Today...

Made it out for 5 miles this morning...footing was less than ideal due to all of the slush on the roads, but managed to find a route that wasn't too bad - nice little out-back/loop in my neighborhood. Leg felt good on the streets that were clear, not so good on the slush.

Run stats:
5.13 miles, 58:09 (11:21 pace overall - most likely due to the poorish footing) with an average heart rate of 157.

This was the third day in a row of running for me, and the second day in a row of doing my rehab for my leg, and amazingly IT FEELS BETTER!

If the weather holds tomorrow I've got 7 on tap after work (early practice so I should be home early afternoon with enough time to run before dark) which will be a good indicator of how the leg will hold up.

Maria – planning on a massage over spring break, when I have more time…and can I just say that I love still being allowed to take a week off of work in the spring and it not count against vacation! Ah, the life of academia!

If anyone reading this is interested the latest Steve Runner podcast (www.steverunner.com) on Pre is very much worth the listen.

Not Sure...

Ok, what the hell is wrong with my leg? I've lamented about my leg pain in previous posts...got some miles in yesterday at the Y (Old Man Winter has decided to take up residence here in W. MI.) and my leg was SORE. Woke up today, still SORE. Did some treatment/exercises today at work...get to the Y for a run. First mile and a quarter feel like my leg is going to fall off...then suddenly discomfort/pain gone. Just made 3-4 trips up and down the stairs here...NOTHING. We'll see how it does tomorrow.

I've scrapped my training plan I was on and have gone with one of my own design (courtesy of Dr. Daniels' excellent book) to try and get me ready for the Pig. With 10 weeks until the event I'm dropping back to the first "phase" and I'm just going to log some miles over the next 4 weeks in an attempt to get used to running long again, and to get my weekend long runs back into the double digits. I'll keep you informed of course.

It's that time of year again and T and I sat down and did our taxes - big shouts of thanks go out to Turbo Tax and the Federal government for letting you deduct moving expenses. Let's just say we won't have to touch the savings to pay for our nice bedroom furniture.

Quick comment on the Oscars: that Helen Mirren...WOW!!!!!!!

Progress?

Made it out for 7.25 miles this morning - nice bright, sunny, crisp, cold day - on the same route that I ran on Sunday. Run stats: 7.25 miles in 1:18:17 (10:48 pace), leg felt great, hardly felt it at all even in the beginning. Not only was I faster on this run compared to Sunday, approx 20 sec per mile, but my average HR was lower.

Just have to see how my leg responds...should be a slow day here at work, so I might just have to do some treatment on myself!

So, for the week: 3/3 for scheduled runs, a bit over 14 miles covered. Not too bad.

Another Fine...

Windy as HELL day here in West MI!!! 35 mph winds on my 3.5 mile run this morning. No, I didn't do the mile repeats, I'm trying to give my leg a chance to respond to all of the ongoing efforts to make it better. So, I just did an easy 3.5 miles (38:11 or a 10:53 pace with an average HR of 157) and going by the aforementioned stats I'm quite pleased with the run and effort, especially considering the wind!

So, I'm 2/2 for scheduled runs, behind in my scheduled mileage, and making progress with my "injury"...could things be any better?

One down, how many more?

4.25 miles on nice, foggy, warmish morning (it's amazing what you will consider warm after 2 weeks of the temp not making it above the 20F mark - it hit 40F yesterday and I thought of breaking out the shorts) here in W MI.

The amazing thing is I actually made it out the door by 8:30 for my run. Leg felt better - about the same as Sunday - but it still concerns me a bit.

So, for the week I'm 1/1 and over my mileage goal! LOL, we'll see if that holds up.

The Sun Can Do Amazing Things

I figured out why the weather here has been bothering me so much on the way home from work one day last week. The sun, or more accurately the lack of sunshine. I know, I know...you're thinking to yourself - KP you lived in the PNW for four years, you had to be used to the sun not shining in the winter! - and you would be right. However, there is one MAJOR difference between the two regions.

In the PNW the winter is the grey-rainy season. Everything is wet. Everything is also green: the grass, the trees (at least the fir), etc. Things look alive.

Here in West MI everything is currently covered by multiple feet of snow. To say the landscape is stark would be an understatement.

Well, finally at the end of last week and this weekend the sun has been out, and now I'm normally not someone who likes to bask in sunlight (the whole fair-skinned issue) but wow is it nice to see again.

Running schedule for the week:
Monday - active rest (some stretching/strengthening, maybe some yoga)
Tuesday - 4 miles E
Wednesday - active rest or off (morning baseball practice and home hoops game that night)
Thursday - 13 miles...well I'm supposed to do 4x1 mile T w/ 1 min rest + 3x1 mile T w/ 1 min rest with warm-up/cool-down. Not sure I'm going to be able to do this at one time so I'm considering splitting it up - morning outside, afternoon at the Y.
Friday - 4 miles E
Saturday - 4 miles E
Sunday - 14 miles - 4x5-6 min T w/ 1 min rest + 1 hour E + 15-20 min T + warm-up/cool-down

I'm following Daniels Running Formula plan: E = easy pace, T = tempo pace for all you non-runners reading this.

That works out to 5 scheduled runs and 39 scheduled miles. I'll let you know how I do.

