Second Wind

Good tough long run today.  The goal today was to run the first 10 miles at a pace that was moderately hard to put some fatigue on the legs but not blow-up and then pick it up for the last 6 miles to BQ pace.  Everything worked out better than expected.  Even the weather cooperated today giving us 83 degrees and a breeze so light that the trees didn't move but just enough that you could feel the benefit.  With the last week of back problems I was worried this run might not go well but the back also felt "okay" today so I was good to go.  Here are the paces for the first 10 miles:  8:00, 7:51, 8:00, 7:53, 7:55, 7:52, 7:56, 7:53, 7:44, 7:47.  Those last two miles came in under my 7:50 threshhold for fast miles that is why I show 8 fast miles today.  I was just getting anxious during those miles to really let it go.  Here are the splits for the last 6 miles:  7:20, 7:21, 7:17, 7:20, 7:11, 7:18.  I started to feel a little bit of fatigue kick in for the last couple of miles but was really able to focus and maintain the pace.  I contemplated turning this run into a 20 miler because of all the favorable factors mentioned above but decided to be satisfied with meeting my goals for the day and save the 20 for next week.  Hopefully it all comes together again next week for the big nasty. 

Interesting side note:  I decided on Friday night that I wanted to do this type of run so my mind was into it when I woke up today.  I think preping mentally in advance gives you a huge psycological advantage in training, I know that's how it works with races.

Welcome to the Monster Month of training for SGM.

Time:  2:02:47  7:40/mile

Rest.

Great weather this morning for a run.  I know that 78 degrees is pretty warm in most places, but in Vegas 78 degrees in August is a treat and it looks like there is more to come this whole week.  Yesterday my left knee was bothering me a bit, but what else is new.  My left leg is the one affected by my lower back issues so I imagine the knee is a result of all the bad back akward striding problems.  I was worried I may not be able to run on it this morning but it actaully didn't bother me much and the lower back issues seem to be easing a bit.....maybe it's all in my mind.  The only thing exciting today was the cooler temps and oh ya, I got some new running clothes at the Nike outlet over the weekend and tried them out today, they were great.  If I have to shop for clothes, running clothes are about all I can stand.

Time:  1:12:41  8:05/mile

Standard run today.  Nothing exciting.  8 miles, a black lab, yoga, core, inversion.  Left leg/back is still giving me fits.  I do seem to warm-up and the pains does ease but never goes completely away, not sure what to think.  Hope it doesn't get worse or I may have to back off a bit.  Couple of faster miles today, not because I felt good, just because they happened.  Tomorrow is tempo day but as usual it's up in the air until it actaully happens.

Time:  1:04:03  8:00/mile

The elliptical machine was calling my name today so I went with it for 60 minutes.  Too many aches and pains to continue beating myself to death so I will be cross training for a few days to see if things improve.  Also did the usual yoga and core work.  Skipped on the inversion becasue I'm not sure if that has assisted in agravating my leg and knee.  So much for the "monster month" of marathon training.  I'll be looking to just survive

Slept in like a lazy bum today.  Didn't do anything.  Knee and lower back are still hurting a bit but seem a little better.  Will probably take the rest of the week off from running and go from there.

Just a quick trial run that showed I am not ready to be running yet.  Man it sure was a cool 71 degrees this morning, wish I was running.

Time:  8:46  8:46/mile

Injured

Rest.

Injured

A not so easy and very clunky 3 miles.  I guess I should expect to feel clunky after a week off from running but it felt terrible.  The back and all other issues related to my left leg are still there but are improving.  I will continue to take it easy for the rest of this week.  Being injured sucks.

Time:  25:25  8:28/mile

Slow and easy again today. The good thing is that I get to run with Megan now in my injured state. Thought about doing a couple more miles but Meg wouldn't let me. The pain wasn't bad today unless I landed or pushed off wrong. Felt it once pretty good when trying to jump over a stream of water in the road. Other than that though....not bad. Just gonna continue with the same until further notice.

Time: 52:06 8:41/mile

Slow and easy again today, however the back seems to be feeling much improved over the last several days.  I am still a bit worried about some tightness and tenderness in my left quad that continues to linger.  I don't really feel it unless I really try to stride out or move a little wierd while running.  Hopefully the slow running will give that a chance to heal up as well.  So finally a little bit of encouraging news but I am still not even close to being out of the woods yet.

Time:  50:25  8:24/mile

Took the day off just to be overly cautious and it may have had something to do with staying up too late......hmmmmm.

Only goal for today was to run by feel and go as far as I thought was safe.  The injuries were not pain free by any stretch of the imagination but they didn't get any worse as the run progressed.  Huge bonus, I go to run with Meg almost the entire way.  Didn't push the pace at all today and the run turned out to be a lot easier than expected.  I feel like I could have kept going and considered doing the full 20 because I missed one last week.  But to err on the side of caution I stopped before I felt like I needed to and am really feeling pretty darn good right now.  I know I can't push the pace right now but maybe I will be able maintain some of the fitness from my training over the last several weeks and carry that into the marathon.....time will tell.  So I think I am back to running again but easy running only for now.

Time:  2:25  8:31/mile

Rest.

Nothing exciting, slow and easy.

Time: 51:32 8:35/mile

See yesterday.

Time: 50:34 8:26/mile

Broken record.

Time: 50:30 8:25/mile

Changed it up a bit today with a marathon pace mile to finish off the last mile.  It didn't seem terribly difficult but it wasn't all that comfortable on my injuries.  The good news is that the injuries don't seem to be getting any worse, the bad news is the injuries don't seem to be improving as fast as I would like.  Going to continue to go slow and easy and hope that it's enough to at least maintan some fitness.

Time:  50:49  8:28/mile

Still just plodding along again today with another 6 at a slow pace.  Slept in  a bit today and got a late start....it was hot.  Hopefully we are coming to an end with the 80+ degree mornings.  Still feeling the pain but nothing new there, just trying to be patient.

Time:  49:58  8:20/mile

Gave up at two miles today. Just couldn't take the pain or the heat of this day. At 4:30 am it was 90 degrees and I felt miserable. Really wanted to run 20 today but just didn't have it in me to push through the pain from my injuries. The reality is starting to set in that this is not going to be the year for a stellar run at St. George. I just haven't been able to get in the longer runs I will need to perform well. I will surely be there on the day of the event to run but as has been the case in all of my previous marathons, I will be coming off of injury and just trying to finish. One of these days I am going to learn how to train for a marathon without pushing too hard. One of these days I will feel healthy again and it will feel good to run. I hope that day comes soon, but for now I will be happy with what little training I can do and hope to get to the starting line healthy and somewhat in shape.

Rest.

Nothing today, not even the elliptical. Slept in and then ended up staying home from work to repair our pond which had leaked all over the back yard during the night, oh joy!

Elliptical 60 Min. Watched 17 Again. It's a teen movie but it's got some pretty funny stuff in there, I enjoyed it.

Recovery.

Recovery.

Recovery.

Recovery.

Rest.

Final run of August and it went pretty well. Things felt a little clunky but the injuries felt much improved. Will continue to be a little cautious the rest of this week but time is running out so need to find a good balance. My philosophy has always been that it is better to get to the starting line a little undertrained and healthy than perfectly trained and injured. Did 20 minutes of yoga after the run.

Time: 51:09 8:31/mile