Running really satisfies!

And it lets you eat Snickers (if you want).  Ha ha. Okay, that was stupid and cheesy.

I had a great running week!  I kinda just threw caution to the wind, and said whatever happens, happens.  I want to run more volume, so I decided I would.  I figure if I'm gonna get hurt, I'm gonna get hurt, so there is no need to hold back.  Do not mistake my attitude for being stupid though.  I plan on using sound training principles and not overdo the various stimuli (volume, intensity, frequency, duration).  I figured the best way to increase my volume was to increase my frequency.

So, here is what I did for the week of 12/12-12/18:

Mon: AM - 4 miles @ 7:57/mile - slow run, wore vibrams, on treadmill w/ 1% incline
PM - 7 miles @ 7:27/mile - easy run, just felt like I was rolling along

Tue: AM - 5 miles @ 7:58/mile - slow run, on treadmill w/ 1% incline
PM - 5 miles @ 6:39/mile - 1/2 mile warmup, 4 mile tempo run @ 6:15/mile, 1/2 mile cooldown, on treadmill w/ 1% incline

Wed: AM - 4 miles @ 7:58/mile - slow recovery run, on treadmill w/ 1% incline
PM - 7.15 miles @ 7:19/mile - easy to moderate effort at end with last mile sub 7 minute pace, didn't force anything just let the run come to me

Thu: AM - 4 miles @ 7:57/mile - slow run, on treadmill w/ 1% incline
PM - 7.1 miles - 2 mile warmup, 10 x 200m @ 37 seconds w/ 300m slow jogs for full recovery, 2 mile cooldown.  This was a workout to get my legs turning over in preparation for the race Saturday morning.

Fri: PM - 4.78 miles - 4.5 miles @ 8:09/mile + 4 x 100m strides, slow run

Sat: AM - 9.34 miles - 1.1 mile warmup with a few strides, 10k race in 37:34, 2.04 mile cooldown
PM - 4.06 miles @ 7:48/mile - slow, recovery run

Sun: AM - 10.32 miles @ 7:35/mile - easy long run for time on feet

Weekly Totals: 12 runs, 71.75 miles

I think this is the most miles I have run in a week since January or February 2010.  My body felt good for the most part.  I feel like I am running at about 90% healthy.  My pelvis still feels a little twisted, which seems to cause a functional leg length discrepancy.  This in turn causes some tightness in my left IT band as well as some tightness/tendinitis in my left achilles & posterior tibialis.  It does not feel like pain that could get worse, which is why I continue to run.  My lower back is tight in the morning when I wake up, but that is due to my bed being too soft.  There will be a new mattress purchased after the new year.  Other than that, it is pretty much a non-factor.  For all of these ailments, I continue to see a doctor every other week and will continue to do so until I feel the problem/issue has been resolved and the symptomatic pain is gone.

The race went about as expected.  It was at City Park, which has some hills, but they aren't bad but you can feel them.  I went through the 1st half in 18:41 & the 2nd half in 18:53.  I placed 2nd.  Peter Vail ran away with the race, but for some reason he is not showing up on the results.  It was nice to race again (only my 2nd race in over 2 years).  The guy who got 3rd place and I were together for about the first 4 miles.  Right about then, I pulled up on his shoulder, listen to his breathing and assessed that his effort level was much greater than mine at that point.  So, I threw off my beanie (it was in the low 40s) and took off.  I ended up beating him by 10 seconds.  I feel like I had no speed or endurance.  I felt pretty close to redline after about the 2nd mile.

It was a great race to determine where I am at; a good starting point for moving forward with my base training.  It helps to know what paces I should be training at now because I think I was over-running my tempo runs.  I have done no VO2 max work and very little lactate threshold work, so I am overall pretty happy with my performance.  I think my time will drop pretty easily once I start getting in some more specific physiologically targeted training.

For the rest of the year I will probably bring the mileage back a little to not overdo it and go into the new year fresh and inroducing some workouts.  Until then, I am going to enjoy how I am feeling and spending time with friends and family over the holidays!

Hereeeeeeeeeeee comes Rusty!

For those who don't get the title reference, it is what the announcer used to say when the fake rabbit was coming around the corner before releasing the greyhounds from the starting gate at Hile High Dog Track.  The reason I am writing it is because I am running a race tomorrow.  I am running the Christmas Carol Classic 10k at City Park.  I figured it was a good incognito race to do because Rudolph's Revenge is tomorrow and most fast runners will be down there.

This will give me a chance to assess my current fitness.  I've run sporadically lately: 60+ 3 weeks ago, 51 2 weeks ago, 39 last week, and this week will be 70-80 (48+ already this week).  So, I will be running on tired legs, but it is a good jumping off point.  I'm going to shoot for a sub-37, but that is a reach.  Hopefully one or two fast guys in my range will be there in order to pull me around for a faster time than I can do on my own.

The week (and race) that were not: 10/24-10/30

For the week, I got in between 12-13 miles.  I only ran Mon & Tue.  Mon I ran easy, Tue I did a set of 200s in preparation for the 10k I had signed up for on Saturday.  Wednesday it snowed and was a planned rest day.  Thu-Fri were going to be easy runs with a few strides added on Friday.

Unfortunately, when I got home from work Thrusday night, I bent over and once again had a back episode.  I had a huge spasm (and what I perceived to be disc related pain).  That pretty much killed the rest of the week.  I was forced to DNS (Did Not Start) the race.  I am back on oral steriods for the problem and I have not run since.

Monday of this week I had a physical therapy appointment, during which time a neurological assessment was completed.  Luckily, the results were negative, so it is comforting knowing my pain is muscular.  I am taking the conservative route and not running.  I am unsure of when I will run.  My doctor gave me the go ahead, however I do not yet feel comfortable trying to run (as much as I would like to).  I am hoping by taking more time off I will recovery fully and reduce the chances and timeframe of experiencing another episode.

Right now I am concentrating on strengthening my core - abs, obliques & back.  Just another chapter in a series of disappointments over the last two years.

Getting sick sucks...mostly

10/17-10/23

Mon: 8.75 miles - 2 mile warmup with drills and 1 stride, 6 x 1k w/ 3 min recovery jogs (500m), 1.5 mile cooldown; 1ks went: 3:37, 3:34, 3:35, 3:35, 3:35, 3:34

Tue: AM - 3.5 miles @ 8:11/mile - easy run on treadmill with 1% incline
PM - 5.65 miles @ 8:03/mile w/ 142 avg heart rate - easy run, not feeling well & not much energy

Wed: unplanned rest day - sick

Thu: 5.1 miles @ 8:06/mile - easy run, still feeling sick & weak



Fri: 6.21 miles @ 7:33/mile w/ 146 avg heart rate - easy/moderate aerobic effort

Sat: AM - 4.6 miles @ 8:05/mile w/ 145 avg heart rate - easy run, got really tired and weak legs after 3 miles
PM - 4.84 miles - 4.5 miles @ 8:03/mile w/ 145 avg heart rate + 5 x 100m strides - easy run, got really tired and weak legs after 3 miles

Sun: 13.11 miles @ 7:30/mile w/ 151 avg heart rate - 1st half of run in 50:45, 2nd half in 47:38

Weekly Totals: 8 runs, 51.76 miles

Thoughts/re-cap

Monday's workout went really well.  It was a workout to inject a little speed into my running.  Being that I am running a 10k on 10/29, I figured this was a way to touch on both speed and specific-endurance.  I figured I'm in about 3:45/km shape for the 10k, so this workout was @ 104-105% of my planned race pace.  Sure, the rests may have been too long or I could have done more (8-10) reps, but the way I figured is I am just getting into base fitness, so this would be a good gauge.  I knew I would gain some benefit of running near race pace.  I also know that I have placed very little time on speed and intensity workouts because of my "fragile" state, so this workout would boost me mentally.

The rest of the week and into the weekend was kind of crushed by getting sick.  I seem to get sick twice a year, with the change of the season.  I get a wicked sore throat, weak and tired.  It pretty much dictated that the rest of the week would be easy running just getting in the miles.  I was successful in still meeting my goal for the week, which was 50+ miles.  I felt the effects of my moderate efforts (Friday & Sunday) the day after the runs.  Saturday I had no energy after about 3 miles of both runs.  I knew my body was struggling with the demands of getting healthy coupled with just an easy effort.  This is depicted in the elevated heart rate of those Saturday runs.  Additionally, today I can feel more congestion in my head than the last few days.

