Stupid run on indoor track

Last Sunday, I wimped out of running most of the day because of the rain.  I finally gave up on running outdoors and ran 2 miles on the JCC indoor track and 1 mile on the treadmill.  Well the 0.1 mile oval track had a steep bank that I noticed and did not like.  But i did my two miles anyway.

Well on Tuesday morning I woke up with severe plantar faciatus  on the outside of my left foot. I couldn't figure it out because it's usually my right foot that has plantar.  But the I remembered my run, which was clockwise so my the left side of my left foot was hitting the steep bank.  2 miles at 0.1 miles and 2 oval banked sections meant I ran for a few yards like this 40 times.

So now, I walk with a limp and won't be running for a while. I did go for a swim today.  (My KC JCC membership was honored at the Pittsburgh JCC which was a short painful walk from my Dad's place.    

Live and learn!

Didn't expect this!

Since my knee surgery and the subsequent healing process, I've only been able to walk/run maybe ten times since the doctor said I could start again.  I felt like I would never be able to attain any kind of pace since my current running pace was in the 13:00-16:00 per mile range.  The only time I was able to hold a faster pace was when I did the walk .3 and run .7 with Rob.  We would begin with a quick walking pace until we reached the  three tenths of a mile and then run the remainder seven tenths. 

I was pretty happy to see that I could get down into the 11:00 mile pace while running with Rob.  However, last week I decided to do a five mile round trip to the bank using the same .3 and .7.  When I reached the entrance to the bank I was shocked to see 3.92 miles on my Garmin.  Taking a different route back home, I reached my driveway with exactly 8 miles recorded.  Although I was utilizing the walk/run program I was still, non-the-less, crapped out!  I'd had enough!

After that geographical error, my knee swelled up and the knee was in pain for several days.  I iced it and took Ibuprofen every day.  All I could think of was the Thanksgiving Day 5k was a week away.

I have never been so concerned over a 5k and I worried about it all week!  However, this morning (race day) I woke up with just a little swelling and no real pain to speak of.  Rob picked me up and we headed for the Sprint Center Campus with my goal of trying to hold on to the 11:00 pace that I was able to attain while running with Rob.  I was really hoping I could run a 33:00 finish time. The big question was:  Could I hold on to that pace for 3.1 miles since I had only hit that mark spasmodically when running with Rob.

The race started and it took me about a minute or two to cross the starting grids and start my Garmin.
Although Rob and I did some warm up jogging, I was still feeling kind of tight, but after Zigging and zagging through all the walkers and jogging runners, I was finally able to find a pace that was comfortable for the first mile, which I hit in 10:37.  Mile two 9:42, mile 3, 9:41 and the last .13 miles were at a 9:11 pace.  I ended up running 3.13 miles on the course.  Garmin time was 31:11 at a 9:59 mile pace. 

Needless to say, I was pretty pleased with my first road race since December 4th, 2011 (three years)

What pleases me the most is the goals I can now make for running Brew to Brew, Hospital Hill Half, and the Philadelphia Marathon.  Now I know I can make it!

Accidently Ran Eight Miles!

Yeah, that's right, accidently!!!

I had to go to Bank of American at about 8300 Prairie View Rd. which I just knew was about 2.5 miles from my house, making it a 5 mile round tripper.  Wrong!  When I got to the bank, I'd already logged 3.92 miles!

I took a different route on the way back home and ended up with exactly 8 miles on the Garmin.  My plan, at first, was to walk .3 miles then slowly run the next .7.  This program has worked well for Rob and myself while we work past our physical issues.

I wasn't sure if I should just get the five miles in and walk the rest of the way, or was it time to man up and see what was there?  I kind of semi-manned up and stuck to the .3 walk and .7 run, but I was only running a pace of around 13.00 minutes or so.

Makes no difference, I got to log a 8 miler and gain some more confidence.

Best Run Yet!

Although I still am incorporating walking with my running, I'm now able to be comfortable with a decent pace. 

