I have finally come to terms with the fact that I am probably injured. The last time I had an injury was probably in May-June 2010, but I only backed off because I was between training cycles anyway. I really could have pushed through it, and ended up doing so as my next cycle started with that lingering injury. It eventually just went away. I had a lot of soreness in my left groin/quad, but it never affected my stride and never hurt all that much running.
Before that, in July of 2009 I had some knee issues which back then, were enough to make me stop. 19 months without true stopping due to injury is pretty damn good though.
This ankle problem is different, it makes me limp even while running. Even during my regular day it will bother me. In fact, right now it's throbbing a bit.
I've run 2 miles since my 5K race. On Monday and Tuesday my ankle felt bad, and it only felt moderately better today. My 2 mile run was not good, so it is clear to me something is wrong. There is no way I should feel like this after a 5K. If healthy, by now I'd already have 25-30 miles in for the week and one workout. 5Ks barely cost anything.
I'm already looking into cross training methods to keep my base strong. Once upon a time, I would have just done nothing until I was healthy again. But now, I've put in too much work not just for Boston, but for my 11th place on Sunday, for my 14th place at the RRCA challenge, and for me to be able to confidently start up front at any local race. I'm not going to throw that away wallowing in sorrow because I can't run. By Friday, I will have a plan in that regard. I also have a doctor's appointment with a sports medicine/orthopedic doctor for Monday (good thing PPOs exist, something health insurance actually gets right) to see if he can shed any light on what's wrong with my ankle.
I know exactly what led me to where I am today. I probably needed at least one more step back week thrown into the January, February mix. I first started feeling pain after my last run before my step back for the Club Challenge. Though a 97 mile week with a half marathon at the end accelerated my downfall, I'm convinced that had I been 100% going into that week that I would have survived. I've done high mileage and racing before, and I've raced on back-to-back weekends before (including longer races). Even if I only ran 70-75 miles with that half marathon, I think sooner or later, my ankle would have gotten worse as soon as I pushed into the 90s because it certainly was not getting better in the days leading up to the Club Challenge (even if I pretended it was).
I think I bit off just a little more than I can chew. Too much, too fast, too soon (in this case too much), the bane of all runners. 70-75 miles per week was probably my sustainable sweet spot. High 80s week in and week out was probably just a little too much.
Going forward, I'm pulling the plug on the HAT 50K, there is just no reason for me to do that race now. Cherry Blossom is expendable, but it won't get the axe yet. Everything I do from here on out is to get myself to Boston healthy with at least my base endurance in one piece. I can still manage a decent showing without ideal training, though I don't know about sub-2:40 at this point. I'm not counting anything out yet though. If things go well enough that I can get back to training in early April, I'll train through Boston at higher than taper but much lower than peak mileage and just run the race with nothing to lose. I've got a couple of other races lined up afterward where I can go for it as well.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
St. Patrick's Day Shamrock 5K Race Report
I woke up today to an ankle that did not hurt during non running activity. That was a significant improvement over the past 3 weeks. Everyday during that time I would wake up and limp around for a while before it loosened up. I decided immediately that I would race this 5K all out and worry about the consequences later.
Temperatures were in the mid-50s with partly cloudy skies and a light breeze. This was my third year in a row running this 5K, and the first time it was not cloudy! This is one of the largest 5Ks in the area, with a cap of 4,000 runners. However, that is not what truly makes this race unique. Both the course and the competition make this race. It is hard these days for me to find competitive 5Ks where I'll be surrounded by multiple runners of similar ability. This is one of those few where I know the fast guys will show up. Combine that with a fast point-to-point course with the first 3/4 of a mile downhill, and it becomes an all out battle to see who can run a fast 5K!
The start line is so close to my apartment that I was able to just run to the start for a warmup. Unfortunately, it is always very crowded at the start with people piling into the area and a lot of the cross streets are still open to traffic, so warm ups become difficult! I actually did not have time for my usual warm up after Back on My Feet broke their circle, but I could of cared less. I was just so happy that my ankle was good enough to run on. Though I felt it a little during my warm up, it quickly went away. I never limped or even thought about limping so my usual stride was back.
I didn't do any stretching or strides, just a disjointed 15 minute warm up. I knew it would probably make the first half mile more uncomfortable than usual, but once again, I was just way too happy to care. With about 5 minutes to the start, I took my spot about 1 row back of the timing mats. There are always a lot of spectators on both sidewalks, and this is one of the only opportunities where one can sprint down the middle of Charles Street at 12 miles an hour with no worry of traffic!
The actual race itself was over so quickly that I can't remember a whole lot. We started off, and I made sure not to get too carried away on the downhill. I got carried away quite badly my first two years doing the race and would not repeat.
Mile 1: 5:00
If I went sub-5, it would have been too fast. This is the same 1 mile split I had last year, so I knew I was on track for a good race. There was some passing back and forth early, but I mainly focused on staying in control. With all the cheering, fast runners, and police motorcycles, it is so easy to just go crazy on that first mile!
As we looped around Federal Hill Park, for the first time in 3 years I was strong enough to gun people down. I just passed runner after runner with no real signs of fading. My breathing was heavy and my legs were a bit tired but I felt strong for the second mile of a 5K.
We hit the turn-around-point and I still felt decent. I knew this was where I had to focus. We were about 1.5 miles from the finish. The initial adrenaline from the start was gone now, and there was no more downhill to help. Now it came down to who could hold on longer. I passed one more runner before the 2 mile mark.
