last three weeks

week of 9 November - 4h20' (no running)

Mo - 30' stationary bike
Tu - 30' stationary bike
We - 30' stationary bike + general strength circuit; left my groin sore -- mistake
Th - 15' elliptical + 5' stationary bike (recovering from We)
Fr - rest (still recovering)
Sa - 2h'00' poolrunning; poolrunning is strange; wicked calf cramps off and on in last 30'
Su - 30' elliptical (limited time)

week of 16 November - 3h06' (ran 5 miles, 49')

Mo - 30' elliptical
Tu - 49' run (9:37); stressed out and needed run. Painful. Bad idea.
We - 45' elliptical; included 6 x 2' @80rpm, 2' @70rpm
Th - 60' elliptical; included 8 x 2' @80rpm, 2' @70rpm
Fr - 0; no time
Sa - 0; same as Fr
Su - 0; same as Fr

week of 23 November - 8h51' (no running)

Mo - 60'
Mo - 60' elliptical + 15' bike; steady ~75rpm
Tu - 36'47'' 3 mile run on grass with daughter at GotR; butt painful from start, groin joined in at 0.5 miles
We - 60' elliptical including 4x1' in reverse (10' in between); sore from run
Th - same on We; not sore
Fr - same as We
Sa 3pm - 81' poolrunning; life in way, late start and pool close before 2 hours
Su 10am - 81' poolrunning; planning 90, but right hip and legs got weak after 75' and I cut short

I've settled into a good rut. My goal is to get in 10 hours a week with poolrunning on the weekend when possible. I'm doing a 5k with my daughter on Saturday, so that's my first test. It's probably not wise to jump into 3 miles, but I have to run with my little girl. After that the plan is to sub running on a treadmill (maybe 15') for part of the elliptical time and see how that goes.

In addition to above I probably did the myrtle girdle and lunge matrix routines 5 times this week after work. I've also been doing static stretches after I exercise and 4-6 x 130# lat pull and 25 pushups immediately following exercise. I've also been icing frequently. You know that stuff your supposed to do.

please not Plantar Fasciitis, too

Well, I've run 8 miles total since the MRI. I ran 5 miles out of frustration two week ago and then 3 miles @12:15 with my daughter for Girls on the Run. Even 3 miles in 36:47 on grass was painful. Ugh. I accepted that it's going to be a long run back.

It was somewhat liberating and I formed the seeds of a plan in my head. After a week of non-weight-bearing activity (bike and pool), I've been able to use the elliptical. The last three days, I fell into 60' elliptical + 15' bike followed by some static stretching. At night I do the Myrtle girtle and lunge matrix routines. I figured a long run of 2 hrs in the pool on the weekend and another 75' pool run and I could start to work up to the 10-11 hrs/week I think is magic for me.

Well, today on day 3 of the elliptical/bike program, I felt a sharp twinge in my left arch. Please, please don't let this be PF. I suffered 18 months of that before. I'm icing it as I write and am about to pop some Vitamin I. I'll poolrun for the next two days. I'm also going to start wearing my Nike Frees on the elliptical. Even my Wave Precisions which are light for a trainer are stiff enough to create a long lever arm and create stress across the bottom of my foot. I think the flexible Frees should help.

On the good news front, I've dropped a couple of pounds in the last few weeks.

week of 2 November -- osteitis pubis

MPW 62 -- did 44 miles + 45' stationary bike

Monday, Nov 2

XT 45 min moderate including GS Circuit

45' elliptical + GS circuit. I assume the 45' means actual time on the elliptical, because this takes about 70' total.

Tuesday, Nov 3

7-8 mile easy run w/7-10x run up bleachers and 2 min @ 3k effort

Butt/hip/groin still hurts. Appt with orthopedist in the afternoon. Did 8.0 @ 9:09. Skipped the bleachers and 3k.

PM: Ortho write me a prescription for Relafen (NSAID) and an MRI to make sure it isn't a femoral stress fracture.

