Dec 5, 2009

Week In Review

What a good week of running it has been. I did have one bad day but overall it has been good so I'm focusing on that. It all started off with me officially signing up for the Mississippi Blues marathon on Monday. Glad to get that on the schedule so I can firm up my training plan. After that I did about 16.5 miles at a casual pace.

Tuesday was some weightlifting and stretching; which, by the way, I'm crediting with getting rid of my lingering upper hamstring/lower buttocks pain. It never really slowed my running (I don't think anyway) but it was a pain. I rarely feel it at all these days.

Tuesday I got in an odd run because it was 12 nonstop miles. I ran outside but traffic, shoelaces, stoplights, nothing stopped me. I can't remember when or if I've ever been able to do that before. Usually I'll try to stop to catch my breath or just because I'm lazy or pain averse but after going a few miles with good breaks on the traffic lights I set a goal in my head and met it. On top of that was that I originally set out for only 10 miles.

Thursday's run was the bad day. Since it has suddenly turned cold and I didn't want to run outside I went to the health club to hit the treadmills for some speedwork. Unfortunately my left knee decided to give me some excuses not to run. Earlier in the week it was a little sore but loosened up nicely after a little running. After I warmed up for two miles it really didn't like the change of pace to a 6:27 mile. I was a bit disappointed in that but still wanted to get some work in so I switched to half mile repeats in 3:11, 3:11 and 3:06. In total I got in 6 miles but was a bit concerned. One minor positive is that I felt like I wimped out after "only" getting 6 miles in.

Friday was more lifting and stretching.

Then today I ran with my running group and...no knee pain! I don't know where it went but I didn't even have to warm up into the run, it was gone from the beginning. Maybe the icing and pain killers are just what the doctors ordered. So we did 10 miles at just over 8 minutes per mile and it felt very easy. Nice run all the way around. Of course then I came home and got Hiroo out for a few miles too. Oh, did I mention it was 12 degrees out?

All in: Monday 16.54 at 8:40 (quite windy)
Wednesday 12.02 at 8:47
Thursday 6.02 at 7:51
Saturday 12.28 at 8:07

9 comments:

Melanie Tait said...

That's a great week, well done!

Unknown said...

Did you say 12 degrees?? I'm sure getting out with the group was a huge motivation, that is SO cold. Did you really say 12 degrees??
I'm so glad your knee pain went away, maybe it was the freezing temperature. Just kidding..all that weight lifting and stretching is probably helping the knees too!

Lindsay said...

each of your runs are quality work! very nice. starting out mississippi training with a 16.5 miler - wouldn't want to set the bar too low for day 1 huh ;)

Glenn Jones said...

What a great week of running! It's raining here in Southern California this today - and that's enough to chase me inside. I don't understand how you Northerners can run in the weather you have!

thanks you for your great thoughts last week on my "goal confusion". What you say is *right on*. My issue right now is I am going through the motions of running, but don't really understand why in the larger context. Which means when the going gets hard in a few weeks, it will become easy to just blow it off. Thanks for the quote!

AZ said...

Yes, I said 12 degrees! I hate it when the miles add up to more than the degrees.

Unknown said...

Ha,ha, ha! Loved the comment you left on my blog. Yes, I chew miles up and spit them out but not with a smile(ha...)!

Jean said...

Nice job, AZ!

Some interesting weather today. This snow is going to make for some tough running!

Tony said...

12 degrees is sick. I can be such a sissy with the cold. Then again I've run in sub 0 degrees before. Your a better man than me. Keep on keeping on AZ.

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