Sunday's run was a win for me.  Not the run itself, but how I felt.  I did not feel any discomfort in my lower left leg throughout the run.  I felt like I was 100% "running" healthy.  I feel as though as time goes on, I am relearning how to fire the proper muscles while running.  This includes focusing on my core and not using my back.  The functional movements and stretches my physical therapist gave me really seem to be working.  I now believe I will soon say these injuries are in the past.  This was a big step.

This week will be a cutback week with the race.  I am going to do all easy running except for one day which I will try and get some pop in my legs with fast 200s.  For November, I hope to have 2 weeks in the mid 50s, will try and hit 60 for a third week and have another cutback week.

What a week!

10/10-10/16

Mon: AM - 4 miles @ 8:09/mile - wore vibrams; on treadmill w/ 1% incline, 7.4 speed; easy run
PM - 6.24 @ 8:02/mile w/ 142 avg heart rate - easy run on hilly route

Tue: 8.25 miles - 2.75 mile warmup, 2 mile cooldown, 3.5 mile tempo in 21:27 (6:08/mile)

Wed: AM - 3.8 miles @ 8:15/mile - easy run on hilly route by office
PM - 5.25 miles @ 8:04/mile w/ 138 avg heart rate - easy run

Thu: 8.5 miles @ 6:58/mile w/ 157 avg heart rate - goal of run was 6 miles at 85% of 10K pace

Fri: 5.63 miles @ 7:50/mile w/ 139 avg heart rate - easy run at sub 8-minute pace

Sat: 12.5 miles @ 7:46/mile w/ 154 avg heart rate

Sun: 3 miles @ 8:44/mile - unplanned regeneration run with no regards as to pace

Weekly Totals: 9 runs, 57.17 miles

Thoughts:

Tuesday's tempo run was a welcome change.  The last couple months I had been running tempos about every other week, but I had not experienced much improvement in terms of pace.  I had noticed increased endurance, but not improved pace.  I knew I had lost come of the top end speed I used to have, and it is possible it hasn't returned because I have not focused on that aspect of training.

Thursday's workout was maybe the best I have had in a long time.  I wanted to get in 6 miles at sub 7-minute per mile pace.  I wanted to get into a rythmn and just go with it.  After taking the first two miles to get into the run and warmup, I dropped down to pace.  It felt tough getting down to that pace, but once I was there, I felt really strong.  I decided to extend the run a little and did 6.5 below 7-minute pace.  I could have kept going, but I was pleased and had achieved the point of the workout, hanging right around 6:50/mile for those 6.5 miles.

The remainder of the week I accomplished what I set out to do, which was take it easy and get in 50+ miles for the 2nd week in a row.  Throughout the week, I felt like my health was improving, almost to the point where it was a non-factor.  I'm not quite ready to say that yet as I have some lingering lower left leg tightness.  I continue to focus on keeping my stride uniform and using the proper muscles for the act of running.  I do not expect this to happen overnight, but I do expect continued improvement.  I am religiuosly foam rolling and performing the stretches provided by my physical therapist.

My running continues to progress, with the last 2-3 weeks being the breakthrough I have been hoping for for months, if not years!  I will continue to stay vigilant in my actions to "get normal".

I think I finally may have found a race that works within my schedule.  The Eerie Erie 10K is in the morning of Saturday, 10/29.  This would be a good measuring stick to see where I stand as I hopefully progress towards beginning an actual training program for a specific goal race.  That is a big question mark for me right now because I am not comfortable identifying specific paces for workouts.  Getting back on the starting line will be exciting.

Motivation and such

Week of 9/26-10/2: 35.21 miles

10/3-10/9
Mon: 7.29 miles @ 8:05/mile w/ 135 avgHR - easy run

Tue: 8.25 miles @ 7:35/mile w/ 148 avgHR - first half comfortable and easy (7:47/mile downhill), negative split 2nd half up (7:22/mile uphill)

Wed: 5.3 miles @ 8:05/mile - easy run

Thu: 7.09 miles @ 7:54/mile - easy run, just wanted to see how easy I could make consistent 8 minute miles feel

Fri: AM - 4 miles @ 8:09/mile - easy run on treadmill at gym (1% incline, 7.4 speed)
PM - 5.01 miles @ 7:27/mile - moderate effort

Sat: planned rest day

Sun: 13.19 miles @ 7:23/mile w/ 153 avgHR - purpose was to go out 1st half comfortably & do 2nd half at a moderate effort, actual 1st half: 50:04 - 7:35/mile, 2nd half: 47:18 - 7:10/mile

Weekly Totals: 7 runs, 50.13 miles

First week of 50+ miles in probably over a year!  It wasn't without its hiccups.  My left leg & knee have been a little achy.  It could be ITBS, so I have gotten intimate with my foam roller again.  This is why Wed & Thu were fairly easy and light as I just wanted to let it rest a little.

As you can probably see, I am doing a lot of strength running right now.  I am concentrating on getting in some of that higher level aerobic work with the least amount of stress to the body as possible.  I need to continue to do strides or introduce uphill sprints once or twice a week as well as get in some tempo pace work.  The difficult part for me right now is trying to figure out what my tempo pace should be as I do not have a good indication of my current level of fitness.  I may just need to jump in a 5k and see what I can do to give me a better idea of what paces I should using for various workouts.

It's been fun to watch the paces of my runs come down along with the corresponding heart rate associated with the paces.  I feel like my endurance is slowly returning, but I must admit I have no speed right now.  This is fine with me as I am rebuilding that aerobic foundation and will add layers of work to it over time...it's a long term approach.  I just have to continue to be patience and intelligent about my progress in order to avoid setback.

My stride continues to feel as though it is improving.  I feel smoother.  When I concentrate of firing my quads and hamstrings while maintaining tall, even shoulders, I have had brief interludes where I feel as though I am floating along...like I used to feel.  I'll keep telling myself to stretch and I have my fingers crossed physical therapy will bring me to "proper alignment" and pain-free running!

6 Weeks Later

8/15-8/21: 33.64 miles
8/22-8/28: 46.15 miles
8/29-9/4: 21.5 miles
9/5-9/11: 46 miles
9/12-9/18: 46.11 miles

9/19-9/25: 8 runs, 49.67 miles

Mon: AM - 4 miles @ 7:52/mile - on treadmill w/ 1% incline - Stride rate was around 185-190
PM - 6.8 miles @ 8:01/mile - easy run w/ 140 avg heart rate

Tue: unplanned rest day

Wed: 7.5 miles total - 2 mile warmup, 6 x 800m @ 5k pace, 1.25 mile cooldown - 1st 800 at 2:59 (too slow) with last 5 between 2:50-2:52

Thu: 5.3 miles @ 9:11/mile - true recovery run not concerned with pace with avg heart rate of 125

Fri: 12.25 miles @ 7:57/mile - negative split run - 2nd half about 20 seconds per mile faster than 1st half - avg heart rate 140

Sat: AM - 4.02 miles @ 8:53/mile - recovery run with avg heart rate 129
PM - 5.2 miles @ 8:47/mile - recovery run with avg heart rate 134

Sun: 4.6 miles @ 7:06/mile - progressive run from 7:30/mile down to 6:45/mile with avg heart rate 154

Oops, I thought I had run 50 miles for the week, or else I would have run a little farther Sunday morning.  Oh well, I'll round up for the week :)

The Wednesday workout was a lot more difficult than I had anticipated.  I figured that would be a comfortable pace for me to run, but being that it was my first set of half mile intervals in a while, I was probably a bit overzealous.  I could have done another one or two but they would have hurt bad, so maybe the pace was right in my wheel house.

Friday's long run was not as fast as I hoped.  The plan was to take out the first half in a nice, comfortable 8:00/mile pace and come back around 7:30/mile.  I ended up going out in 8:08/mile and coming back in 7:46/mile, however the pace coming back was very inconsistent (fast then slow, etc.).  I had no energy to begin the run and kinda of sufffered through the whole thing.

As I think about it, I have been struggling through the last 3-4 long runs I have done as well as feeling a general state of fatigue throughout the weeks.  I attributed this to a slight increase in intensity & volume and didn't think much of it.  Now that I have thought about it a little more, something is not quite right.  I plan on making a trip to the doctor tonight as I have an idea of what might be going on.