Mile 2: 5:21
One thought went through my mind: "you earned that split." Positive splits on this type of course are unavoidable. My main goal was to just try and run the next two miles like my first two in a "normal" 5K. I went through mile 2 right on my supposed ideal 5K pace, so I was stoked.
One cool thing about this course is seeing the rest of the pack on the other side of the road since it is an out and back. This is of course a St. Patrick's Day race, and the overwhelming majority of the runners are more festive than myself (I just wore a red shirt, red shoes, and black shorts...sorry Irish folk!). So as I was heading back, all I could see was a sea of green. Though I was mainly focused on trying to hold on to my pace, it is hard not to admire the sight!
I got plenty of cheers from the Back on My Feet crew which really helped me from fading too badly. There was a slight head wind and the next runner was just too far ahead for me to catch. I was slowly reeling him in (and he was nervous because he looked back twice), but I had nothing left in the tank and was really just holding on.
We turned onto Pratt street (another road I never get to run down the middle of) for the final stretch. I could hear someone catching up to me so I went on the defensive and just told myself to answer his move if he tries to pass. He didn't sound very strong, so I figured a big surge was not going to happen.
Mile 3: 5:32
A couple seconds slower than I wanted, but that pesky wind did not help. Of course, math is completely beyond me at this point, so I had no idea what kind of overall time I would end up with. That runner behind me caught up for a moment, but I had one little surge in me and it was enough to defend my spot.
I crossed the line in 16:27, 11th overall, and felt like I left it all out there. It ended up being an 18 second PR, a 26 second course record over last year, and a nearly 1 minute improvement over my first time doing this race in 2009. I ended up 6th in the 20-29 age group, so with such a good time, I got no hardware! However, I'd rather have it that way. I'd trade in all my 5k awards to have 5 or 6 races with competitive fields like this around Baltimore.
My ankle started to hurt a bit when the adrenaline from the race wore off. It feels better than it has the past week or so, but feels exactly like it did after the RRCA 10 Miler. Despite the occasional pains, I never once limped or compensated during my cool down and it actually went away for a little while during that run.
I think that my ankle is close to full health but it still needs a little more time to get back to 100%. I really want to kick this pain for good so I'm going to take the next two days off and see how it feels Wednesday. Although I'm supposed to be peaking right now for Boston, I still have a chance to get a couple of solid weeks in and I already have quite the successful January, February, and early March under my belt so I am not concerned at all. This might mean that I'll be trying to just squeak under 2:40 rather than blowing it away, but it doesn't matter. Marathon runners have to be patient!
I never want the feeling of dread and hesitation I had earlier this week ever again. Running should never, ever feel like that. Excessive soreness or dull nagging aches that don't affect my stride are one thing, but limping and feeling choppy while running is my new nightmare, truly a scary feeling.
Temperatures were in the mid-50s with partly cloudy skies and a light breeze. This was my third year in a row running this 5K, and the first time it was not cloudy! This is one of the largest 5Ks in the area, with a cap of 4,000 runners. However, that is not what truly makes this race unique. Both the course and the competition make this race. It is hard these days for me to find competitive 5Ks where I'll be surrounded by multiple runners of similar ability. This is one of those few where I know the fast guys will show up. Combine that with a fast point-to-point course with the first 3/4 of a mile downhill, and it becomes an all out battle to see who can run a fast 5K!
The start line is so close to my apartment that I was able to just run to the start for a warmup. Unfortunately, it is always very crowded at the start with people piling into the area and a lot of the cross streets are still open to traffic, so warm ups become difficult! I actually did not have time for my usual warm up after Back on My Feet broke their circle, but I could of cared less. I was just so happy that my ankle was good enough to run on. Though I felt it a little during my warm up, it quickly went away. I never limped or even thought about limping so my usual stride was back.
I didn't do any stretching or strides, just a disjointed 15 minute warm up. I knew it would probably make the first half mile more uncomfortable than usual, but once again, I was just way too happy to care. With about 5 minutes to the start, I took my spot about 1 row back of the timing mats. There are always a lot of spectators on both sidewalks, and this is one of the only opportunities where one can sprint down the middle of Charles Street at 12 miles an hour with no worry of traffic!
The actual race itself was over so quickly that I can't remember a whole lot. We started off, and I made sure not to get too carried away on the downhill. I got carried away quite badly my first two years doing the race and would not repeat.
Mile 1: 5:00
If I went sub-5, it would have been too fast. This is the same 1 mile split I had last year, so I knew I was on track for a good race. There was some passing back and forth early, but I mainly focused on staying in control. With all the cheering, fast runners, and police motorcycles, it is so easy to just go crazy on that first mile!
As we looped around Federal Hill Park, for the first time in 3 years I was strong enough to gun people down. I just passed runner after runner with no real signs of fading. My breathing was heavy and my legs were a bit tired but I felt strong for the second mile of a 5K.
We hit the turn-around-point and I still felt decent. I knew this was where I had to focus. We were about 1.5 miles from the finish. The initial adrenaline from the start was gone now, and there was no more downhill to help. Now it came down to who could hold on longer. I passed one more runner before the 2 mile mark.
Mile 2: 5:21
One thought went through my mind: "you earned that split." Positive splits on this type of course are unavoidable. My main goal was to just try and run the next two miles like my first two in a "normal" 5K. I went through mile 2 right on my supposed ideal 5K pace, so I was stoked.