Beaten into submission

Following the comment from Mr. Cramer, I just got out and ran today. The sun was out - a nice change from the last 2 weeks or so - and I managed a nice 7.25 miles on a windy day. The run surprisingly felt good! Purchased a pair of insoles (www.yoursole.com) yesterday and wore them for the first time today - what a difference in my sore right calf/leg. Had planned on at least 10 (trying to get the miles up...it's been since Jan 7 that I've had a run in double digits) but the wind finally wore me down and I turned towards home early. Overall, probably the best run I've had in about a month!

I'm going to try to do something new here, a weekly recap of my runs/training:
4 out of 6 scheduled runs
17 miles out of a scheduled 42 (told you I was behind in my training!) at an average pace of 11:11 (if my math-fu is correct)

Frustrations

Here it is the 17th day of February, 2006 and I am waaaaay behind in my preparations for May 6. Enough behind that I’m starting to doubt my ability to be successful that day, and I’m not gauging success on anything big like a BQ or a sub-4 hour finish time. The first goal, I don’t want to look like a complete un-prepared idiot (use your imagination or refer to last weeks episode of “How I Met Your Mother”), secondly I would like to finish between 4:30 and 4:45. At this point I’m not sure if either one of those are attainable.

I am completely frustrated by two things:

1) The weather of West Michigan* completely blows if you are a runner who likes to run in the daylight, on dry pavement, and you have a full-time job. The sun doesn’t come up here until about 7:45 a.m. this time of year. The snow arrived about a month late (damn January and the 40-50F weather that spoiled us) and won’t leave! Since the “Blizzard of 2007” we’ve probably gotten over 3 feet of snow and most of it is still on the ground. Makes it hard to get in a good workout and the people at the Y look at you funny when you try to do 10+ miles on the treadmill.

2) My right calf/lower leg has been bothering since about the time the snow started. T has me on a rehab program (and it is working) but like most of the people I deal with, I want this better, now!

So due to the above I have not been able to get in quality miles, or miles period. I went from 76 miles in Nov, 82 miles in Dec, 83 miles in Jan to 33 miles so far in Feb. There are 11 weeks until the Flying Pig. I’ve got serious work in front of me, just as work ramps up with spring sports. At least the weather is supposed to begin improving next week – the highs are supposed to be above freezing.

Please excuse the above as the ramblings of a crazy person.

*people have been living here and running for years, I just need to find a way to make it work

Update

First of all, first ever post from work - I'm here killing about another 45 mins until I am meeting T downtown to attend a performance by one of her fellow faculty members. Should be fun, because after the performance we get to attend a reception for him sponsored by some sort of Canadian government big-wig!

The weather has improved greatly. 1) it has stopped snowing non-stop 2) by Wed afternoon they finally had all of the major roads cleared to the point that you could see pavement 3) today's high almost hit 30F!!!!

Have a hoops game to cover tomorrow but I am planning on getting some miles in outside tomorrow. That is unless the aforementioned reception does me in!

The Saga Continues...

Pretty much the entire city of Grand Rapids, MI, has shut down for the day. Both Aquinas College and GVSU are closed for the day - as are the rest of the colleges in the area as well as all school districts and quite a few businesses. Over 400 closures on the news last night/this morning...needless to say it took them awhile to scroll them across the bottom of the screen.

Not sure how much more, if any, snow we got last night, but it's still pretty cold (windchills below zero) and most of the roads are still under packed snow and ice. However, the sun is shining!

Looking forward to another day housebound.

Blizzard of 2007

It's official: they have named it the "Blizzard of 2007"...well on one channel anyway.

latest stats on the weather, besides it being damn cold, for the month (and remember that February is only 4 days old) Grand Rapids, MI, has received just over 19" of snow.

Most of the city is already throwing in the towel for Monday.

Uh Oh...

Just looked at the calendar. I only have 13 weeks until the Flying Pig.

Holy Sh!t I need to adjust the training plan. Stupid weather.

Winter’s Baaaaack!

Current conditions here in Grand Rapids (as of 2:53 pm, EST):
Temp 9F
Wind chill -10F
Snow depth (measured in front of the apartment) 18” (it was 12” when we went to bed last night)
Winds 21 mph, with gusts up to 33 mph

So basically it is freaking cold here, the wind is kicking up the snow into near white out conditions. Things are so less-than-ideal on the roads that the two biggest malls in town closed at 2 pm today!!!! When the weather grinds things to a halt in Michigan you know it’s bad.

Here is some perspective on the weather. These were all taken this morning:

The car was completely clean of snow when we went to bed last night.

Me in our backyard – yes the snow is almost up to my knees – after T and I walked to the grocery store on the corner. Yes, we got some pretty strange looks from people.

T all bundled up. Doesn’t she look like she’s enjoying herself?

Vain attempt at a snow angel.

Needless to say the weather has wreaked havoc on my training!! The cold is one thing: I have all the necessary cold-weather gear, but the foot and a half of snow on the ground – let’s just say that no one is going out to shovel or snow-blow their walks – makes things a bit treacherous. In addition, my safety advisor (T) has said in no uncertain terms: I’m not allowed out to run, and with no treadmill here (it was that or the TV, I chose the TV) and not being able to get to the Y, no run for me today. Managed to get 13 miles in this week without completely killing my calf, which is actually getting better, but I was scheduled to do over 30 miles this week. I have fallen off the plan a bit, and now the weather isn’t co-operating with me!!!!! Times like this, miss Eugene even more. Guess I’m just going to have to get my ass out of bed and make it to the Y before work, and then hit the Y again after work if I’m going to get the mileage I need in. Lucky me.