Same Time, Same Channel

Recovery jog. Average pace: 10:17.

Weather @ 6:38 am: 57°, 70% humidity, wind 3 NW.

I took it slow and easy today. That's the way it's going to have to be for a while. My calf felt better than it has for a week, but it did start feeling kind of tight the last mile or so. I'll see how I feel the rest of the day today before deciding whether to run tomorrow. I'm definitely on the mend, but I've got to come back slowly or else I'll undo all the healing that I've done. In any case, it was nice to have been able to run this morning.

While I was able to run 4 miles yesterday morning with minimal discomfort, I had minor pain in my calf the rest of the day, though the pain wasn't as bad as it had been last week. So I've concluded that I'm on the mend, but am not quite ready to run consecutive days just yet.

 I've been neglecting upper body conditioning and other weight training lately because I've been spending so much time running and doing other things, so I decided to do the No More Trouble Zones video this morning. It's been a long time since I've done it and it was harder for me today than it was last time I did it. I'd like to keep doing some weight training, but it's hard for me to fit it in when I ramp my miles back up. I may have to switch to the Shred video because it's only 20 minutes long, while No More Trouble Zones takes an hour.

I'm getting my calf poked and prodded again this afternoon and then I'll probably try another short easy run tomorrow morning.

Easy run. Average pace: 9:57.

Weather at 6:30 am: 53° F, 85% humidity, overcast, damp streets from rain overnight, no wind. It's so humid that my glasses fogged up when I quit running. Now, an hour and a half later, it's not any warmer and it's raining. My apologies to Snoqualmie. I think Denver stole your weather.

I felt much better on this run than I did running the same route on Tuesday. I felt a little hint of tightness in my calf about halfway through the run, but no pain. And it doesn't hurt now after my run like it did after my run on Tuesday. Actually, I'm a little stiff all over today from yesterday's resistance workout.

I had the dr. work on my left hamstring yesterday in addition to the right calf, because the left hamstring has been mildly irritating to me for quite some time. I'm going to go back to the dr. and get poked and prodded again tomorrow. I'm going to go a few more times in the next week or two and then quit going until the need arises again.

I ran yesterday and I want to run tomorrow, but I don't think I'm quite ready for 3 consecutive days quite yet, so I didn't run today. I'll increase to 2 and maybe 3 consecutive days next week and then go from there until I get back to 6 days/week.

I was surprised how sore I was all over yesterday, especially in my abs, from doing No More Trouble Zones on Wednesday. So clearly I have gotten weaker in those areas that that workout uses, because I used to be able to do it with no problem. So I did it again today. I want to keep some strength training going as I ramp up my miles in the next little while. It may or may not improve my running, but I like to have toned muscles overall. I do think that a stronger core, especially, helps with running.

Woo Hoo! Easy/progression run on the Highline Canal Trail. Average pace: 9:02.

Weather 7:30 - 9:00 am: 56-62° F, 76 - 59% humidity, wind about 4 mph S, or SSE, or SSW. It was really fabulous weather for running, and good portions of the trail were shady.

I set out to do a minimum of 6 miles at an easy pace, but reserved the right to do as many as 10 if I was feeling good. I ended up doing 10 with a bit of a progression. Splits were 9:31, 9:08, 9:15, 9:18, 9:05, 9:15, 9:00 8:52, 8:45, 8:16. My calf didn't bother me at all. I guess the ART is working. I can feel just a tinge of tightness occasionally since today's run, but the calf is nearly 100%.

I wanted to do the 10 today if I could just to make sure I could do a reasonable distance in preparation for next Saturday's half marathon. I've got to go pick up my packet for that race this afternoon.

I don't usually run on the Highline Canal Trail for distances shorter than 12 miles, because I have to drive a few miles to get there. But I decided to go there today, even if it was only for 6 miles, because that trail is flatter and softer than the roads I usually run from home. The trail was beautiful today. Everything is so green with all the rain we've been having. It's so weird to be on that trail and be in the middle of the city, but feel like you're in the woods some of the time. One of these days I've got to take a camera and get some pictures to share with you all. My camera is so big and clunky, though. Maybe I can borrow my son's little tiny camera

I'm thinking about Snoqualmie and Auntieem, who are racing today. Good luck to them both and to anyone else who is racing!