breakthrough: week 8

sunday, 10.25 miles . . .

monday, 8 miles . . .

tuesday, 15 miles . . .

wednesday, 15 miles . . .

thursday, 11.75 miles . . .

friday, 22 miles . . .

. . . 2 mile warm up

. . . 4 miles @ 5:22

. . . 10 miles easy pace

. . . 2 miles @ 5:21

. . . 3 min. easy

. . . 2 miles @ 5:22

. . . 2 mile cool down

saturday, 8 miles . . .

. . . i thought that this morning was going to be like yesterday morning all over again but just slightly better. but let me rewind. last night at around eleven, i was led in this thing called synergy (a mix of tai chi, pilates, yoga, stretching, and whatever else). it was actually really fun and relaxing. felt some good burn in the inner and outer thigh. i think that i should do stuff like this more to stay more balanced with my muscles. it would definitely improve my running and ward off injuries.

but on to the run this morning . . . i started at a 7:15 pace for about a mile and half before i had to stop and walk because of my ankle. then i started running again for another mile or so before walking. this went on for about 5 and a half miles. running, walking, running, walking, and on and on i went through the golf course by the camp. foothills high and steep on either side of me with fog veiling the summits.

the final half mile and i'm running into the camp headed to the dinning hall for some breakfast. this is when something breaks, or more accurately, something is fixed. i begin to speed up. it feels good. this is me running. this is what i'm used too. no pain, no broken limping gait, just a great stride. i look at my garmin and notice that i'm off my about a half a mile and i'm at the cafeteria. i turn back to the entrance of camp with the full intention of just running right back and eating breakfast. but then i began to reconsider. i'm feeling good, there is no pain in my ankle, i have the time.

so i keep going. not because i have to, but because i want to. not in spite of my foot but because it feels good. this is such a shift in my running experience the past three weeks. i turn on the highway 26 and just cruise, settling quite comfortably into my 6:39 pace. i see a sign that says wildwood recreational site ahead. i take the turn and find a beautiful gravel trail twisting through the trees and across a river over a bridge. this is beautiful. i end up running 10.25 miles. i miss breakfast but i don't care.

. . . another day at camp and my ankle feels great. went back to the park so that i could fully explore that trail. i was cruising along right at my training pace with no problems until i hit the trail head. it was steep, with loads of switchbacks, but beautiful and epic. all single track weaving through trees and up a a huge mountain. i wish that i could say that i made it all the way to the top but i had to turn around. it was just much too intense but i am counting it as my speed work for this week. the way down was fairly slow because it was so steep. on the way back to camp i hit my proper speed again. things are looking up.

. . . outer quads are sore today from that down hill running from yesterday. but it didn't matter. this was what i have been longing for over the past two weeks. this classic 15 mile loop that was made popular during my base training. at about mile 7, i started feeling a little bit of tenderness or tightness around the ankle. i decided to stop, stretch, and open up my gel. at mile 10, i stopped again to go to the bathroom. and that was the last time. hit those hills coming back home. ended up with an average of 6:37 and my foot felt great. i'm back baby. can't wait for friday to test out some tempo work along with a long run.

. . . quads are still really sore. hurts a ton to run down those hills. ahhhhhh!!! but one thing that this ankle problem gave me was the ability to push through pain considering i ran on it for 70 miles. so these sore quads don't seem that big of deal. a perfect morning, at least in my mind. the low hanging fog that you just breathe in, making it hard to see, keeping you cool, forcing everything smaller than it actually is.

it felt like a push at some times, especially in those middle miles, but i kept my pace going even on those hills. did the classic 15 mile loop but backwards. in some ways i think that this way is easier even though i know that i gain/lose the same elevation no matter which way i go. but i actually like the aesthetics of going the harder way. i'm not really sure why. but it is a beautiful loop regardless.

my ankle feels a little tender right now to the touch and when i walk on sometimes. i wonder if it has to do with some sort of imbalance due to the quads. i worked them out twice yesterday but still sore. i think it was also from loading all that sound equipment along with that steep down hill running. i hope that the muscles are recovered by friday's long run or i may push it until saturday.

. . . getting right back into the groove of things, feels like i haven't even taken a break. i feel strong except for my quads still giving me problems. an amazing morning. clear blue sky. a frost on the ground. warmed up quickly. i had to go to the bathroom and was counting on my trusty port-a-poty. i turned the corner to get to it, so ready to go. and it was gone. and here i was 5 miles farther to go. hahaha!! i did have this thought though as i was stopping to hold it all in, i am completely surrounded by bathrooms right now. each of these houses has at least one. we need to unite as runners and create i sign that we can put on our doors that declare that we are runners, we know what it's like to be mid-run and have to go to the bathroom without a toilet in sight, so come over, ring the doorbell, you don't have to talk to me, explain or anything, just go to the bathroom and be on your way.

just an idea. but it reminds me that i now can think of things on my run besides just focusing on pain. i think my ankle was slightly swollen last night but i didn't feel any pain this morning.

i am healed.

. . . this was an epic long run. did i hit my tempo runs right on? no!! but i was only off by 2 seconds on two of them and only 1 second on the other one. and to be honest i am quite surprised. i didn't think that i had even that first four miles at tempo in me. i was wanting to quit after only the first mile. but i pushed through, dug deep, did whatever it took. and then when i got to those last two and the end of the run, i seriously considered just not even trying. keeping the run short. filling it in tomorrow. but then i had this thought, this nagging question: what if i don't try? and the obvious answer: i fail. and when i really get to the bottom of all of my running insecurities and fears it is all wrapped up in failing. so here is the thing, if i don't even try then i automatically fail. this idea pushed me along to victory. after my two mile cool down, i had the largest of all smiles on my face.

the morning was cold, frigid, icy frost of death and stillness over everything, my windshield, the grass, parts of the track. i heated up quickly on that first tempo run and even shed my hat for the last mile.

those 10 miles of easy pace (6:39) where truly epic miles. i sat back in my pace and just let the road stretch out before me. it felt easy, relaxed, in control. no pushing, no pulling, like a current of concrete just sliding me along. the sun was up now. the harsh, bright, winter sun, giving more light than heat. these are the moments.

had to ice my ankle tonight because it was a little tender (i think from the tempo on the track?)

. . . this was not an epic run like yesterday, especially those first few miles where everything (especially calves) where screaming out in pain. things became a little more controlled at the end however. it was nice to hit the cemetery again. quads are nearly pain free now.