I can finally say that my volume is right where I want it to be.  This week will be a cutback week to somewhere around 35-40 miles.  Then, I plan to hang out at 50-55 for all of October. Additionally, I am going to continue to try and get in a tempo run and an interval workout in each week along with a set of strides or short hill sprints.  Basically, I am using a nonperiodization approach for the next month as general base building to improve my overall fitness.  I hope to jump into the Coal Creek Crossing (cross country race) on 10/9.  Plus, I have to physical therapy appointments to continue to improve my body alignment.

As the month progresses, I will assess how I feel and think about putting together a tentative plan for the rest of the year.  It's exciting to be back at this point!

8/8 - 8/14: Getting back to what a week of running should look like!

Mon: 7.26 miles, 7.01 mile run @ 8:18/mile pace with 4 x 100m strides afterwards
Tue: 7.09 miles, included 5200m tempo run in 20:25 (6:17/mile)
Wed: AM - 3.25 miles, recovery run @ 8:33/mile on treadmill with 1% incline
PM - 5.1 miles, easy run @ 8:23/mile
Thu: 7 miles, fartlek with 8 x 200m fast with 600m recovery jogs
Fri: 4.25 miles, easy run @ 8:27/mile on treadmill with 1% incline
Sat: 11.1 miles, long run @ 7:52/mile negative split run
Sun: planned rest day

Weekly Totals: 7 runs, 45.05 miles

As you can see above, I had a week with a tempo run, an interval workout, a long run, and strides!  I got in a variety of paces and distances.  This is a bread and butter week in terms of stimulus to improve fitness and running efficiency!

The Tuesday tempo run did not go as well as hoped.  I was a few seconds slower per mile than the same run I did a few weeks prior.  This was mostly affected by the fact that I did not feel 100% physically.  My legs were tired and sore.  This was evident in my stride, as I was never able to get into a rhythm/groove.  My stride felt unbalanced and choppy.  I was not trying to run faster than my last tempo run, rather I was just trying to run about the same pace and compare my heart rate in order to give me an idea of any fitness gains I may have experienced in the two weeks between.  Unfortunately, I did not garner much feedback from the run other than being able to push through discomfort like I used to.

The Thursday run was something new to me as I had not done an interval workout in I don't know how long.  I didn't want to have it totally unstructured, so I ran on a track and didn't pay any attention to how long it was taking me to run the 600m recoveries.  I ended up running most of the 200s between 37 & 38 seconds.  It was a good reintroduction to fast running.  I was definitely uncomfortable in my stride and just tried to relax, elongate my pushoff & have a quick recovery (part of the stride).

What a difference a week can make!  I say this in reference to my long run.  I took the same route I used the previous week.  I didn't feel great for the first half of the run; however during the second half of the run, I just seemed to get stronger as I progressed.  I ended up doing this run 17 seconds per mile faster than the previous week with a heart rate 4 beats per minute slower.  Plus, I didn't almost pass out after 10 miles :)  This only confirms that something wasn't quite right with me last Saturday.

This was the 3rd consecutive week of 40+ miles.  This next week will be a welcome cutback week.  I have started to feel some of that cumulative fatigue I remember when I used to run.  I think this was the reason that my paces slowed on easy runs and they felt more difficult this week.  It was a victory for me to slow down and get the miles in the last two weeks as I need to make sure I take care of myself.  I also began the stretching routine this past week that will hopefully bring my pelvis & hips back into proper, balanced alignment.  As I have stated before, this must happen for anything else to move forward.  I anticipate the process of getting back into proper alignment may take a while, but I hope to at least have some noticeable feedback in the next couple weeks to a month.

Oh, and the race I was planning to do Labor Day weekend (Coal Creek Crossing 10M) is out...I'll be enjoying myself in the mountains for a few days, not to mention getting in a couple runs at 8000+ ft of altitude!

7/25-7/31 & 8/1-8/7: Consistency

7/25 Mon: 11.29 km, 4:47/km - hilly easy/moderate run at Standley Lake on gravel roads & trails
7/26 Tue: AM - 3.25 miles, 8:28/mile - on treadmill with 1% incline
PM - 8.18 km, 5:01/km - easy run
7/27 Wed: 7.25 miles - 2 mile warmup with a few drills, 3.25 mile tempo @ 6:14/mile, 2 mile cooldown
7/28 Thu: 8.88 km, 5:07/km - easy run with 4 x 100m strides
7/29 Fri: 22.89 km, 6:05/km - on Eldorado Mountain trails with 900+ ft of climbing in first 5 miles - pacing a friend from work through a long run and we had to slow throughout run.  Longest run in a long time!
7/30 Sat: 4.99 km, 5:34/km - recovery run, my legs were very heavy and tired from the night before
7/31 Sun: planned rest day

Weekly Totals: 7 runs, 45-46 miles

8/1 Mon: AM - 3.25 miles, 8:22/mile - easy run
PM - 5.25 miles, 8:35/mile - recovery run, still feeling the effort from the Friday before
8/2 Tue: 4.5 miles, 8:00/mile - easy run on treadmill with 1% incline
8/3 Wed: unplanned rest day
8/4 Thu: 7.86 miles - 1 mile warmup, 5.25 mile high-end aerobic run @ 6:44/mile, 1.61 mile cooldown
8/5 Fri: AM - 3.25 miles, 8:19/mile - easy run on treadmill with 1% incline
PM - 5.11 miles, 8:38/mile - recovery run, legs were heavy and tired and I had a hard time keeping them moving
8/6 Sat: 11.05 miles, 8:09/mile - horrible run!  I was hoping to run about 8 minute pace, which should have been easy, but I could not even get on pace the first few miles.  The effort was much greater than it should have been.  I told myself to just find a comfortable pace and get through the run.  The last 4 miles were a death slog!  I really fell off the pace the last two miles because they were all uphill.  I almost passed out afte 10 miles.
8/7 Sun: 4.1 miles, 8:14/mile - easy, barefoot run on grass/trails

Weekly Totals: 8 runs, 44.37 miles

4 of the last 5 weeks have been 40+ miles.  The one that wasn't was a cutback week.  The plan is to get 40+ in this week as well and then take another cutback week.  I'm starting to add strides back in one day a week.  Hopefully this will provide a little more added efficiency to my stride.

I have noticed a marked improvement in my strength.  What I mean is that I finished up the tempo run and high-end aerobic run the last two weeks feeling strong versus the straining I experienced on my first few tempos back.  It's nice to end a harder effort with a feeling of confidence and steady progression.

My malalignment continues to be an issue.  My left achilles is still sore and tight after almost every run and when I wake up in the mornings.  I continue to focus on doing the eccentric calf raises.  I am reading the book my doc recommended called "The Egoscue Method of Health Through Motion."  The next day or two I hope to start performing the exercises to realign my pelvis and shoulders.  I also have a few appointments to schedule to receive manually therapy to assist in this process.  This remains the key as to whether I will be able to "get serious" again.

I am planning on running the Coal Creek Crossing in Louisville the first weekend in September.  I plan to just try and maintain a 6:30 pace, and go after it the last few miles if I'm feeling good physically.  I've wanted to run this race for a few years, so I figured why not.  It'll be a good gauge as to how far I've come in the last 4 months.  Plus, if by some miracle my alignment improves, I'll have a good starting point for future workouts.

I continue to be encouraged by my progress.  Not only that, but I feel as though I have a plan in place that will provide a more concrete answer as to whether my physical health will allow for a return to training and chasing my goals.

7/4/11 - 7/10/11: A Review

Mon: easy/moderate - 11.37 km, 4:53/km, 143 avg heart rate
Tue: easy/moderate - 8.18 km, 4:51/km
Wed: easy - 9.9 km, 5:16/km, 134 avg heart rate
Thu: AM: easy - 4.82 km, 5:16/km
        PM: easy - 8.13 km, 5:12/km, 135 avg heart rate
Fri: easy - 9.72 km, 5:04/km, 140 avg heart rate
Sat: moderate - 16.32 km, 4:53/km, 152 avg heart rate
Sun: planned rest day

Weekly totals: 7 runs, 68.44 km (42.52 miles), 9.78 km per run

Mon: wanted to try and just try and do a run at under 8:00/mile pace with as little effort as possible to see how it felt and how my body reacted to a little harder effort.