The walk for .3 miles and run for .7 miles, that Rob suggested, has worked really well for me.  We applied this program this morning on Cliff Drive.  I turned around at the 2.5 mile mark and Rob went another half mile to make his run a six miler.

All in all, I had, what I felt, was my best run so far!

Mileage Increasing, but still slow!

Decided to bite off a larger chunk today and opted to run five miles.  My initial intention was to run a slow pace for the entire five, but the old bod just had to walk here and there.  I ended up walking the uphills and downhills, but tried to maintain a decent pace on parts of the trail that weren't so challenging.  Pace was in the fourteen minute range for the entire five miles.  Slow, but I'm just not concerned at this point. 

I'll worry about the pace when the weight comes off and the knee is totally healed.  It's my understanding the knee will take another one or two months to be completely healed.

Probably should have started out walking like I do with Rob and then pick it up, but I really wanted to test myself just to see what was there.

I should just run with Rob!

As the song goes, "What a difference a day makes!"  After yesterday's lackluster performance I did a nice run/walk with Rob this morning.  We walked 3 tenths of a mile then ran the other 7 tenths.  Our walking pace was brisk at around 15:00 to a 16:00 mile pace and our run pace, at first, was in the elevens.  The running pace in our forth mile was in the low tens and mid nines.  Very, very please and was a real confidence builder.

This was the best run I've had since I ran with Ken, Mitchell and Bill, last Saturday.

Still a Slug!

I just can't believe how darn slow I am!  I intended to run/walk four miles, but when I got started, I changed it to three and subsequently 2.5 miles.  It took me 40 minutes to get in a lousy 2.5 miles!  I'll just keep at it and hopefully, when the weight comes off, I'll be able to lengthen the mileage and the pace will increase. 

On the other hand, I'm super grateful to be able to just get out and do something!

Cliffhanger

I ran the Cliffhanger 8K on Nov. 2. Nice event ... part of my training schedule for Tucson half in December. First time to run the Cliffhanger in about ten years. I'm pleased with result: 5 seconds per mile faster than the Amy Thompson 8K ... and on a more difficult course. The primary sponsor provided an excellent post-race breakfast, served indoors. There were some impressive performances by fast younger runners from the Kansas City Smoke running group (kansascitysmoke.org).

Running - sort of - again

A bout with hamstring tendonosis has had me riding the elliptical machine at the gym since early September, but with the help of physical therapist Dan Lorenz I am making a slow comeback.

I wasn't able to join Mike, Ken and Bill for their downtown run Saturday, but I did get out to English Landing Park late in the morning. This was my fourth run since beginning PT a month or so ago. The last time there, the therapist gave me a "back to running" schedule that has me getting back into it incrementally. Essentially, he wants me to keep the mileage low and slow, so in the beginning there's been a lot of walking along with not so much running.

Saturday I decided I wanted at least a one hour workout, even if more than half of it was walking. My last run was just 30 min. long and alternated between 5 min. walking and 5 min. running. The walking and running haven't been that much different in speed. I felt pretty good Saturday, so before I'd gone very far I decided I'd walk the first .3 mile and run the rest of the mile. I kept that up for 6 miles and finished with an average pace of around 11:35.

I can't say I feel real strong, but I do feel better every time out, so I'm encouraged and cautiously optimistic. Even at slow speeds, it's fantastic to be able to run again.

A Great Saturday Run & Breakfast!

It's been a long time since I was able to run with my buds, but today was the first of what I hope is many.

Ken, Bill, Mitchell, Maurice (Ken's standard poodle) and I, started at Ken's loft and ran a little over three miles through the west end, back to downtown, and south to Ken's.  It was a real treat for me to look ahead a few yards and see three of my best buds running with me. 

I actually ran further than I have recently, since most of my program has been geared to a run/walk situation.  I was able to keep up only because they kept the pace slow.  Still, it felt pretty good to run a consistent pace.

After our run we chowed down at a place in the north end called Happy Gillis.  I had never been there before, but the food was great, so I'll be back.

This was the best start to a Saturday since I can remember!

Mike