Go Long!

I felt good today, no effects from Saturday's run, so  I decided to try 10 miles, hoping to get 10 everyday this week with something a little longer on Saturday. It snowed like crazy today so I wasn't eager to get out and get my feet wet, but going west into Hooper on 2400 in the afternoon wasn't bad. I struggled with the run, however. My pace with stops (and there were plenty) was about 10 mm. We'll see how I feel tomorrow, but I really think my problem was the burrito and beans I ate for lunch, not my training. I had a lot going on down there as I ran. I'm tired tonight. 

Ran north and then south from the 3 way stop on Bluff Road. Felt better today than yesterday. It was cold (32F) so I wore 2 tights, 2 hats, 2 gloves and 3 tops. I see runners out there in shorts in this weather, but I think they're nuts. Maybe their sweat evaporates faster than mine... I'm still bothered by that. Anyway, 10 felt better today than it did yesterday, but I'm still a little tired. I'll see how I improve tomorrow. I think it's starting to set in.

 Pace was between 8:30 and 10:00. Took some walk rests, for which I won't apologize. finished the course (with stops) in less than 1:40. 

Ran the south half of the Bluff Trail in falling snow. Although it didn't feel that way, my pace was slow. I wondered about running because I feel a strain in the back of my right knee. I think I pulled it a little when I stretched after my run yesterday. That should have taught me a lesson.

I ran easier today than yesterday. I think I'm finally recovering from Saturday's long run. I'll see how I feel tomorrow. 

I did a little wandering today through the Wild Horse Springs and Wheatfield subdivisions. I'm amazed at how many houses are for sale (maybe 30%). Now all I need to do is figure out how to get them all on option. I'll think about it. I had a hard time tracking my run because I forgot to turn off my Garmin several times as I looked at houses and I forgot to turn it back on for what I think was probably 2 1/2 miles. I don't know, so I just logged a conservative 9.4. It could have been 10 or even a little more. 

Right hamstring is a little sore. Blisters on several toes. One black toe nail, another pink. About 30F today, but it got warmer late in my run. I spent 2 hours wandering, but when I checked my watch most of the time my pace was between 8:30 and 10:00, usually right around 9:00. Lost some time looking at houses, but it was a good way to "kill two birds." 

Ran from the middle of the north Bluff Trail north and back to the car for a banana and PowerAde, then ran south to the turnabout and back to the car. Luckily I found my carton of chocolate milk from my run two days ago, still in the snow where I left it near the turn around. That 4 oz of icy chocolate milk probably saved my life. I've run five 10's in a row, but none of them have been comfortable. Typically the first couple of miles are tough, then it starts to flow from miles 4 - 6. Mile seven gets tough again, then it starts to feel good and I can usually bring it in. There's also a little bump at 8.5. Yesterday that bump never went away. Today I felt I finished strong. Speed fluctuated between 9 and 10 mpm until I pushed it to 8 at the end. I was just trying to go an easy pace, but you can't help being influenced by the music sometimes. I listened to my iPod about half of the time. The rest of the time I tried to listen to my footfalls, think about my cadence and concentrate on not over striding.

The pain in the back of my knee has spread to the top of my calf and to my achilles tendon. It doesn't hurt after I warm up, but I'm a little concerned. I had a similar pain during basketball in the fall. I thought about taking time off to baby it, but then decided I wouldn't until it really got bad and it never did. It just slowly went away. I hope this does. I may have increased my mileage too abruptly. I feel like I'm just on the edge of an injury. If I can keep going a few more weeks, I'm pretty sure I'll recover and my training will "set in."

I'm scheduled to do a long run with Dr. Shaw in Salt Lake in the morning. If it's snowing like crazy, she doesn't want to run... so we'll see how that goes. 

It snowed like crazy here and in Salt Lake, so Dr. Shaw decided not to run. Since it is our anniversary and Valentine's Day, I made breakfast for Dalene and later took her to Maddox for lunch. We did bunches of errands and then decided (almost) to visit the kids in Pocatello. At the last minute, we decided not to go, so I put on my duds and went for a run. By then it was 5:30 and I ran mostly in the dark. My right achilles, calf and hamstring are sore, probably worse than yesterday, but I decided to stick it out and try to run through it. I don't know what's best. Anyway, since I couldn't see my Garmin in the dark I ran what I thought was close to 10 miles. When I got in the house and checked my GPS it was only 8.2. Oh, well! Dalene was already worried about my running in the dark so I just let it go. I think I'm feeling better. We'll see what a day of rest does for me when I start back up on Monday.