skies.

7.25 miles.

Of Colds, Quads, & Cowards

Cold: Got a bad one that won't quit. Vicks vapor rub.

Quad: Right one still a pain. Good grief.

Coward: Me vs. the temps. I huddle 'neath the blankets shivering, afraid to venture out.

3 miles today. (30 degrees and that's the only reason I got out at all).

Don't leave me here.

Nice day

Got out again on my quest to get my training back. I took about a week or so off to calm the right leg down. It was a good call. My leg stopped hurting after a few days going up and down stairs and generally felt pretty good. Therefore I was a little disappointed this morning when there was a general soreness in the right quad during my run. I decided that a 6 mile core portion of the run would be best.

Overall, I'm satisfied with how the body responded this morning after the layoff. I went out to run a 7:25 and ended up with a 7:02 pace with relative ease. I think I would have done a little damage if I kept going. I'm trying to behave myself and not aggravate this leg.

Also, I'm trying to include more of a warmup and cooldown in order to alleviate some stress on the body - the cold start and sudden finish.

HR I think was a little high but I'm not sure. Temp 5F with hardly any wind. Very nice.

Total 8.55 miles in 1:04:31 w/6 @ 7:02 avg pace.

Well, I guess we can take a hint

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Sort of an Alanis Morissette moment.

Rehab continues

Day 4 into rehab and the leg is feeling better. A good sign. My back hurts now, but that will pass. Spent the day yesterday chopping and lugging in preparation of the next artic freeze coming tonight. Expecting it to last for the week. Running, when resumed, will be gentle and short. Perhaps three miles to start?

Funny, now that I'm not out there abusing myself I feel fast. No evidence to support such a feeling. Maybe it's the similarity to a taper. The leg took a good 4 days to stop hurting on its own. I'm sure now that the main complainer is quieting down, I'll be able to hear the aches and groans of lesser injuries a little better now. Nothing yet.

On the weight front, I haven't checked my progress. Don't expect much right off, but I've taken pains to stop the snacking, eat properly, and limit the quantity. There are signs I'm on the right track. When I start up with the running, it will help.

On the bright side, others are breaking down the walls. The computer screen shines brilliantly as I read the blog of these high performance runners.

Jamie for instance. Man, look at that workout. His BQ will be BBQ with enough left over for all of us.

Marc is killing the progression runs in hill country. He's ready to move into marathon specific training for Buffalo. Another BQ rocket on its way to the launch pad.

Mark in Alberta now running 90 minutes @ 8:34/mile easily. A new set of legs & lungs - you can't deny the training.

Off to another cup of tea, another nap.  This clinic is tough.

End day 4.

Rehab

New month and it's time to do something. A persistent right quad problem is driving me nutty. Not bad enough to 'twinge' me out of running, but too sore for comfort. Motrin masks the pain while I run but the pain resurfaces later on.

Plus, the January blues put a few pounds on me.

February focus: heal right leg, lose weight, worry Marc.

I put that last in there since he's susceptible to worry. Today I told him I was going to fast for 28 days. He gave me a lecture.

However you look at it, February is the exact right number of days for rehab. So I've checked in.

Goal: March running with less weight and good legs.