Wednesday, Nov 4

AM: 10-11 mile total moderate run including 30 min progression run. Start out @ marathon effort and finish the last 5 min slightly harder than 10k effort. Full recovery then 10 x 400m @ 3k effort w/1 min jog recoveries

Still have pain, but not quite as bad.

Progression went OK: 7:08/159 max, 6:57/169 max, 6:46/174 max, 3:18/ 175 max (800m), 4:52/181 max (1200m - 6:32 pace). I'm ~7:00 at below MP HR, but running faster is awkward. I don't seem to have another gear.

10x400 The first two 400s were 94 sec and I strained my right hamstring digging on the second. I just tried to run "fast" and relaxed after that. They were 96-97 each, but my butt grabbed me on number 7 and I stopped.

PM: 4 mile moderate including GS Circuit – run 30 sec strides @ 5k effort for all segments on circuit that state run xx

This was a real grit-your-teeth run. My left knee is now the most painful thing! It's very hard to start after stopping. It's quite painful if I try to support my weight on my left knee when it's at a certain angle (~160 deg). I can feel groin each footfall. I managed a speedy 11:03 per mile

I did the GS circuit at the playground and of course the cop rolls through the parking lot with his flash light while I'm doing squat thrusts. It's never when I'm doing pushups!

Thursday, Nov 5

5 mile jog

I tried to run with as little impact as possible. Knee stinks. Kills me after I have to stop at stop lights. 5.1 @ 10:05 pace.

Friday, Nov 6

8 mile moderate run including 7-10 x 45 sec hills @ 3k effort w/easy jog down rests

8.0. Forgot my garmin but same route as Tuesday. I'm guessing around 9:30 pace. Wasn't horrific, but the knee is bad and the hip/groin is still definitely bothering me.

Saturday, Nov 7

8-10 mile easy run w/8 strides

Got an MRI at 8:15. Ran on the treadmill b/c I was waiting for someone to drop my son off.

Things were going OK and then I thought the doorbell rang. Starting back up was brutal on the knee. My HR was way, way high for the pace. 8.0 @ 9:40. I slowed as my HR rose above 145. I was at 10:30 by the end. Usually I'm at 130 bpm at 9:30-9:45 pace. Not sure what's wrong.

Sunday, Nov 8 -time trial/HR max

14-16 mile total moderate run including 5 strides then 2400m time trial and HR max test. Please report your time for the 2400m. Start out relaxed and increase your pace 1-2 sec’s every other lap. Full recovery then 4 x 2 min @ 5k effort w/1 min jog rests. Full recovery then 3 x 100m cutdowns

Guess I'm hurt. Did 45' w/ 40' on the bike and maybe 5' on the elliptical (not a good idea)

week of 26 October

MPW 61 -- did 60.8 + 90' elliptcal

Monday, Oct 26

rest

Flew to St Louis for 5 days of meetings. Ugh.

Tuesday, Oct 27

8-10 mile total moderate run including 10 strides

10.0 @ 8:41 on hotel treadmill.

Wednesday, Oct 28

10-12 mile total moderate run including 10 min @ LT effort. Full recovery then jello maker hills: 8 x 70 sec hills @ mile effort w/easy jog down rests

10.8 @ 8:52. 5 minutes into the LT, the circuit breaker tripped and 3 treadmills lost power (I didn't think it liked mine on 9 mph!). I got another one after ~5 minutes when somebody was finished, but did the next 5 minutes at 5 deg and a lower speed to avoid disabling the other 3 treadmills. Did the hills as 70' at 8.0 deg with equal rest.

PM: 30 min XT moderate

30' + gen strength circuit. I was able to do a pullup! I've been doing 4 x 150 lb on the lat pull and have worked my way up to a single pullup.

Thursday, Oct 29

5-6 mile easy run

6 @ 9:13 on treadmill.