Tue: goal was the same as Monday's run

Wed: back to just an easy run to log the miles

Thu: AM - easy run to get my body used to doing doubles again
PM - easy run

Fri: easy run...didn't want to run to hard because I was focusing on the following day's long run

Sat: I wanted to keep the pace below 8:00/mile.  I knew the effort level would creep up as the run went on because I had not done a run this long, much less at a desired pace.  I knew I would reap large benefits from a concerted effort here.

Overall, the week was kind of just ho-hum.  As you can probably tell, I didn't do any "hard" running this week.  I was purposely keeping the intensity low because I was getting to a mileage volume I had not been at regularly.  You know how they day, increase volume or intensity, but not both at the same time?  Well, I wasn't so good at following that rule in the past.  I figured since this was my first of back-to-back weeks at 40+ miles, I would keep this one a little lighter and add a tiny bit of intensity the following week.

I did realize that lots of easy running can get a little mundane.  Of course the majority of running should be at this pace, but I have been running easy almost exclusively for months now.  I have an itch to start doing some faster stuff.  That is not to say that lots of slow running isn't good because it is absolutely essential.  I very much adhere to the philosophy of lots of slow running builds a foundation for the hard running to come.  This translates to a specific training cycle as well as the running lifespan of an individual.

It is good in multiple ways.  First, it lays an aerobic foundation.  It builds ones aerobic capacity to a certain extent.  It also builds a neuromuscular foundation: 1) it provides a Resistance to injury because the body adapts to the requirements without the added stress of hard running, and 2) it makes you more efficient at performing the act of running, which in turn allows ones aerobic capacity to improve even more.  I have embraced this concept because I have too many personal experiences that tell me the other way (running hard before establishing a sufficient base) leads to injury.  I am setting myself up with all this slow running to achieve my fast racing goals!

My back continues to remain pain-free (generally speaking).  More specifically, I am completely convinced that running does not effect the status of my back.  I have been struggling with the achilles tendinitis in my left leg.  It seems to be improving, mostly because of the eccentric calf exercises, but I have to continue to focus on improving my left side stride to alleviate it as one of the potential causes.

Here's to continued improvement!  Cheers!

6/20/11 - 6/26/11

Mon: AM 2.5 miles / PM 8.14 km
Tue: 11.46 km
Wed: 8.15 km
Thu: planned rest day
Fri: AM 3 miles / PM 8.17 km
Sat: 7.29 km
Sun: 16.18 km

Total: 8 runs, 68.24 km, 8.53 km/run

Mon: AM: This is only the second double I have done this year.  I did my hip exercises prior to my morning run.  I ran on a treadmill at work in my vibrams - do all my treadmill runs @ 1% incline.
PM: Never got in a rhythm - felt like I was reaching down and out with my left leg (pelvic twist?)

Tue: This was supposed to be a moderate-hard aerobic run - 6-7 miles @ 7:00/mile pace.  The result was just over 7 miles @ 7:15/mile pace.  The last few miles ended up being just hard.  I think I was a little to sure of myself prior to the run.  I will remember this run next time and stick closer to 7:30 pace for now.

Wed: Easy run.  I could tell I was tired because my average heart rate was 147 (high) at 5:16/km pace

Fri: AM: Easy run on treadmill at work at 8:23/mile pace.
PM: Progressive run from 8:30/mile down to 7:45/mile.

Sat: Short easy run.

Sun: First time I have done 10+ miles since November (at least)!  My legs were beat up as I did a 6-mile hike in Rocky Mountain National Park (1400 ft elevation gain) the day before.  I did not push the run at all as my legs had the "lead" feeling.  5:24/km pace with an average heart rate of 146 (shows I was tired!!!).

Overall, I accomplished my goals for the week.  I wanted to hit 40+ miles (ended up with 42.4).  This is the second time I reached 40+ volume in a week in 2011.  I also wanted to be smart about it and not increase intensity, which I did (I actually backed off the intensity).

I really focused throughout the week on my form.  I began the week feeling likemy pelvis was twisted.  What I mean when I say this is that I felt like when I was facing forward, I was slightly twisted to the left; my right quad, hip, pectoral and shoulder were all out in front of my left.  Add to this that my left knee has the tendency to collapse to the outside, I felt like I was "taller" on my right side.  This made me feel like I was "falling" to my left side.  I wanted to feel like I was "running tall".  I tried to stay uniform in my stride from one side to the next.  I focused on: 1) keeping my knee above or just on the outside of my foot through push-off, 2) firing my quads and hips through push-off, 3) keeping my shoulders and hips level, and 4) having my footfall for each stride occur directly below my hips.  In doing all these things, I noticed my left achilles tendinitis flared up, but I'm not sure why.  I'm keeping tabs on it to make sure it doesn't get worse as right now it gets a little tight on some runs.

This week I am shooting for a 2nd week in a row of 40+ miles.  I should be able to accomplish this without any injury risk.  I want to continue to focus on the things mentioned above as well as running efficiently - midfoot strike without causing any additional stress on my left achilles.

I tried sleeping in my bed one night and I woke up with a sore, stiff lower back.  So, I have been sleeping on my floor at home.  I have a therm-a-rest on top of my rug on my hardwood floors.  Needless to say, it is "firm" support.  Ha ha!  I must say though that my back has not felt this good in a year+.

I am starting to consider myself a runner again...

Baby Steps

Good morning!  This post is written with more hope than I remember having in a long while.  A few things seemed to have "gone my way" recently, which is the first time I can remember that happening in God knows how long.

The first thing is the week of May 30-June 5 I was able to run about 42 miles for the week.  That is the most I have run in probably over a year.  I did not experience any negative physical effects to boot!

Secondly, I had an MRI done on my lower back.  The motivation for this was to attempt to identify the source of my ongoing, unilateral lower back pain/tightness/soreness.  This would allow me, more specifically my doctor, to determine if running may be the cause of the pain or aggravating the source problem.  The results: disc dessication at L3/L4 & L4/L5.  That probably doesn't seem like a positive result for many people, but for me it was a relief.  This was the diagnosis I received back in August 2008 that lead to the herniation of those discs at that time.  The condition has progressed since then, but it is managable.  The best news is that, according to my doctor, running is not going to make the condition worse, and in his words: "There are a whole of people running significantly greater volume with backs in much worse condition than mine".  I was prescribed an oral dose of steriods to reduce the inflamation alleviate the pressure on the root nerve causing the problem.  I feel much improved, although not completely cured.

Third, I realized one of the factors leading to ongoing back pain was...my bed.  It's too darn soft!  I came to this realization on family vacation last week.  I was sleeping on the floor and had little to no discomfort in my lower back.  I experienced relief, so much so, that some days it did not cross my mind!  So, a new, firmer (and most likely cheaper) bed will be replacing the expensive, plush bed I bought only a year ago.  The monetary loss is a small price to pay.

Fourth, I threw caution to the wind and ran a 5K this past Saturday while on vacation.  I was down in Florida, where my aunt and uncle live, on our annual family vacation.  They convinced me to run the race with them.  I didn't have much of an expectation for myself; I figured the best I could do was 19:30, and I would have just been happy to break 20 minutes.  Somehow, with the limited amount of slow running I've been doing allowed me to run 18:31, for 7th place overall.  This was the first race I had done since October 2009.  It definitely got me jazzed and motivated to get back to running the 50 miles a week my doctor and I had decided on for the time being.

My stride has improved signifcantly since my gait analysis and regularly performing the perscribed exercises.  I feel as though I am continuing to make small improvements to feel comfortable with my stride.  I feel as though I am "falling out" on my left side, like I am so much more right side dominate.  I think I may have a pelvic twist or tilt, but it is hard to tell.  I saw my physical therapist a couple weeks ago and he has me doing some exercises on the pulley machine that he thinks will straighten me out.  I am trying to run with a uniform stride on both sides, and that seems to have helped some.  Still a lot to figure out on this topic in the future.

With each little baby step, I get closer.  I don't really know what I am closer to other than the idea of a "Return to Running".  It's a vision, now I just have to figure out what exactly the vision is so I know when I'm there!

Standing on the shoulders of giants!

Here I am almost two months removed from my last post.  I kept meaning to post, but for one reason or another did not.

Much has happened since my last post...where to start???

Well, I will start by saying I have continued my regular visits to a health practitioner.  I have been going to the same facility for the last two months.  I have seen a doctor once, about 10 physical therapy appointments, 3 dry needling sessions and a gait analysis.