One cool thing about this course is seeing the rest of the pack on the other side of the road since it is an out and back. This is of course a St. Patrick's Day race, and the overwhelming majority of the runners are more festive than myself (I just wore a red shirt, red shoes, and black shorts...sorry Irish folk!). So as I was heading back, all I could see was a sea of green. Though I was mainly focused on trying to hold on to my pace, it is hard not to admire the sight!
I got plenty of cheers from the Back on My Feet crew which really helped me from fading too badly. There was a slight head wind and the next runner was just too far ahead for me to catch. I was slowly reeling him in (and he was nervous because he looked back twice), but I had nothing left in the tank and was really just holding on.
We turned onto Pratt street (another road I never get to run down the middle of) for the final stretch. I could hear someone catching up to me so I went on the defensive and just told myself to answer his move if he tries to pass. He didn't sound very strong, so I figured a big surge was not going to happen.
Mile 3: 5:32
A couple seconds slower than I wanted, but that pesky wind did not help. Of course, math is completely beyond me at this point, so I had no idea what kind of overall time I would end up with. That runner behind me caught up for a moment, but I had one little surge in me and it was enough to defend my spot.
I crossed the line in 16:27, 11th overall, and felt like I left it all out there. It ended up being an 18 second PR, a 26 second course record over last year, and a nearly 1 minute improvement over my first time doing this race in 2009. I ended up 6th in the 20-29 age group, so with such a good time, I got no hardware! However, I'd rather have it that way. I'd trade in all my 5k awards to have 5 or 6 races with competitive fields like this around Baltimore.
My ankle started to hurt a bit when the adrenaline from the race wore off. It feels better than it has the past week or so, but feels exactly like it did after the RRCA 10 Miler. Despite the occasional pains, I never once limped or compensated during my cool down and it actually went away for a little while during that run.
I think that my ankle is close to full health but it still needs a little more time to get back to 100%. I really want to kick this pain for good so I'm going to take the next two days off and see how it feels Wednesday. Although I'm supposed to be peaking right now for Boston, I still have a chance to get a couple of solid weeks in and I already have quite the successful January, February, and early March under my belt so I am not concerned at all. This might mean that I'll be trying to just squeak under 2:40 rather than blowing it away, but it doesn't matter. Marathon runners have to be patient!
I never want the feeling of dread and hesitation I had earlier this week ever again. Running should never, ever feel like that. Excessive soreness or dull nagging aches that don't affect my stride are one thing, but limping and feeling choppy while running is my new nightmare, truly a scary feeling.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Path Forward
After no run Wednesday afternoon or Thursday, and a very light 3 mile run Friday, I don't think my left ankle is where I would like it to be. My right is now fine and all the extra pain I had been feeling in my left is also gone. However, the original pain on the inside is still present.
For the most part, I do not feel it walking around during the day. I can cause discomfort by squatting down and then standing back up (which I actually do relatively frequently at work). If I hop on my left leg, I can also feel jolts of pain in the same area. The right leg is fine.
I could feel the ankle on that 3 mile run, but the pace was too slow for me to really evaluate how it felt. I'm taking today off too, though I still showed up to the group I run Saturday mornings with. It was difficult to stay back when everyone ran off, and more difficult to have to explain myself! Everyone was saying that they have never seen me not run.
Tomorrow will be a good test as I am still running in a 5K race tomorrow. I'll be racing just as I would any other 5K. I'll be able to temporarily ignore any pain and force myself not to compensate. I have real talent at ignoring pain on race day (which is why I have to keep myself on a tight leash when problems arise!).
Depending on how I feel during and after the race will determine my path going forward. Boston still is the primary goal.
I'm beginning to see why there are so few people that run marathons in the 2:20 and 2:30 range, the journey is filled with peril.
For the most part, I do not feel it walking around during the day. I can cause discomfort by squatting down and then standing back up (which I actually do relatively frequently at work). If I hop on my left leg, I can also feel jolts of pain in the same area. The right leg is fine.
I could feel the ankle on that 3 mile run, but the pace was too slow for me to really evaluate how it felt. I'm taking today off too, though I still showed up to the group I run Saturday mornings with. It was difficult to stay back when everyone ran off, and more difficult to have to explain myself! Everyone was saying that they have never seen me not run.
Tomorrow will be a good test as I am still running in a 5K race tomorrow. I'll be racing just as I would any other 5K. I'll be able to temporarily ignore any pain and force myself not to compensate. I have real talent at ignoring pain on race day (which is why I have to keep myself on a tight leash when problems arise!).
Depending on how I feel during and after the race will determine my path going forward. Boston still is the primary goal.
I'm beginning to see why there are so few people that run marathons in the 2:20 and 2:30 range, the journey is filled with peril.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Uncertainty: 3/9
The worst part of an injury and/or pain is the unknown. Is it a problem, is it not? If you run a lot, something always hurts. The issue becomes deciding what can be ignored and what needs to be listened to.
I've had on again off again pain in both my ankles since the end of my 20 mile run on Feb. 20th. I vividly remember feeling it then and thinking "this is new." I retired my trainers a few days later and went into my slightly cutback week hoping the issue would not get worse.
For most of the week, it did not. My right ankle stopped hurting and my left would only hurt for a moment or two when first starting to run. I owned the RRCA 10 mile club challenge with no pain during the race and ran another easy 8 later that afternoon with essentially no pain.
