Runnin' in Mud...

4.75 miles in 37:11 (7:50 pace).  Again, no aches or pains and I even included 4xhill repeats.  I randomly ran around Shelby Farms on grass/dirt for 3.25 miles and then did some short hill repeats (~.17).  I ran all of them at ~10-15k pace.  I wasn't fatigued, but just thought I should stop at 4.  This was my first workout w/any type of intensity or anything other than just easy running.  Things are coming along.

On the homefront, Olivia turns 5 on 11/13.  We bought her a big swingset with the swings, fort, slide, rock wall, etc.  Normally, we don't do anything this extravagant for her birthday, but the in-laws are throwing some money at the gift.  Ethan, now 3 months, will also be able to use it someday.  I guess I have to assemble this gigantic project this weekend.

4 miles (28:44-7:11 pace).  Alright, this was supposed to be a very easy run.  The temps were perfect 48F and our town was having a "festival", so there were lots of people out.  For some reason, I have always run faster when their is alot of traffic, people around.  I'm not trying to impress anyone with a faster pace - it just seems to happen.  Again, because I am recovering from the sfx, each run is just easy, but I pushed the pace a bit.  It felt good. 

Hwy 205, 3:00 p.m., sunny, 71. Out and back on this course. My legs are sore from the unplanned tempo run yesterday and the hills on Friday. I am going to take a planned 2 days off. My left low hip/hamstring is tight. I know that feeling as my left piriformis area was tight before I discovered the sfx.  Doesn't it seem that all of my entries mention the sfx.  Perhaps, I am paranoid.

6 miles in 43:58 (7:18 pace).  Hwy 205, 4:00 p.m., sunny, 51. After 3 miles, I realized that I was avg. 7:30 pace and felt really good. I decided to run the next 2 miles @ tempo pace (7:00). I did avg 7:01 for those 2 miles and then ran slowly the last mile. My "new" injury doesn't bother me at all when I run, but when I stop, it tightens up. It is about 4-5 inches lower than the sacrum injury. If I am injured, so help me!

Zippo here!  It was planned.  I wanted to finish putting together my daughter's swing set before the weekend.  Also, the left hip was still a bit sore.  Just being cautious. 

4.4 miles in 34:32 (7:53 pace).  Shelby Farms, 1:30 p.m., sunny, 69. I randomly ran around the perimeter of the farm on all grass/dirt. At times, the grass was tall and the GPS lost signal once. The pace was probably closer to 7:45 or so. The groin never hurt or bothered me and neither did the back/hip.  I didn't run one step on any hard surface.  I would have liked to have gone farther, but work was calling. 

Hwy. 205, 8:40 a.m., sunny, 45. What a perfect day to run. Absolutely nothing hurt. My low back got a bit tired on the return portion, but I think that is from putting together the swingset. Long run tomorrow.  I continue to write, "pace too fast, etc."  Perhaps, this is my training pace.  My body falls right into it, comfortably.  5 miles in 37:35 (7:35 pace).

7 miles in 52:39 (7:31 pace).  Hwy 205., 10:00 a.m., partly cloudy, 58. I ran w/Bruce today and we kept it around 7:45 pace for awhile.  The wind was really blowing, so I took the lead on the return portion.  My fitness is really coming around, so I asked if it was okay to pick it up a bit.  "The horses started neighing!"  I estimate that we ran ~1.5 miles @ sub 7:00 pace, which felt like 6:30 into the wind. 

5.5 in 43:00 (7:48 pace). Tour de Wolf, 9:50 a.m., cloudy, 62, and humid. I ran with Enrique today for the first time. I was surprised how fit he was. I could tell that he was pushing the pace and hurting. I wanted this to be a really tame trail run, but I guess not.  The 7:48 pace doesn't appear that fast, but I was looking for 8:00+.  This trail course constantly undulates and is quite technical.  It is actually difficult to run that fast on it.  The rain has also rutted it pretty good.  It did feel nice to get some different scenery.  Planned day off tomorrow!  I registered for the Germantown Half-Marathon today.  It is my hometown race and is now my GOAL race (1:25:00)!!!!!

7.1 miles in 54:23 (7:39 pace).  Hwy 205, 3:30 p.m., cloudy, 50. Out and back - nothing special.  My low back seems to tighten up as I go over 5 miles.  At 3.3 miles, I headed back and had to add on.  I run on some rural highways/farming areas.  I spotted a very large dog that didn't look too friendly, so I turned back before my usual 3.5 miles.  I have never seen that dog before.  The weather was quite nice, but a bit windy.  I hope this trends keeps up so I can be ~40 mpw around mid-December.  

Hwy 205 course - perfect weather (55F).  I debated whether or not to run today, but decided to take it very easy.  I really wanted to run 8:00 pace, but was a bit quick.  I kept a watch on my pace and couldn't run that slow.  Oh well...  Everything is feeling good again.

4 miles in 31:32 (7:46 pace)

Again, Hwy 205 course.  The temp was ~60F.  I meant to do this in the a.m., but our little one (Ethan - 3 months) was wheezing, etc.  Fast forward a few hours and a flu shot for me and...Bronchitis!  The coming nights should be fun!

8 miles is the farthest that I have run, post injury.  My splits were consistently in the 7:4X range and I avg. 7:45 for the total (1:02:00).  I found another rural hwy that has recently been paved.  It is flat and smooth.  Within a few miles of my house, I have miles and miles of rural hwys that pass farms, creeks, large trees, etc.  A big concern would be a stray dog, but I haven't seen any yet.  I wish these roads that went on for miles were softer trails, but oh well!

