Awhile back I had to take a step back with the hope that it would allow me to go forward and it might be working. You see after Chippewa I was a bit banged up and still I proceeded to hobble through May, into June, wobbled through a marathon and made it to July where I tried Afton. It was that day that I had to make a decision, continue and finish the 50k with an ever increasing probability of additional injuries or drop at 25k and take the time off my body was telling me it needed. I actually did the smart thing and dropped and then I cut back for a few days but I did not stop running completely, I just slowed it down a bit, reducing my mileage and I gave myself a little more time between runs.
Having just ended August with the highest mileage for a month this year and the most since last April which tied my high mileage month going back to 1997, I am actually gaining some hope. I have been eating better and with the increased running I am starting to see the weight move down and if I can keep from doing anything stupid I just may get to Surf the Murph with a decent shot for a successful day. I have been following the advice that Helen and others gave by trying to run longer on back to back longer days on the weekend. The weekend before Labor Day, I ran 14 on Saturday and then 17 on Sunday, the weekend before that I did 14 and 16, so some decent progress in getting my mileage up.
As to issues, all I have had thus far is some occasional knee pain and foot/ankle pain, the knee pain led me to take an extra day off to rest this past week and that will be my plan going forward, listen to my body and give it rest as needed.
Last Wednesday, I ran 4 miles before work in Hyland without any increase in knee pain during or after on the run so that was good news . On Thursday, I ran with Wayne in Lebanon Hills and we made it over to the western section, again no significant knee pain, yes. I do like running that section but coming over from Jensen lake takes some of the fun of it away as you have to pop out of the park and run through a neighborhood. Afterward my ankle was sore so I must've torqued it somehow, I don't think it will be an issue but I will need to keep an eye on it too. So I took Friday off (yet another example of playing it smart) and then I ran in Whitewater State Park on Saturday and Sunday with no issues (post to follow), followed by Lebanon Hills today.
Right now, I am hoping, no make that planning on setting my all time high for mileage in a month. I guess I never said but I got in 145 miles in August and if I stick to my plan, I should be over 200 in September. I know for some my monthly mileage would be done in a week but for me it will be real neat if I can hold together and do it.
Like Hannibal used to say on the "A-team", I love it when a plan comes together. All I have to do is keep it together for a couple of more months and then simply run my first 50, doesn't sound too hard at least on paper.
1 comment:
Sounds like things are headed in the right direction, Congrats! And an A-Team reference... gotta like that. :)
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