The pain came and went the following week. The most vexing part had to be during the day. After my morning run, I would frequently have pain in my left and occasionally my right ankle for most of the day at work (I frequently stand most of the day), though it would eventually subside.
Things took a downturn on Friday during my evening speedwork. Every time I started up another rep, I would limp for a few strides before the pain subsided. Even if the pain was not so bad, I would still anticipate it and compensate anyway.
On Saturday, I forged ahead with a 21 mile run and came down with a tight arch probably from all that compensation. The left ankle only would continue to hurt upon start up from rest and then fade. I sat around for most of Saturday and by the evening, it felt good again. Sunday morning, when I woke up for my half marathon, it felt decent. During the warmup, it felt better than it had felt in a while and I never even felt a twinge during the race. I went on to kill my half marathon PR and negative split the race on a big mileage week.
Then this week happened. Monday, I did an easy 5 and had so much other soreness from the race, that the ankle "hid" itself. I had also taken a day off from work and stayed off my feet most of the day. Yesterday morning, I was still experiencing the "first few strides limp" but got through both my morning and afternoon runs decently well with manageable ankle pain. However, the left and even right ankle hurt most of the day.
Today, it only got worse. I could actually feel it during my morning run (instead of just at the beginning) and started dreading every stride, wondering if I would feel another twinge of pain. I was hesitant to do a short pick up in the middle for fear of more pain.
During work today, though it didn't hurt all that much walking around, I was struggling to walk up and down stairs. After finally dragging myself outside for an afternoon run today, I ran only a few blocks and the pain would not clear up in my left ankle. The only other time in 2010 that I felt true dread before starting a run and hesitant to hit my stride is when I had an ingrown toe nail that caused my right big toe excessive pain, swelling, and blistering. I missed a couple of days for having that fixed.
I'm going to listen to my body and take the remainder of today off, as well as Thursday. Streaks and weekly mileage be damned, it's the race results that matter. I'm going to reevaluate Friday. At this point, my #1 goal is to be healthy for Boston, everything else is secondary. I can only hope that I've listened soon enough, and that I can kick this pain for good.
I still would change nothing, and have no regrets from the past 2 weeks or for trying to push through this ankle pain. I have two new awesome PRs to my credit. I know the risks of pushing ever higher, and accepted them when I told myself back in November 2009, "man, if I really trained hard, I could make myself into a decent runner." I take the good with the bad, and it's times like these that let me check myself and make sure I'm out there running and pushing myself for the right reasons. It's not for some kind of obsession with exercise, but with a deep seeded motivation to get faster. Running hurt does not make one faster, therefore, I will back off.
I've had on again off again pain in both my ankles since the end of my 20 mile run on Feb. 20th. I vividly remember feeling it then and thinking "this is new." I retired my trainers a few days later and went into my slightly cutback week hoping the issue would not get worse.
For most of the week, it did not. My right ankle stopped hurting and my left would only hurt for a moment or two when first starting to run. I owned the RRCA 10 mile club challenge with no pain during the race and ran another easy 8 later that afternoon with essentially no pain.
The pain came and went the following week. The most vexing part had to be during the day. After my morning run, I would frequently have pain in my left and occasionally my right ankle for most of the day at work (I frequently stand most of the day), though it would eventually subside.
Things took a downturn on Friday during my evening speedwork. Every time I started up another rep, I would limp for a few strides before the pain subsided. Even if the pain was not so bad, I would still anticipate it and compensate anyway.
On Saturday, I forged ahead with a 21 mile run and came down with a tight arch probably from all that compensation. The left ankle only would continue to hurt upon start up from rest and then fade. I sat around for most of Saturday and by the evening, it felt good again. Sunday morning, when I woke up for my half marathon, it felt decent. During the warmup, it felt better than it had felt in a while and I never even felt a twinge during the race. I went on to kill my half marathon PR and negative split the race on a big mileage week.
Then this week happened. Monday, I did an easy 5 and had so much other soreness from the race, that the ankle "hid" itself. I had also taken a day off from work and stayed off my feet most of the day. Yesterday morning, I was still experiencing the "first few strides limp" but got through both my morning and afternoon runs decently well with manageable ankle pain. However, the left and even right ankle hurt most of the day.
Today, it only got worse. I could actually feel it during my morning run (instead of just at the beginning) and started dreading every stride, wondering if I would feel another twinge of pain. I was hesitant to do a short pick up in the middle for fear of more pain.
During work today, though it didn't hurt all that much walking around, I was struggling to walk up and down stairs. After finally dragging myself outside for an afternoon run today, I ran only a few blocks and the pain would not clear up in my left ankle. The only other time in 2010 that I felt true dread before starting a run and hesitant to hit my stride is when I had an ingrown toe nail that caused my right big toe excessive pain, swelling, and blistering. I missed a couple of days for having that fixed.
I'm going to listen to my body and take the remainder of today off, as well as Thursday. Streaks and weekly mileage be damned, it's the race results that matter. I'm going to reevaluate Friday. At this point, my #1 goal is to be healthy for Boston, everything else is secondary. I can only hope that I've listened soon enough, and that I can kick this pain for good.
