Last week was full of ups and downs - Reaching my peak weekly mileage for the 2013 year and having successful workouts and moderate paced runs, and at the same time, getting a big time reality check by bombing my first race in a month or two. I am happy with it, regardless of the race! I have ten weeks until race day fitness and mental toughness need to be ready, and I believe that is plenty of time!
This week is a [well-timed] down week, which is nice considering the combination of my major aches and pains and the typical holiday traveling that we have planned.
Sunday, December 22nd
Rest day!
Monday, December 23rd
3M shakeout. Ran around Memorial Park on our way to Hull. Nothing special about this run. Still had the same hip pain, but I did notice it felt better running faster as opposed to slower, and it also seems to minimize as I get farther into the run, then getting worse after the run or when walking.
Tuesday, December 24th
3M warm up, 5 x 1M @ 6:15 pace w/ 400j recovery. This was one COLD workout! Because of work and family schedules for the day, we had no choice but to do the workout first thing in the morning. I think it was "feels like 25". The warm up felt nice, but as soon as I did the first mile repeat, I knew I was in for a tough day. It was so cold that I tightened up more and more each lap... Running 90, 3:05, 4:40, 6:15 on the nose, but all at practically race effort. Second and third reps were the same, coming in at 6:16. It was during this recovery lap that I noticed I couldn't bend my fingers all the way and I had a major panic attack. When I started the next one I tried relaxing my wrists so that my hands shook with every step, hoping to increase blood flow and warm them up. Bad idea! I had been coming thru 200m in 44 every lap... This time? 48! 95 for the first 400 and it didn't get better! 6:21 for the fourth mile! After that, I went back to normal. Same splits for my last mile as the earlier ones, but the last lap was quicker thanks to some pacing/ cheering from Jake. The last rep was 6:11. Altogether : 6:15, 6:16, 6:15, 6:21, 6:11. I'll take it!
2M shakeout. Quick out and back run in Hull before traveling over to Dayton for Christmas Eve dinner with Jake's family.
Wednesday, December 25th
6M moderate run. Jake and I had the privilege of getting in a Christmas run together after our day full of travel from Dayton to LaRue and from LaRue to Dallas. It was an uncomfortable run to say the least (thanks to a full week of food we probably shouldn't have eaten), but it was nice to enjoy the Christmas lights and company of one another. Right hip/hip flexor still hurts, both calf muscles still knot up on the outside, my left glute and outer knee are both painful as well. I notice the hip and knee hurt worst walking or just starting my run, but everything else is worst during the run.
Thursday, December 26th
4M shakeout + 6 uphill strides. Same pains as I've been having, no need to re-list them. :) Other than that, I felt good today.
2M shakeout + rehab work. Nice comfortable, form-focused shakeout in our neighborhood after work. I followed that with a good ten minutes stretching. Before both of my runs today I spent five to ten minutes rolling all muscle groups on our foam roller and am hoping it does something to help!
Friday, December 27th
2M shakeout in the morning. Still ridiculously tight calves, painful right hip and hip flexor, and random aches on the left-hand side. Energy levels are good and the pace felt nice.
Had to skip the 4M tempo planned for my lunch break. Started having stomach cramps around 11:30, but tried to warm up anyways. Half a mile in I could barely stand up straight, so I walked home and decided to push the workout to tomorrow (morning!). Kind of a bummer because it was ideal workout weather.
Saturday, December 28th
Total rest day. I have had a hard time getting around (just walking) for a couple weeks now and I'm getting frustrated with myself for continuing to push forward. We're taking three days of complete rest (no running, no cross training, no core, no nothing), combining that with lots of recovery modes (ice baths, epsom salt balts, gentle foam rolling, gentle stretching, ART)., and hoping that I can pick things back up a little healthier on Tuesday.
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