Mentally, I think I have categorized myself one of two ways when it comes to my health in the context of running: healthy or not healthy.  I am trying to think of it now in more of a spectrum context.  In doing so, I can say that in the last two months, with the assistance I have received from my health practioners, I am very close to being able to run without concern for injuring myself worse.

The achilles tendinitis in my left leg has greatly improved.  The swelling is down about 2/3rds.  The posterior tibialis pain in my left leg has been greatly reduced.  There are days when my back pain is non-existent; however, I still believe the underlying cause has not been correctly diagnosed.  As soon as it is, I think with the necessary effort, I can alleviate the problem.  The gait analysis revealed some abnormalities, which were most likely a contributing factor to both my leg and back pain, have been addressed through hip and gluteus medius strengthening and stability exercises.

I have now run up to about 35 miles in a week, and hope this week it will be even a little more.  As long as I continue to feel good, I will continue to increase my volume.  The unknown that remains is will I be able to stop my rehabilitation exercises?  If so, when can I stop them and will I remain pain-free?

I can say that physically I feel better than I have in a long time.  I know I have said that before, but I guess that provides some insight as to how poor my physical state was.  Not to mention the fact that theoritically I guess there is no ceiling on how good one can feel.

I owe a lot to myself!  That probably sounds funny or awkward, but I have put in a lot of effort over the last few months.  Hours upon hours of exercises, stretches, foam rolling, icing, etc.  Some days its hard, some days its easy.  I just couldn't forgive myself if I didn't try every option to return to pain free training and racing at the volume and paces I want to.  I'm never going to be great...but I have made great efforts to fulfill my goals and desires!

Here's to floating along effortlessly!!!

A solid week for me: 3/14-3/20

Mon: 7.08 km, 6:01/km, 137 avg heart rate, 42:35 total time - strictly a slow, recovery run after Sunday's run.  My heart rate was higher than expected, most likely because I was fatigued.
Tue: rest day - planned
Wed: 11.26 km (7 miles), 4:57/km, 153 avg heart rate, 55:39 total time - workout on the treadmill: one mile warmup, 3 x 1 mile w/ a mile in between, one mile cooldown.  "On" miles were at 7:18, 7:11, 7:06 with incline at 1%.
Thu: 7.64 km, 5:28/km, 132 avg heart rate, 41:42 total time - on treadmill at 1% incline; easy paced run
Fri: rest day - planned
Sat: 8.97 km, 5:12/km, 153 avg heart rate, 46:36 total time - first time I had worn my kinvaras in a while and they caused my left leg to get tight and sore during the run.
Sun: 14.81 km, 4:55/km, 158 avg heart rate, 1:12:49 total time - longest run post November back pain.  Effort level was pretty high towards the end in order to maintain pace.

Weekly Totals: 5 runs, 49.76 km, 9.95 km/run, 4:19:21 total time running

2011 Totals: 45 runs, 382.12 km, 8.49 km/run, 33:27:37 total time running

Highest volume in a week post November 2010 back issues - just under 31 miles.  That means I have had two weeks in a row of 30+ miles.  I'm planning to keep the volume about the same level for this week as well and then take a cutback week next week to recover a little more.

It seems as though I felt the running in my back more this week than last, which is probably due to the cumulative wear from the last two weeks.  I have made an effort to stretch my gastrocs, soleus, hamstrings and piriformis after each run.  I will constantly be evaluating my stretching routine because I do want to lengthen the muscles and other soft tissue to prevent pain, but I do not want to incorporate too much for the fact this can decrease muscular power.  I also am attempting to incorporate workouts focused on strengthen my lower back, hip flexors and lower abdominals.

This past Sunday, the LA Marathon was televised on Universal Sports.  I thoroughly enjoyed watching it, specifically Amy Hastings and her display of determination.  An added bonus was that it seemed to give me additional motiviation to stay committed to my rehabilitation in hopes of returning to racing one day.  Some days it seems as though this process of getting healthy again is the end itself.  I just have to keep reminding myself: it's the means!!!

My running 2/21-3/13

Week of 2/21-2/27: 5 runs, 44.49 km, 3:56:13 total time

Week of 2/28-3/6: 3 runs, 19.87 km, 1:42:29 total time - this was a planned cutback week

Last week (3/7-3/13)
Mon: 8.2 km, 5:02/km, 143 avg heart rate, 41:14 time
Tue: 10.01 km, 5:07/km, 146 avg heart rate, 51:13 time
Wed: planned rest day
Thu: 6.76 km, 5:18/km, 35:50 time
Fri: unplanned rest day - was going to take Saturday day off, but no biggie
Sat: 9.87 km, 5:09/km, 153 avg heart rate, 50:54 time
Sun: 13.79 km, 4:48/km, 161 avg heart rate, 1:06:06 time

Weekly totals: 5 runs, 48.63 km, 4:05:17 total time

2011 totals: 40 runs, 332.36 km, 8.31 km per run, 29:08:16 total time running

I welcomed the warm weather...with a new weekly record post-injury for km run in a week!  It's 30.2 miles.  I have been wearing athletic inserts in my running shoes for the last few weeks.  This seems to have helped alleviate some of the tightness in my left calf and pain in my lower back.  I know its not a solution, but rather it helps with the symptoms.

I'm not trying to do too much.  I am just continuing to slowly increase my volume.  In doing so, I am also trying to take a cutback week every fourth week.  This is something I was bad about doing in the past.

I am having trouble handling the fact that my paces are just so slow relative to past running.  I know, I really cannot compare my ability now to pre-injury because I have been out of practice running consistently for so long.  I try not to compare, but rather focus on progress from a few months ago.  I do appear to be making some progress, slowly but surely.  Not to mention, as my volume increases, general muscle fatigue will affect my perceived effort until I become accustomed to the volume.  As such, heart rate increases even though paces remain relatively consistent.  I must be aware of this as it could appear that little to no progress is being made however the ever-increasing stimilus masks the progress.

This weekend I think I was fighting off a cold because my heart rate was elevated, even prior to my runs.  I am hoping my long-ish run Sunday returns larger benefits in terms of strength.  It was a hilly run and I pushed my effort for much of the run, even though it was not reflected in the paces.

The long journey continues...

Catching up

I missed a few weeks of posting my training.  So, I figured the first thing I would do is catch up.

Jan 31 - Feb 6: 4 runs, 32.28 km, 2:49:40 total time

Feb 7 - Feb 13: 4 runs, 29.84 km, 2:38:15 total time

Feb 14 - Feb 20: 5 runs, 41.52 km, 3:42:57 total time - (week breakdown below)

Mon: planned rest day
Tue: 7.25 km, 5:16/km, 147 avg heart rate
Wed: 5.96 km, 6:01/km, 134 avg heart rate
Thu: 8.89 km, 5:23/km, 143 avg heart rate
Fri: planned rest day
Sat: 12.95 km, 5:04/km, 150 avg heart rate (hour+ run)
Sun: 6.48 km, 5:24/km, no heart rate data

2011 totals: 27 runs, 219.37 km, 19:24:17 total time

As you can probably tell, the last three weeks have been status quo.  Just more of the same: trying to run more, having bouts of time when I feel great and others when I feel I regressed.

In really attempting to be inteligent, but truthful with myself, I believe I have recognized a few things.  The first is that it seems that running does not make my back feel worse.  I have gone for short runs and long runs, some easier, some more of an effort.  There is not one time I have felt better or worse.  To me, it seems as though the pain stems from a physiologic problem.

Sure, I understand that in running with any problem, I am in greater danger of injuring myself...either a new injury or a reaggrivation of a former/ongoing one.  Hence why the last three weeks have been similar to previous weeks in 2011.

Another realization is that it appears the pain/discomfort in my lower left leg is increased with running.  I have had massages and done countless muscle work with the stick, but the tightness and tenderness continue to return.  My range of motion has not been affected like it has been in the past, which is a good thing.

Meaning, I think both my lower left leg and lower left back pain are symptoms which stem from an underlying root cause.  Could it be the collapsed arch on my left foot?  I don't know.  Recently, I have tried using a grade c orthotic (dr scholls athlete insert) in my running shoes.  As of yet, I can not conclude whether it is working or not.

I believe I have been given all of the tools by my chiropractor to return to a healthy state.  However, I think I need to address what I believe an underlying problem.  I think more tests/research is needed to find out exactly what is going on with me.