I still would change nothing, and have no regrets from the past 2 weeks or for trying to push through this ankle pain. I have two new awesome PRs to my credit. I know the risks of pushing ever higher, and accepted them when I told myself back in November 2009, "man, if I really trained hard, I could make myself into a decent runner." I take the good with the bad, and it's times like these that let me check myself and make sure I'm out there running and pushing myself for the right reasons. It's not for some kind of obsession with exercise, but with a deep seeded motivation to get faster. Running hurt does not make one faster, therefore, I will back off.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Runners Pay Debts with Pain: 3/7-3/8
To say that last week took its toll would be an understatement.
Monday:
AM: 5 miles, easy. My right knee felt awful, tight throughout. I didn't have full range of motion after the run. I'm sure the rain and cool temperatures at the race were to blame. As the day progressed, it began to loosen up.
Tuesday:
I woke up to absolutely no pain in the knee at all. I also slept like a baby Monday night.
AM: 6 miles, easy/moderate. I felt decent on this run, nothing specific hurt, the pesky left ankle was largely quiet, the right knee acted like nothing ever happened.
PM: 10 miles, easy/moderate. This run in one word: SUCKED! I still ran my usual easy/moderate pace but my legs were just dead. The ankle was ok most of the way and my knee was fine so that was good. However, my legs just had no bounce in them at all!
I am slipping into what I like to call recovery debt where my body starts to fall behind in recovering between runs. In small doses I actually think it's a good training tool to train tired and uncooperative legs as long as the debt gets paid within a week or two. Otherwise, recovery debt turns to over-reaching, and eventually, over-training which can have serious long-term consequences.
So for now I trudge forward! I'm still going to try my hand at an afternoon hill workout tomorrow if I feel marginally better. Of my four hard run types, the hill work is usually easiest to trick myself into getting through. The faster running may also help get my legs moving with some swagger again.
Monday:
AM: 5 miles, easy. My right knee felt awful, tight throughout. I didn't have full range of motion after the run. I'm sure the rain and cool temperatures at the race were to blame. As the day progressed, it began to loosen up.
Tuesday:
I woke up to absolutely no pain in the knee at all. I also slept like a baby Monday night.
AM: 6 miles, easy/moderate. I felt decent on this run, nothing specific hurt, the pesky left ankle was largely quiet, the right knee acted like nothing ever happened.
PM: 10 miles, easy/moderate. This run in one word: SUCKED! I still ran my usual easy/moderate pace but my legs were just dead. The ankle was ok most of the way and my knee was fine so that was good. However, my legs just had no bounce in them at all!
I am slipping into what I like to call recovery debt where my body starts to fall behind in recovering between runs. In small doses I actually think it's a good training tool to train tired and uncooperative legs as long as the debt gets paid within a week or two. Otherwise, recovery debt turns to over-reaching, and eventually, over-training which can have serious long-term consequences.
So for now I trudge forward! I'm still going to try my hand at an afternoon hill workout tomorrow if I feel marginally better. Of my four hard run types, the hill work is usually easiest to trick myself into getting through. The faster running may also help get my legs moving with some swagger again.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Race Report: B&A Trail Half Marathon
I went into this race knowing my legs would not be fresh. This was truly meant to be a test to see what I could do in a situation where most would give up. My total mileage for the week including this race ended up being 97 miles, so my legs were anything but ready.
However, if I could somehow maintain a "reasonable" half marathon pace based on my training paces and recent races on such a heavy load, then I know I could handle sub-2:40 pace at Boston. So with those thoughts in mind, I drove down to Severna Park for the B&A Trail Half Marathon, a race put on by the Annapolis Striders on the relatively flat paved B&A Trail.
During my warmup, my legs felt ok, and my left ankle and foot were not complaining. I was a far cry from last week in terms of freshness. My "A" goal was to run a 1:15:40 and get ranked by Washington Run Report for the winter season. My "B" goal was just to PR. I knew I had a shot at top 3 and maybe a win depending on who showed up to the race.
At the 7:30 AM start, we had overcast skies, a slight breeze, temperatures in the mid 50s, and a very light drizzle for most of the race. Overall, the weather was favorable. As soon as the gun went off, 4 or 5 runners darted out ahead of me. Some of them had marathon bibs on, others had half bibs. I assumed that this was not going to be an Olympic Trials qualifying attempt and that they either went out too fast, or were all running the half. Immediately at mile 1, I could already feel it in my legs.
Mile 1: 5:56
Based on how I felt, a 1:15:40 seemed unlikely. I needed to be closer to the mid 5:40s from the get go, but that was ok. I had no intention on forcing what wasn't there. Of course now I had to decide how exactly I was going to run 12 more miles being that I was already tired. I passed a couple of runners and ended up in what I assumed was third. One runner in white was far off in the distance, but within striking range. The overall leader was no where to be found. He bolted off the line like he was in a different world completely and I never saw him again.
I missed the 2 mile marker, but came through mile 3 in 11:38 total, for a 2 mile average of 5:49. I think the third mile was faster than the second. I was slowly gaining ground on the second place runner. Thanks to a support bike that was alongside me, I heard over his radio when the lead runner passed the first water stop. It took me probably a minute or two more to hit that same stop so clearly, I was not going to catch the leader. Although I was closing on the second place runner, I still felt way too awful this early in the race. I tried not to concern myself with the 10 miles I had to go and just focused on catching up to second place.