4 miles in 31:32 (7:53 pace).  I was going to take off today, but thought that an easy 4 miler would be good.  This is my highest mileage, post injury.  At 2 miles, I was 7:45 pace and said, "too fast!"  I slowed down a bit on the return portion - just as planned. 

Next week (Thanksgiving), should be a down week for me, as I have a few planned days off already.  

AHS, 3:00 p.m., cloudy, 69.  This was my first "speed" work since the injury.  I decided to do 3x1000m @ ~CV pace???  Whatever that is now!  All w/strict 2:00 rec.  This was pretty easy; however, the first one was way too fast (3:54,4:03,4:02).  I also did 4x100m strides on the grass.

Traveling for the holiday and up at 3:30 a.m. to do so with a 3 month old!  

Commerce, GA., 9:00 a..m., sunny, 60.  Out and back - even splits.   Nothing exciting here.  Of course, the poor diet has begun, as have the late nights.  I usually don't run too much while down here.  I wonder why?

I actually ran 5 miles by myself in 38:14 (7:39 pace) and another 1.5 miles with my wife.  She is still trying to get into shape from having the baby.   

Commerce, GA., 10:00 a.m., sunny, 55.  Warmed up a mile and then did 2xScott St. and 4xLakeview.  Man, I am still out of shape.  Usually, this is the week or so before the St. Jude marathon and I am very fit.  This hills in North Georgia got the best of me.  I have a LONG way to go before I would be considered fit and race ready.  Scott St. is a very long and gradual hill ~600m and Lakeview is short, but quite steep.  I have never experienced such a quad burning effort.  Another ho hum run with not much to say.  We return to Memphis and normalcy on Sunday!  I can't wait to have healthy food again, minus the drinking as well. 

Hwy. 205, 12:45 p.m., rainy, 45.  After being up since 2:30 a.m. and driving 8 hours, I didn't know what to expect.  I warmed up 2 miles (7:40 pace) and then ran 3 miles @ 7:00 pace.  My shoes, etc. were very wet and the last mile they were heavy.  My knees, hips etc started hurting/tired.  There was an alarm clock error (they are on EST).  Me, not thinking, got up at 2:30 a.m., when I had an extra hour to sleep.  Ughh!  Oh well, we got home an hour earlier and I was determined to get in a GOOD run.  I decided, despite the rain, to run outside like a dedicate runner would.  It was a cold drizzle, but I felt good.  I ended up avg. ~7:29 for the entire run.  Things are coming together.  Only 111 days until my goal race (Germantown Half Marathon).   

Arlington Random, 4:30 p.m., sundown, 45.  I wanted to run really easy around town, so I just ran by feel.  The tendon/ligament on my left hamstring where it attaches to the buttocks was tight/sore.  I ended up running an uneventful 4.4 miles in 34:11 (7:44 pace).  I stretched everything out a good bit after the run.  This is usually my taper week for the St. Jude Marathon.  I have run it since 2003, but I didn't want to this year due to the injury.  It's kinda sad, but atleast, I will be able to spectate.  My neighbor, who I introduced to running, is running it.  It will be his first half-marathon.  I believe that he will be in the 1:35 range, if he doesn't go out too fast the first few miles. 

AHS, 3:30 p.m., cloudy, 55.  Last week, I did 3x1000m, so I increased it this week to 4x1000m w/2:00 rec.  I used my HRM and it stayed under 185 BPM and when I started each rep, my HR was ~112.  The first was way too fast, as the track team was out and I guess I was trying to "impress" someone???  3:46 (6:04 pace), 3:58 (6:23 pace), 4:01 and 4:02 (6:29 pace).  My times got slower with each rep, but I was trying to make them slower.  Actually, I was wanting to run ~ 4:10 per 1000m.  I was a bit off.  The workout didn't feel that difficult, so my conditioning is coming around.  I also did 3x200m @ 3k pace and some random 100m strides to get the rust out.  About 1.5 years ago, I tested my max HR and I got it up to 211.  My resting HR is usually 46-48 BPM.

Chickasaw course, 2:00 p.m., sunny, 48.  2 laps on 2.8 mile course.  It was pretty windy and I never look at splits or anything and just ran by feel.  I reversed direction after first lap.  Nothing special and everything feels good.  5.6 miles in 43:35 (7:47 pace).

I was saving something, as I will run with Sasha the Magnificent tomorrow.  I'm treating it as a race and tapering, etc. - ha!

It's somewhat weired that since I began running ~5 years ago, this will be my first missed St. Jude race.  My neighbor, whom I introduced to running, is very excited about his first half-marathon.  On the other hand, I have NEVER been a spectator at a race!  I really am looking forward to seeing the race as it progresses, seeing the marathoners at the half way point, etc. 

Downtown Memphis, 2:00 p.m., cloudy, 55.  I ran 2 miles by myself as I waited for Sasha.  He looks nothing like his picture on his blog.  I had pictured this tiny little fast man, but instead saw someone completely different.  He has quite a set of quads.  We talked a bit and ran parts of the course.  I don't think that I was much help as we just ran the south downtown portion (early race).  I even got a Fastrunningblog.com t-shirt!  What a nice guy.  He has aspirations of ~2:25, but I think he will be faster.  The race is 200 above sea level.  He lives at ~4500 above sea level.  I hope he PRs.  Good luck Sasha and run well.