To finish this post, I recently had a dream.  It was a memory of a specific moment after a training run I had completed a few weeks prior to my marathon back in 2009.  It was after a 14+ mile tempo run with the middle 10.5 miles @ 6:06/mile pace.  I remember how good I felt during and after the run, but I also remember how happy I was that I was done with the workout.  I remember during the dream the feelings of satisfaction, confidence, happiness that resulted from that workout.  When I woke up, I knew that was a feeling I wanted to capture again.  Here's to hope!!!

Not quite as bad as it seemed -- Jan 24th - Jan 30th

Mon: rest day - lower left side back, hip & buttocks pain (SI joint locked & L4 disc pressure)
Tue: rest day - lower left side back, hip & buttocks pain (SI joint locked & L4 disc pressure)
Wed: rest day - lower left side back, hip & buttocks pain (SI joint locked & L4 disc pressure)
Thu: 5.04 km, 5:30/km, 27:41
Fri: planned rest day
Sat: 7.5 km, 5:08/km, 157 avg heart rate, 38:29
Sun: planned rest day

Weekly totals: 2 runs, 12.54 km, 1:06:10 total time

2011 totals: 14 runs, 115.73 km, 10:13:25 total time

I thought the pain I was feeling during the early part of last week was going to keep me out a lot longer than it did.  Thank GOD it didn't!  It still put a damper on my week, but the relief far outweighs the unplanned rest days.

Thursday's run was a pleasant surprise.  I wanted to run real nice and easy, you know, take it easy on my body.  During the run I had a couple twinges in the left side of my lower back, but they didn't feel serious.  I didn't wear my heart rate monitor because I wanted to run by feel.  Looking at my Garmin after the run, I was actually surprise that I ran as fast as I did (don't get me wrong, I'm not saying 5:30 /km is fast!).  I certainly wasn't trying to run as fast as I did, so that was a pleasant outcome.

Following Saturday's run, I was pretty disappointed in myself.  I ran to hard (effort wise) and fast.  I was concerned I might have harmed myself.  Luckily, there were no negative ramifications from my lack of discipline.  Again, there were a couple twinges in the left side of my lower back, but fewer and less perceptible than Thursday.

Based on the experiences and how I felt after my run Sunday , January 23rd, I have decided to go back to running every other day until I feel 100%.  Now, I could feel 100% in a week or three months.  That's fine.  Not until then will I add days or extend my runs to > 8 miles.  I would rather get some consistency back in my running rather than increasing the lengths of my runs.  It is my opinion that if I can get to where I am running 3-5 miles most days with another run a little longer (1 hr), and do this week in and week out, that will lay the foundation for then starting to increase the length, both time and distance, of one run a week.  It will build by neuromuscular strength without the additional stress of doing a long run.

That being said, I am feeling better each day.  I am doing a lot of stretching and strengthening work for my neck, lower back, core, hips and legs.  It seems to be helping significantly.  There are periods of time when I feel no pain, soreness or discomfort at all.  This provides a big boost mentally.  I am optimistic for the weeks to come.  I plan to start doing some light weight training for additional strength and to hopefully build some durablity/resilency.

Maybe I am already building some durability as shown in my quick recovery from this most recent ailment.

Name change

My blog has had a few different titles over the last couple of years.  Maybe this one will stick!

The most recent title, Logging Miles, was somewhat misleading.  See, in honesty, I haven't been logging many miles at all for quite a while.  Also, that title implies I consider myself a runner.  As much as I may be a runner mentally, physically, plain and simply, I am not.

This is a journal of my journey and experiences.  Many runners will experience an injury.  The question is not if, but when?  In my experience, the damage is not only physical, but mental and emotional.  Some injuries are small and quickly heal.  Others, like mine, exact a lasting toll.  In order to make a successful return, rehabilitation must focus on all three areas.  I am currently entrenched in this process.  I have no idea whether I will be successful or not.  This blog is just me filtering through the various emotions and thoughts I experience.  It's more therapeutic for me than anything.  If someone stumbles across it and it provides some perspective or comfort, that's just an added bonus.

So, where is this all coming from?  Well, it's coming from the fact that Monday night I began to have signifcant lower back pain on my left side.  I took a break from my exercises that night, opting for rest/recovery and a good night's sleep.  Tuesday, the pain had worsened.  The pain had worsened.  Addtionally, a dull throbbing and weakness had extended to my left hip, glute and leg.  My thought: "Once again, I am broken!"

Luckily, I had a doctor appointment last night.  He informed me that my pelvis had shifted and torqued.  The left side had rotated back and right while the right side had rotated forward and left.  This caused a leg length discrepancy (left shorter than right).  Also, pressure was being placed on my L-4 disk and the sacroiliac joint causing the specific pain I experienced.  He adjusted me and I went on my way.  I decided to again take the evening off of running (hoped to do four miles) as well as my exercises.  I figured the rest could only aid in recovery.

This morning, I woke up with the same pain.  I did my back and neck exercises.  I also performed these specific sacroiliac joint exercises.  Nothing seemed to alleviate the pain and discomfort.  So, I decided to take a pain killer.  This was a last resort, but I knew sitting at work all day would be troublesome if I did not.  I will continue to take them only as long as necessary.

I am not quite sure what the root cause of this newest setback is.  Running two days in a row?  Running eight and a half miles (I used to do that almost every day!!!)?  Running a more hilly route?  Running at a pace a little faster than I was use to?  Problems with my gait?  Less doctor appointments to keep me aligned?  Muscle imbalance?  Most likely, it is a combination of all these factors...and probably some I am not even thinking off or don't even know about.

Conclusion: It appears I am back on the shelf.  I am not sure when I will run again.  I hope it is soon, solely because of my enjoyment of it.  Damn, this sucks - physcially, mentally and emotionally!

Musings from Jan. 17th - Jan. 23rd

Mon: 6.45 km, 5:28/km, 141 avg HR, shakeout run from long run previous day that I slowed down throughout to keep HR down
Tue: rest day - planned, dr appt (see previous post)
Wed: 7.39 km, 5:30/km, 143 avg HR, my favorite weather to run in - it was snowing lightly and maybe 1/2-1 inch covered the ground
Thu: 8.1 km, 5:23/km, 139 avg HR, had an acupuncture appt a couple hours before the run
Fri: rest day - planned, took a rest from back/neck stretches and strengthening for the night to heal/recovery
Sat: 6.51 km, 5:14/km, 146 avg HR, set out for a slow run and felt good so ended up being a little faster/harder effort than anticipated
Sun: 13.68 km, 5:07/km, 158 avg HR, hilly (strength building) fartlek run with fastest mile @ 7:49

Weekly totals: 5 runs, 42.13 km (26.18 miles), 3:43:31 total time

2011 totals: 12 runs, 103.19 km (64.12 miles), 9:07:15 total time

It was a week of firsts for me, in a good way!  Plenty to laugh at and smile about regarding the experiences I had.

This week represented my first time this year, as young as the year is, that I ran 5 times in one week (second time since returning to running on Nov. 5th I believe).  Sunday's run also represented the longest I had run since Nov. 5th, both in terms of distance and time.  Thursday was the first time I ever experienced acupuncture.  This week was the first time I felt significant improvement physically, enough so that for a brief moment I was encouraged regarding my future ability to run.  This whole week made me smile, a bunch!

Acupuncture is a trip!  After a brief conversation concerning my "current physical state" and a few adjustments (the doc was a chiropractor as well), he started "throwing darts" as he put it.  We focused on the two sites of ongoing soreness/pain: my lower back, specifically left side, and my left calf.  I have no idea how many needles he used, all I felt was a tingling sensation.  After inserting the needles, he left me for about 6-7 minutes.  Upon returning, I felt a few more tingling sensations (couldn't see what he was doing), so I wasn't sure if he was taking out some of the needles are putting more in (see explanation below).  Then, he left me for another 6-7 minutes.  During this time, I noticed that my body felt heavy and I felt "mashed" into the chiropractor table.  Finally, he came in to remove the needles.  It was at this point that I recognized the needles felt the same coming out as going in, which is why I couldn't tell what he did halfway through the treatment.

As I was leaving, he then informed me that he focused on sedative points.  AH HA!  Now I understood why I felt like I was "mashed".

This being my first experience, I have nothing to compare it to.  I don't know how well it worked.  I can tell you that now, four days later, the same soreness/pain persists.  I will probably try another appointment, but I will go to a place recommended by a friend.  This will allow me to compare the visits.