Mile 4: 5:54
Somewhere after mile 4, I finally caught that runner. I alternated between closing the gap for 20-30 seconds and backing off just a little for 10-20 seconds. I didn't really feel much worse picking it up, but I was still worried that I would run out of gas way too early. Rather than stay behind the runner I caught, I just decided to pass him and take the lead when I finally closed the gap. I figured with how bad I felt, I had nothing to lose by being aggressive. If I was going to blow up before the end, my fate was sealed before I even walked up to the start line. He stuck with me for a little while but was clearly struggling, and had been fading back to me since his hard early start.
Mile 5: 5:58
At this point I started to notice that I was not getting anymore tired than I already was and my legs were not getting any heavier. Life still sucked, but things were not getting worse. I kept telling myself to just keep the pace under 6 minutes per mile and take it a mile at a time.
Mile 6: 5:54
This was an out and back course and I knew we would be turning around soon. It was roughly around here that the other runner with me started fading. I knew I would most likely be running alone for the rest of the race. My exhaustion level was still steady. Mile 7 and the turnaround presented the only hill of the course. It really was not all that impressive. The downhill on the way out did not do a whole lot for me and the uphill was not taxing. At least I got to see the lead runner who had a very sizable lead on me. Third and Fourth place were still in my vicinity but I had a comfortable lead on them.
I missed the 7 mile mark, but came through mile 8 in 11:47, for roughly a 5:53 average. At this point, I was starting to get used to how terrible I had felt for the whole race. It had never gotten worse and my body finally just accepted it. I could feel myself picking up the pace. It also helped that I got to see the rest of the field. The cheers were certainly helpful! That is what makes out and back courses interesting.
Mile 9: 5:48
One of my fastest miles of the race. It felt ok. I still groaned at the thought of running another 4.1 miles but kept telling myself to just worry about the next mile.
Mile 10: 5:41
By now most of the pack had thinned out and I only had sparse crowd support at the water stops and such. I never really "need" the extra support, I always consider it a bonus and it is for situations just like this. I still had a 5K to go and crowd support or not, if I could hold on, I would get second overall and a PR.
Mile 11: 5:34
I missed the remaining mile markers. They were shaped like rabbits, rather small, and sat low to the ground. Though it was unique, it made them hard to see. Of course, I was completely out of it mentally; I probably would have missed giant signs at eye level at that point.
As far as pace goes, I know I did not back down and finished hard. Over the last 2.1, I ran a 12:01 for a 5:43 average. I crossed the line in 1:16:13 and 2nd overall. I was spent, my legs were sore, but I felt awesome.
My ankle and foot were fine and I just PRed by almost 2 minutes at the end of a 97 mile week. I actually negative split the race because somehow, I got stronger as the race progressed. I know the slow start is the reason why 1:15:40 slipped by, but I'll have more shots at that in the future on fresher legs.
For my efforts I received a rather nice plaque, and $50 straight cash. This is the first race ever where I have received a cash prize. If I got anything of monetary value before, it was always gift certificates. The race cost $50, so I ended up breaking even. Not too bad, 2 weeks in a row, two PRs, and two free races!
Now that I'm still alive, it's time to take the next 2-3 days easy. Next week will still be a 90+ mile week, but I'm only racing a 5K (substantially less taxing than 10 milers and half marathons). I may cut out a workout from this week and substitute easy miles. I need to reward myself at least a little bit, I've kicked ass the past two weekends! With this race out of the way, I can almost see Boston on the horizon.
However, if I could somehow maintain a "reasonable" half marathon pace based on my training paces and recent races on such a heavy load, then I know I could handle sub-2:40 pace at Boston. So with those thoughts in mind, I drove down to Severna Park for the B&A Trail Half Marathon, a race put on by the Annapolis Striders on the relatively flat paved B&A Trail.
During my warmup, my legs felt ok, and my left ankle and foot were not complaining. I was a far cry from last week in terms of freshness. My "A" goal was to run a 1:15:40 and get ranked by Washington Run Report for the winter season. My "B" goal was just to PR. I knew I had a shot at top 3 and maybe a win depending on who showed up to the race.
At the 7:30 AM start, we had overcast skies, a slight breeze, temperatures in the mid 50s, and a very light drizzle for most of the race. Overall, the weather was favorable. As soon as the gun went off, 4 or 5 runners darted out ahead of me. Some of them had marathon bibs on, others had half bibs. I assumed that this was not going to be an Olympic Trials qualifying attempt and that they either went out too fast, or were all running the half. Immediately at mile 1, I could already feel it in my legs.
Mile 1: 5:56
Based on how I felt, a 1:15:40 seemed unlikely. I needed to be closer to the mid 5:40s from the get go, but that was ok. I had no intention on forcing what wasn't there. Of course now I had to decide how exactly I was going to run 12 more miles being that I was already tired. I passed a couple of runners and ended up in what I assumed was third. One runner in white was far off in the distance, but within striking range. The overall leader was no where to be found. He bolted off the line like he was in a different world completely and I never saw him again.
I missed the 2 mile marker, but came through mile 3 in 11:38 total, for a 2 mile average of 5:49. I think the third mile was faster than the second. I was slowly gaining ground on the second place runner. Thanks to a support bike that was alongside me, I heard over his radio when the lead runner passed the first water stop. It took me probably a minute or two more to hit that same stop so clearly, I was not going to catch the leader. Although I was closing on the second place runner, I still felt way too awful this early in the race. I tried not to concern myself with the 10 miles I had to go and just focused on catching up to second place.