Friday, Oct 30

10 mile easy run w/5-10x run up bleachers

10 @ 9:19 on treadmill. Did 5 "bleachers" of sort. ~15-20 secs on 10.0 deg incline

PM: 30 min XT moderate

Stopped at work gym on way home from airport (aren't I dedicated?). Did the GS circuit again w/ 26' on elliptical and 4' on stationary (elliptical occupied).

Saturday, Oct 31

7-9 mile easy run

8.6 @ 9:01 on my lake route. This was on the harder side of easy maybe (slow pace, but pretty tough route).

Sunday, Nov 1

15-16 miles total moderate including 2 x 15 min @ LT effort w/3 min jog rests. 5 min jog rest then 5-8 x 45 sec hills @ 3k effort w/1 min jog rests

My hip/butt/groin thing bothered me. Ran on muddy trails in a steady rain, so the pace was slow but the effort was reasonably LTish. My "hip" really grabbed me on the 1st of the hills and I decide to forego the rest. I'm thinking of seeing an orthopedist. This thing hasn't gotten better and looking at my log I've had this since the end of June -- 4 months!

PM: 30 min XT moderate

Drove to work gym on a Sunday (again, aren't I dedicated?) and did 30' on elliptical (no GS since did twice already)

week of 19 October

MPW 58 -- did 57.7 + 60' elliptical

Monday, Oct 19

rest

Tuesday, Oct 20

6 mile easy run

6.0 @ 9:36. Caught my kids' cold. Didn't sleep much. I think the immunity hit from the 10k did me in.

Wednesday, Oct 21

8-10 mile easy run w/5-10x run up bleacher strairs

9.3 @ 9:22. Hardly slept at all. Amazing I got through this. No stairs really around work. Bounded up a couple of steep hills, but I was just lucky to make it through this.

PM: 30 min XT moderate

Being sick, I deferred this.

Thursday, Oct 22

8-10 mile easy run w/5 strides and 2 x 7 min @ HM effort w/1 min jog rests then 10 x 30 sec’s @ 3k effort w/30 sec jog rests then 2 x 7 min @ HM effort w/1 min jog rests

10.2 @ 7:59. Finally slept well. Felt much better.

2.0 to the track. 5 strides on the turf (50 yds each). I did these as 2x1600 w/200m rest since that was very close to the prescription. I did the 10x30 just by time. 1600s were 6:46/169bpm max, 6:39/171 max, 6:41/175, 6:41/176. This is consistent with HM heart rate (or even lower) and these felt pretty easy. Not sure why it's not consistent with my 10ks except maybe I'm hill-challenged (might come with my extra baggage around my waist).

PM, I did the deferred XT from yesterday. I mixed in the general strength circuit with ellptical. 10' elliptical, weights, 5' elliptical, weights, ...., 5' elliptical for 30' elliptical and 55' total time. Quite a workout.

Friday, Oct 23

6 mile easy run

6 @ 9:28

Saturday, Oct 24

8-10 mile moderate run including 5-8 strides

10.0 @ 8:35 over a hilly course. This was a pretty stout moderate run with avg HR splits of 139, 141, 151, 150, 153, 154, 156, 150, and 152

Sunday, Oct 25

14-16 mile total moderate run including 5 strides. Full recovery then 1,2,3,4,5,4,3,2,1 min hills @ 10k effort w/1-3 min jog rests.

Did as above except my hill is only 3 minutes long, so I tried to match the total with 1, 2, 6x3, 2, 1. Rest were roughly equal as I jogged to the bottom.

PM: 30 min XT moderate

Did 30' elliptical. I did at the rec center while my son was at swim team. I thought of squeezing in the GS circuit, but 1) not enough time 2) rec center is populated enough that jumping on and off machines isn't easy and 3) it was probably too much for today with 16 in the morning.

I was much about about doing the foam roller this week. My left quad is as hard as a rock compared to my right one for some reason. I think that might have something to do with my recurrent knee trouble.