One thing I was told at the beginning of the appointment was that the talus bone in both of my feet was out of alignment which causes a flatfoot.  Maybe that explains the ongoing "tightness" I have in my ankles.  I'm not sure how much I should believe everything I'm told.  A guy I work with compared me to a car that is taken into a couple different mechanics...all of them find something new and different that is wrong with me and could contribute to my various ailments.  For certain I will ask my doc about this tomorrow at my appointment.

I continue to be dumbfounded by the data.  Specifically, look at Thursday above.  It was the second consecutive day of running, my pace was faster, the run was longer and still my heart rate was lower than the day before.  I'm not looking for day to day variances; there are just too many contributing factors.  I'm just "geeking out" on the analysis of the information.  The purpose of the data is to determine if my fitness is improving over time.  As of yet, I don't see any marked improvement when reviewing the data for 2011, and I don't expect to.  In my opinion, I'm not running enough or at paces to see any distinguishable fitness gains.  And, that is fine with me...I've got nothing but time.

One other moment of clarity I had this week (these come few and far between, so I was very excited!!!) was the outcome of my rest day on Friday.  I have been wearing my halo (to strengthen my neck muscles and correct my forward head posture) every night and performing my exercises twice a day as instructed.  So, in my understanding of recovery and improvement, I took Friday night off of everything.  Saturday was the first morning I can remember in a long time not waking up with back pain.  The reason for my soreness/pain could be based on the fact I am overusing these muscles and a day off every now and then is beneficial.  On the other hand, maybe I'm dead wrong.

As with training, everything is trial and error.  Maybe one thing works one time and not the other.  Maybe one thing does not work as well as another.  I figure I'll just go with what I think works best...and I can always change my mind :) I am an experiment of one!

The final doctor appointment...until next time

I had the last scheduled doctor appointment in my "corrective" plan.  Here were the results:

1) My cervical sublaxation has improved.  Originally, I had a cervical angle (called "lordosis") of 25 degrees causing my head to sit 23 mm to far forward, which could result in reduced lung capacity and digestive problems.  As of yesterday, my lordosis is between 29 & 30 degrees, reducing the forward position of my head to 7 mm.  For more specific information, click here.
2) My spinal thermography scan showed irritation in my lower back and in my neck and upper thoracic region, which seemed to support the that my forward head posture was still placing pressure on my lower back.
3) My right shoulder still sits higher than my left shoulder.

At my first appointment, my doctor and I defined "healthy" as waking up with no back pain and being able to run 10 miles with no back pain or ill effects afterwards.  Neither one of these are the case so far.  I did have a short period of time when I did not have any back pain, but I still would not consider myself healthy.  And, neither does my doctor.  In his opinion, I am 75% of the way there.

The results were not what I hoped.  I didn't expect to be perfect, but I was hoping I would have achieved more.  So, I am going to continue to see him once a week for the next few months.  Probably just as important as the actual adjustments, this will allow me a little safety net mentally.  Let me explain.  I plan to intelligently increase my mileage while continuing the exercises to improve my posture.  As I do increase my volume, it will be comforting to know I am going to continue to see the doc as he will be able to assess my physical well-being.  My mental state regarding my health and running is still extremely fragile, and the continued preventative appointments will serve as a crutch.

I would refer anyone to my doctor!  He gave me back the gift of running.  I truly believe that.  So, now begins my next journey.  It's up to me to figure out how often to run.  It's up to me how long each run should be.  To be honest it scares the crap out of me.  Last time I literally almost ran myself out.  I'm scared I'm going to repeat the same mistakes.

For now, I'm just going to worry about today...and I can't wait to go run my 6-7 km after work!

Getting excited about my progress

January 10th-16th

Mon: rest day for sore back (5th rest day in a row), dr appt after work
Tue: 6.71 km, 5:40/ km, 136 avg heart rate
Wed: 7.65 km, 5:46/km, 142 avg heart rate
Thu: rest day, dr appt after work
Fri: 6.54 km, 5:21/km, 133 avg heart rate
Sat: rest day
Sun: 12.52 km, 5:21/km, 151 avg heart rate, 1:07:00 (longest run, both time and distance, since last time I was injured)

Weekly totals: 4 runs, 33.42 km, 3:04:49 total time

2011 totals: 7 runs, 61.06 km, 5:23:44 total time

It was an interesting week to say the least.  After taking five rest days to let my back rest, Tuesday's run was a welcome return.  The break did wonders for my back.  I am certainly patting myself on the back for being intelligent and disciplined enough to take the break.  Sometimes it takes even more self-discipline to know when not to run.

My lower back pain has been on the left side.  I believe the pain is no longer being caused by being out of alignment or "kinked" as I like to call it, but due to muscle imbalance.  Per my doctors orders, I have been doing a series of seven stretches twice a day.  In an attempt to combat my belief that muscular imbalance was the root cause, I changed my routine.  At night, I am now performing some back and core strengthening exercises (in addition to my sporadic core work).  The exercises were given to me back in August of 2008 when I herniated my L4 & L5 discs.  My thought process behind the changes were that the morning stretching exercises lengthen the muscles and the evening strength exercises build the muscles supporting my spine in order to maintain proper alignment allow for pain-free daily activity, including running.  So far, my back feels much better and stronger.  I wish I didn't know this much about lower back problems, but since I do I might as well utilize the knowledge!

I think I may have mentioned the following in a previous post, but I have chosen to perform all of my runs at an easy pace.  Aerobically, I have no concerns if I were to push the pace of my runs.  In fact, if I did so, I would certainly make faster and greater gains in my aerobic capacity.  However, if I did run "faster", I would be susceptible to injuring myself.  My neuromuscular capability is what I would call "fragile".  Over the last 14 months, the various downtimes or required breaks from running have significantly reduced my durability.  So, my hope is slowly build mileage at an easy pace until I feel as though I can reintroduce some more stressful running (faster paces).

I was reminded after looking at the data from my runs this past week, that easy pace does not always translate into low heart rate!  Ha ha.  I am always curious and intrigued by my heart rate on runs and the causes that may contribute to it being high or low.  I have kept a detailed training log for years, yet I am still dumbfounded by my heart rate.  Like:

1) Wed heart rate was six beats per minute higher than Tuesday even those pace was six seconds per km slower.  This is probably due to the fact that I am not in shape or used to running two days in a row yet.
2) Fri I had a significantly faster pace (still easy) and a lower heart rate than Tue or Wed.  I realize it was a shorter run and naturally your heart rate is going to drift upwards as the exercise bout continues.  The rest day before probably also attributed to a better performance.
3) Sun I had trouble breathing right from the get go.  The aerobic effort felt labored right from the beginning even though physically I felt alright, so I slogged my way through the run.

What does all this mean?  It means I have no idea why some runs are difficult and some are easy.  There are so many different factors that contribute it is, in my opinion, near impossible to interpret the cause and effect relationship.  In conclusion, I probably just shouldn't wear a watch and heart rate monitor and just run by feel!  I do this most of the time and review the data afterwards to identify trends.

Looking ahead to this week, I have my last doctor appointment of my "rehab" program on Tuesday.  I am curious to see what the tests and x-rays reveal.  It will be nice to receive some scientific data related to physical well-being.  And, I hope to run a little more than last week.

Jan 3, 2011 - Jan 9, 2011

The first full week of 2011 did not go exactly as planned.

Mon: rest day; had a dr appointment and a 90 minute massage after work
Tue: 7.31 km recovery run
Wed: 8.2 km progressive run (7:58 first mile > 7:14 last mile)
Thu: rest day - to rest sore back
Fri: rest day - to rest sore back
Sat: rest day - to rest sore back
Sun: rest day - to rest sore back

Weekly total: 2 runs, 15.51 km, 1hr 18min 55sec

2011 totals: 3 runs, 27.64 km, 2hr 18min 55sec

It was a pretty easy decision to take the last four days off.  I have been running at least every other day for the last two months.  Relative to the recent past, this is probably the longest stint of consistent running I have had.  I am happy that I have been able to increase the length and frequency of my runs to reach 25 miles a couple weeks ago.

I seemed I was fighting back soreness the last couple weeks.  The situation was not improving, but it was not digressing either.  So, I was faced with a choice.  On one hand, I could continue running at my current volume and struggle with the day to day discomfort, or I could take four days off and hope my back soreness would improve and possibly completely alleviate.  I chose the latter.