Mile 4: 5:54
Somewhere after mile 4, I finally caught that runner. I alternated between closing the gap for 20-30 seconds and backing off just a little for 10-20 seconds. I didn't really feel much worse picking it up, but I was still worried that I would run out of gas way too early. Rather than stay behind the runner I caught, I just decided to pass him and take the lead when I finally closed the gap. I figured with how bad I felt, I had nothing to lose by being aggressive. If I was going to blow up before the end, my fate was sealed before I even walked up to the start line. He stuck with me for a little while but was clearly struggling, and had been fading back to me since his hard early start.
Mile 5: 5:58
At this point I started to notice that I was not getting anymore tired than I already was and my legs were not getting any heavier. Life still sucked, but things were not getting worse. I kept telling myself to just keep the pace under 6 minutes per mile and take it a mile at a time.
Mile 6: 5:54
This was an out and back course and I knew we would be turning around soon. It was roughly around here that the other runner with me started fading. I knew I would most likely be running alone for the rest of the race. My exhaustion level was still steady. Mile 7 and the turnaround presented the only hill of the course. It really was not all that impressive. The downhill on the way out did not do a whole lot for me and the uphill was not taxing. At least I got to see the lead runner who had a very sizable lead on me. Third and Fourth place were still in my vicinity but I had a comfortable lead on them.
I missed the 7 mile mark, but came through mile 8 in 11:47, for roughly a 5:53 average. At this point, I was starting to get used to how terrible I had felt for the whole race. It had never gotten worse and my body finally just accepted it. I could feel myself picking up the pace. It also helped that I got to see the rest of the field. The cheers were certainly helpful! That is what makes out and back courses interesting.
Mile 9: 5:48
One of my fastest miles of the race. It felt ok. I still groaned at the thought of running another 4.1 miles but kept telling myself to just worry about the next mile.
Mile 10: 5:41
By now most of the pack had thinned out and I only had sparse crowd support at the water stops and such. I never really "need" the extra support, I always consider it a bonus and it is for situations just like this. I still had a 5K to go and crowd support or not, if I could hold on, I would get second overall and a PR.
Mile 11: 5:34
I missed the remaining mile markers. They were shaped like rabbits, rather small, and sat low to the ground. Though it was unique, it made them hard to see. Of course, I was completely out of it mentally; I probably would have missed giant signs at eye level at that point.
As far as pace goes, I know I did not back down and finished hard. Over the last 2.1, I ran a 12:01 for a 5:43 average. I crossed the line in 1:16:13 and 2nd overall. I was spent, my legs were sore, but I felt awesome.
My ankle and foot were fine and I just PRed by almost 2 minutes at the end of a 97 mile week. I actually negative split the race because somehow, I got stronger as the race progressed. I know the slow start is the reason why 1:15:40 slipped by, but I'll have more shots at that in the future on fresher legs.
For my efforts I received a rather nice plaque, and $50 straight cash. This is the first race ever where I have received a cash prize. If I got anything of monetary value before, it was always gift certificates. The race cost $50, so I ended up breaking even. Not too bad, 2 weeks in a row, two PRs, and two free races!
Now that I'm still alive, it's time to take the next 2-3 days easy. Next week will still be a 90+ mile week, but I'm only racing a 5K (substantially less taxing than 10 milers and half marathons). I may cut out a workout from this week and substitute easy miles. I need to reward myself at least a little bit, I've kicked ass the past two weekends! With this race out of the way, I can almost see Boston on the horizon.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
How many miles?!??! Monday 2/28-Saturday 3/5
Monday:
AM: 5 miles, easy
PM: 8 miles, easy/moderate
I felt decent the day after my 10 miler. The end of that second run was a bit tiring. My left ankle was a little tender at the start of the 5 miler and throughout most of the day. It was fine during the afternoon run.
Tuesday:
AM: 7.5 easy
I was supposed to go for a ladder workout this afternoon but canned it and napped instead. My ankle felt decent throughout the whole day so I decided to take my single run day today. I still felt in "recovery mode" from the race.
Wednesday:
AM: 6 miles easy
My ankle felt better than it had in about 2 weeks but my left hamstring was excessively tight for about 2 miles, gotta stretch more!
PM: 9.6 miles with 8xhill, 5 up and 3 down
No real ankle problems to report. Hillwork tends to be continuous running with varied paces, not likely to cause aggravation. I got out a little late for this one after eating a whole lot of sushi. However, it sat well and I hit this workout strong despite stiff winds. My hamstring was still tight at the beginning but loosened up very quickly.
Thursday:
AM: 5 miles, easy
PM: 6 miles, easy/moderate
No real ankle issues or hamstring issues to report. I nailed the afternoon run and felt refreshed finally from that race.
Friday:
AM: 4 miles, easy
PM: 9 miles total, Ladder workout: 400, 800, 1200, 1600, 1200, 800, 400...2 minutes rest between reps.
My ankle started flaring up a bit again in the morning and the pain seems to have settled in the bottom of my heel and arch area as well. I really felt it during that speedwork. The constant starting and stopping probably put extra strain on it. It also didn't help that I started that run at 10:30 at night, but such is the life of an 80-90 mile a week runner with a full time job and long hours.
Despite the tender ankle, late start and slight fatigue, I was only maybe 1-3 seconds slower than what I was shooting for. However, the paces felt right.