In the greater scheme of things, four days off is nothing.  For some reason, I placed a lot of importance and emphasis on this decision.  I know if I am to return to running at anywhere near the level I had once been, I was going to have to be intelligent about my running.  I also know I am going to be faced with a similar situation many times in the future.  I needed to make the conservative decision this time...I needed to set a precedent for myself moving forward.

I would have liked to run more this week, no doubt.  But, I had to ask myself: better to run more this week and chance further injury or better to run more this year?

As of now, I am glad I made the choice I did.  My back feels significantly better.  There was very little soreness upon waking this morning (Monday) and while sitting in my chair at work.  Time to test it out.  Time to gain some momentum and continue my progress.

Oh, and I should add my progress will be done at an easy pace.  This means no straining.  This means keeping my heart rate in the mid 140s or below.  This means building my aerobic capacity while not putting unnecessary physical strain on my body.  This means running slow with proper form to reduce the chance of injury until my body is ready for more rigorous efforts.

Who would go tell a beginner to go run fast and/or long everyday?  I'll tell you who would say that: someone ignorant or cavalier.  Unfortunately, I no longer have the luxury to take unnecessary chances.  I want to make my comeback.  I want it to work!!!

Fooled by the one and only

So, I have been thinking about my running a lot lately.  I am sure this is because I have been able to run more and for a longer stretch of time than I can remember.

I am currently at a point when I am losing my patience.  I have been very intelligent with my running routine.  My doctor, who happens to be an athlete himself, has told me exactly what to do.  This has been the case for the last two months.  But, right there in lies the problem.  It has been two months!!!

I was talking to a friend the other day and I told her I no longer consider myself a runner.  After thinking more about this comment, I should expand on that statement and add "in practice".  I believe my mentality and desire and neurosis and compulsion are still, and will always be, those of a runner.  Meaning: "Can't I run more already???"  On the other hand, it has only been two months :)

One thing that has been interesting, if not difficult, to understand/handle is the pace with which I am running now.  To keep my heart rate < 140 bpm, I run at a pace of about 9 minute miles.  This is much slower than I was used to running.  On the other hand, a moderate to hard effort yields a pace of about 7:15 per mile, which is similar to the pace I was doing easy runs prior to my marathon.  This begs the question: "How fast should I be running?"

I consider myself very much a student of the sport of running.  I seek out and enjoy reading about training, however most of the reading I was drawn to in preparation for the marathon and after was geared towards training.  Specifically, elite and sub-elite training.  Even during my injury period, I continued to read training principles well-known coaches used for their athletes (lydiard, vigil, canova, etc.).

That is not to say I didn't work up to reading and researching this information.  I started out the same as many others do, reading Runnersworld and participating on their online forums.  I then graduated to Jack Daniel's The Running Formula.  As I became more interested and involved with running and training, the literature and discussion I was drawn to were more and more advanced.  It appears to have followed the progression of my performances in races.  In a nutshell, I was always looking to improve!

If someone asked me, I would say I pretty knowledgeable about running.  I could tell someone more than they ever wanted to know about stride rates, pronation/supination, running form, and advanced training principles.  But, when it comes to beginning or recreational running, I am once again ignorant! Ha ha.

I have fooled myself, and I only have myself to blame!  See, whether I am a runner in practice, attitude or what have you, doesn't matter.  The fact is I am once again a beginner.  I have been injured and inconsistent in my running for so long due to my injuries (now 14+ months) that I am basically starting from scratch.  I don't know the answers to the most basic questions I ask myself currently regarding my running.

It brings me back to the question I asked above: "How fast should I be running?"  This simple question gives rise to so many other questions.  Will running the easy pace (9 min/mile) cause me to get injured because my body is used to running faster?  Is my body still even used to running faster?  Will running the moderate/hard pace injure me faster because I would be putting more stress on body?  I am sure anyone could make an argument for the decision they would make.

It's been difficult to make this adjustment.  Mentally, I am a 2:42 marathoner.  Physically, I am a beginning fitness runner with no idea of what my performance would be over any race distance.  It is important that I not only recognize this, but that my behaviors are adjusted to those of a beginner.  Meaning, it has only been two months and running 20-25 miles a week at this point is probably commendable and impressive.

So, maybe its time to go back and buy a few issues of Runnersworld.  Maybe its time to go back and read some parts of Daniel's and Pfitzinger's books or maybe buy any other publication geared towards beginners.  It would probably prove helpful in at least refreshing my memory, and heck, I may learn something new!

One other factor I did not mention before that brought on this rambling was that my back continues to be sore.  I am almost positive it is muscular.  It seems as though my improvement has plateaued the last 3 weeks or so.  A day here or there it may feel better, while other days it feels worse.  The constant throughout these three weeks is that I have continued running consistently.  This made me think: Is it time to take a few days off to see how my body responds?  It doesn't seem like a difficult question and the answer is probably simple.  But, I have found a way to compound it in my head based on the fact that mentally and physically I am at opposite ends of the spectrum.  So, I think I'll just ask my doctor what to do when I see him tomorrow :)

Dec 27, 2010 - January 2, 2011

Mon: rest day
Tue: 8.1 km, 5:07/km
Wed: 4.93 km, 5:39/km, recovery run
Thu: 8.08 km, 4:57/km, progessive run on treadmill (8:13/mile > 7:30/mile)
Fri: 7.02 km, 5:15/km
Sat: rest day
Sun: 12.13 km, 4:57/km

Total: 5 runs, 40.26 km (25.02 miles)

2011 totals: 1 run, 12.13 km, 1:00:00 hr

This was the first time since my injury assessment and rehabilitation I had run 5 days in a week.  Sunday was the longest run since my injury assessment and ongoing rehab.  Sunday was my first run of an hour during this time.  It was a week of new firsts!

I also decided to start tracking my runs using metric measures.  One reason is 40+ kilometers sounds much better to me than 25+ miles.  I'm playing a mental trick on myself.  My mental state is extremely fragile and still very much day to day.  I am not sure how I am going to feel or how I will run day to day.  Using kilometers allows me to feel (and see more easily) my progression.  Call me crazy, but the smaller unit is helping.  Also, much of the training information I have been researching lately is in metric units.

However, some things remain the same.  My back has regressed, and constant pain and lack of mobility has returned.  I am handling it well because I believe it is a temporary issue.  On the other hand, it is concerning because I only have five more appointments with my doctor before the plan is completed and I don't feel as though I am in any condition to being going at this alone yet.  This is my second "regression" since beginning my treatment and my doctor explained the pain comes from the fact my alignment is improving although my muscles are not used to the new positioning of my body, leaving them irritated.  I hope he is right and this is not an inaccurate assessment.

I am maintaining a positive outlook.  Tonight brings one of those five doctor appointments as well as a 90 minute massage.  This should provide some feedback as to this situation as well as to allow more productive feedback about the ability of the massage therapist (this is the first appointment).  I hope to get in similar numbers this week as last week while improving how I feel physically, and I can't think of any reason for this not to happen.

For 2011 overall, I hope to run a fast half in the fall.  I don't want to rush any possible return to training and racing.  I just want to slowly build back my aerobic base first, then worry about the rest!!!

Good riddance 2010!!!

The nightmare for my running that was 2010 is no longer.  I ran approximately 1,050 miles, although I am not quite sure how accurate that number is because I did not keep very good records due to my ongoing frustrations with injuries.  This is down about 60% from my 2009 total of about 2,585.  To look at it a different way:

2009: average of about 50 miles/week
2010: average of about 20 miles/week

I guess one could put a positive spin on it and say I have that many more miles under my belt than I did at the end of 2009.  To be honest, I think there is some truth to that.  But, that is far as I am going to deal with that issue!

I am optimistic about 2011.  I don't know what the future holds for me with respect to running and racing, but I'm pretty sure chances are it will be better than 2010!  For now, I am going to just bury 2010 and try to forget about how it made me feel.  I will take the lessons I learned from it and hopefully take a more intelligent approach to training in 2011, that is assuming I can get back to "training".

Mostly I think I just had bad luck.  For someone still somewhat new to running, I should not have had the severity of injuries I endured.  Maybe it was also a test...to make me appreciate the ability I have or to appreciate the many other positive things in my life or to test my resolve to see how much I really wanted to run, train & race.  The point is, I don't know why all this happened.  What I did learn is running is part of who I am.

2011 brings hope, a new beginning.