400: 75s
800: 2:39
1200: 3:57
1600: 5:20
1200: 4:01
800: 2:40
400: 77s
Overall, I held decently steady on the second half which is usually a goal of these workouts, come back in what you started out with. The consistent 2 minutes rest between each was new, I would usually rest more between the longer reps, but figured that little tweak would make it more difficult. It certainly forced me to actually run 5K pace on one of these workouts for a change!
I could really feel that ankle and foot running the cool down, enough to start to have concern.
Saturday:
21 miles, easy/moderate pace
This was just a 21 miler to get the miles in while still staying as fresh as possible for tomorrow's half marathon. I didn't bother timing it and my pace varied depending on who I was running with. I would feel the ankle for a few steps every time I started up from a stop, then it would fade away. The pain in my foot migrated from my heel to my arch. It was the worst in the early/middle part of the run and largely faded by the end. It really just felt tight.
I think my problem is that I'm slightly compensating for my ankle especially for a few seconds when I start up from rest. With all the starting and stopping from Friday, and the occasional stopping due to city traffic today, my arch just got really tight. After stretching it a bit, it feels a lot better.
I need to do my best to stop compensating for that ankle especially since the pain just goes away after a few steps anyway. Either that, or don't stop running once I start! Having pain and stiffness when I first start up a run is nothing new, I'm just used to it being in my knees, quads, hamstrings, or calf muscles. The ankle is a new experience.
Overall, it hurts less than it did last week, and that was on fewer miles. With a higher load, it hurts less overall which means it is slowly getting better. I'll keep an eye on it, but I see no reason currently to cut back.
Miles going into Sunday: 81. This week will be a mileage PR after the B&A Half tomorrow. With all this mileage, if I don't feel it in tomorrow's race, I won't run it all out. I'll take whatever my body will allow. However, if it happens to have 5:50 pace in it, I'll take it!
AM: 5 miles, easy
PM: 8 miles, easy/moderate
I felt decent the day after my 10 miler. The end of that second run was a bit tiring. My left ankle was a little tender at the start of the 5 miler and throughout most of the day. It was fine during the afternoon run.
Tuesday:
AM: 7.5 easy
I was supposed to go for a ladder workout this afternoon but canned it and napped instead. My ankle felt decent throughout the whole day so I decided to take my single run day today. I still felt in "recovery mode" from the race.
Wednesday:
AM: 6 miles easy
My ankle felt better than it had in about 2 weeks but my left hamstring was excessively tight for about 2 miles, gotta stretch more!
PM: 9.6 miles with 8xhill, 5 up and 3 down
No real ankle problems to report. Hillwork tends to be continuous running with varied paces, not likely to cause aggravation. I got out a little late for this one after eating a whole lot of sushi. However, it sat well and I hit this workout strong despite stiff winds. My hamstring was still tight at the beginning but loosened up very quickly.
Thursday:
AM: 5 miles, easy
PM: 6 miles, easy/moderate
No real ankle issues or hamstring issues to report. I nailed the afternoon run and felt refreshed finally from that race.
Friday:
AM: 4 miles, easy
PM: 9 miles total, Ladder workout: 400, 800, 1200, 1600, 1200, 800, 400...2 minutes rest between reps.
My ankle started flaring up a bit again in the morning and the pain seems to have settled in the bottom of my heel and arch area as well. I really felt it during that speedwork. The constant starting and stopping probably put extra strain on it. It also didn't help that I started that run at 10:30 at night, but such is the life of an 80-90 mile a week runner with a full time job and long hours.
Despite the tender ankle, late start and slight fatigue, I was only maybe 1-3 seconds slower than what I was shooting for. However, the paces felt right.
400: 75s
800: 2:39
1200: 3:57
1600: 5:20
1200: 4:01
800: 2:40
400: 77s
Overall, I held decently steady on the second half which is usually a goal of these workouts, come back in what you started out with. The consistent 2 minutes rest between each was new, I would usually rest more between the longer reps, but figured that little tweak would make it more difficult. It certainly forced me to actually run 5K pace on one of these workouts for a change!
I could really feel that ankle and foot running the cool down, enough to start to have concern.
Saturday:
21 miles, easy/moderate pace
This was just a 21 miler to get the miles in while still staying as fresh as possible for tomorrow's half marathon. I didn't bother timing it and my pace varied depending on who I was running with. I would feel the ankle for a few steps every time I started up from a stop, then it would fade away. The pain in my foot migrated from my heel to my arch. It was the worst in the early/middle part of the run and largely faded by the end. It really just felt tight.
I think my problem is that I'm slightly compensating for my ankle especially for a few seconds when I start up from rest. With all the starting and stopping from Friday, and the occasional stopping due to city traffic today, my arch just got really tight. After stretching it a bit, it feels a lot better.
I need to do my best to stop compensating for that ankle especially since the pain just goes away after a few steps anyway. Either that, or don't stop running once I start! Having pain and stiffness when I first start up a run is nothing new, I'm just used to it being in my knees, quads, hamstrings, or calf muscles. The ankle is a new experience.
Overall, it hurts less than it did last week, and that was on fewer miles. With a higher load, it hurts less overall which means it is slowly getting better. I'll keep an eye on it, but I see no reason currently to cut back.
Miles going into Sunday: 81. This week will be a mileage PR after the B&A Half tomorrow. With all this mileage, if I don't feel it in tomorrow's race, I won't run it all out. I'll take whatever my body will allow. However, if it happens to have 5:50 pace in it, I'll take it!
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