11/30/10 No Run

No run planned, and I executed that plan perfectly. :-)

11/29/10 Kenyan Way Hill Workout

Not sure of the distance... probably just shy of 4 miles.

I jogged over to the cloverleaf and did the workout with the group. 30-minutes of running the inclines on the cloverleaf. I ended up with 20-minutes, as I did 3 full loops, then ran slowly a little more on the way back home.

30-minutes of running
12 hills @ cruising effort

Man...I'm outta shape. :P

11/28/10 - AM Easy Run, 4.5 Miles

4.5 Miles
31:37
7:05 avg

This run didn't feel as good as Saturday's long run, but was still a good one. Nothing was really in pain, but I could definitely tell that I'd run more the prior day than I had on any one day in the last 2 and a half months. No working out or anything today after my run. Just took Sunday off from that. Will resume all that on Monday.

11/27/10 Kenyan Way Long Run - 13 Miles

13 Miles
1:31:32
7:02 avg

A 90% pain-free run. I'm heavier, slower, and definitely lower on fitness, but man I felt great throughout this run. Awesome to be out for the entire route on a Saturday morning run w/the group.

I started late, as I didn't get going till 6:20, so I was running by some of the other pace groups all along the way, but I fell back in love w/the training. That time of solitude, that time running long while alone...there's nothing like it. Closing miles, as I ran w/a guy w/a Garmin (Dan) were 6:45, 6:45, 6:37. So, I felt really good about that. All in all, just a good run.

11/22/10-11/26/10 Running Updates

Monday, 11/22 - No Run, ART Therapy

I continue therapy, but it's gone to once every week or every 2-weeks. Just kinda goes with what I can work into the schedule.

Tuesday, 11/23 - Quick Run, 25 minutes, just under 4 miles

This was not my smartest run. I got home with just a little time before having to get to job #2, so I quickly got out for a run. I ran it way faster than I should have, and really didn't do myself any favors by not allowing my Achilles to warm up before getting going. Didn't feel TOO bad, but definitely didn't feel great.

Wednesday, 11/24 - No Run

Out for a couple of beers the night before and just didn't get up early, even though I had a pretty good night's sleep.

Thursday, 11/25 - 34:03, 4.7 Miles

Just a nice, late morning trot out down Memorial, loop of the wooded area and back down Blossom, after an evening of good food (first time eating tacos bought from a taco truck) and good company. Thankful for so many things from the start of the day to the end of the evening.

Friday, 11/26 - 41:06, 6.07 miles; 21:30 out, 19:36 back

I had almost forgotten what it felt like to run "fast". I was coasting really well by the time I got to Memorial Park. I ran down Blossom, then Crestwood over to Memorial, until I got into the park, then to the Tennis Center, the 0-mile marker, then turned and ran back the same way. On the way back, I felt really, really good cookin' along that way. I could tell the fitness is still coming back, as I definitely got tired as I got close to home, but man was it fun moving out like that.

Looking forward to a "long" run tomorrow...maybe 10-12, depending on how I'm feeling. Will definitely take it out slow, but hope to be able to run a strong negative split.

11/21/10 - AM Easy Run - 4.45 Miles

4.45 Miles
31:18

Just a nice jaunt down Blossom, a loop of the wooded area at the park and back down Blossom. I got a little ahead of myself as I felt great to start out, but the lack of fitness showed itself later in the run. Don't know mile splits, but I'm sure this was not a "negative split" easy run, even for just 4 miles.

Looking to run tomorrow morning for my first 4-day stretch of running running each day since I started back. I will also have therapy tomorrow afternoon, so good possibility of no run on Tuesday morning. If all goes to plan, this would be my first 6-day running week, but 5-days would be acceptable...this week, at least. :-)

11/20/10 - Kenyan Way "Long Run" - 8.6 Miles

8.6 Miles
1:02:56
31:57 out
31:00 back

I was quite excited to get my first run in from 45-60 minutes. Obviously, I went on the high end of that, but it felt great.

I'm definitely out of shape, as the run back to base saw me twinge a shoulder muscle...not exactly sure how that happened, but about 10-minutes before I was done, it just suddenly felt like a muscle just inside my left shoulder blade wanted to cramp up or something. Was pretty uncomfortable, but I just got through the end of the run and it seemed to go away throughout the day.

Headed to the gym for calf-raises, core, upper-body work and some one-legged squats. All in all wrapped up with about an hour and a half of work. I'll take it.

11/19/10 PM Easy Run - 4.1 Miles

4.1 Miles
30:24

Ran out to Memorial and back. Stopped myself @ 30 minutes just as I got to the base of the walking bridge to go over Memorial. It seems that the longer I go in between runs, the more problems I have...a strange phenomenon. With a run in the morning, I needed to break here.

Weights, core, squats and stretching after.

11/17/10 AM Easy Run - 4.45 Miles

4.45 Miles
30:52
6:56 avg

I can only say that I felt like I was flying down Blossom as I ran from the park back home. AWESOME run.

Core, calf raises and one-legged squats after.

Plan is to run tomorrow and Friday. Saturday, I will give a go to 45-minutes to an hour. With each step I run, hope returns, feeling thankful and excited.

I gotta say, I appreciate any and all positive thoughts and prayers that any of my readers out there, and those non-readers that know what I've gone through, have sent my way. I believe whole-heartedly that any healing that has taken place is in part due to those things.

11/15/10 PM Easy Run - 4.4 Miles

4.4 Miles
30:56
4 loops of the Clover Leaf (.95 miles each)
6:58, 6:31, 6:17, 6:03
2:30 there
2:36 back

Good run. All felt good, except over the weekend, after my daughter's soccer practice, we were playing around, and when I was trying to steal the ball from her she stepped up on my left Achilles w/her cleats...UGH! That was painful. So, I felt that, but not the pains/discomfort of the past. I started contemplating my Saturday adventure... going to go for 45-60 minutes on Saturday, after, hopefully, 4 days of running. I've had 2 weeks of 3 days. This week may end up w/5 days...not sure.

No running on Tuesday. Will run again Wednesday.

11/14 AM Easy Run

4 miles
29:29 Total Run
15:37 out
13:51 back

Run felt ok...not the best, but not the worst either. Legs didn't loosen up till about the last mile of the run.

Core and leg work after. Was at my parents' house, so no gym, so no weighted calf-raises. Will get those on Monday.

11/11 AM Easy Run & Workout

4.5 Miles
33:34
16:50 - 2.15 Out
16:43 - 2.35 Back

All felt good this morning. Ran down Blossom to the Gazebo @ Memorial on the way out. Ran back down Memorial coming back.

After, calf raises on weights, core, pushups and one-legged running man squats.

Good, good, good morning.

11/8/10 AM Easy Run - 3.8 miles

28:47 total run

I'm cautiously optimistic. All felt good. The only discomfort was what came from running in 50 degree weather and the Achilles taking about a mile or so to loosen up. Beyond that, all felt really, really good. I'm definitely out of shape still, but it's coming along. I feel like I could easily get up to 45 minutes, but I'm in no rush right now. Starting week two on the recovery road is not the time to start pressing anything.

Therapy and weights this afternoon.

11/3/10 AM Easy Run and Workout

4.3 Miles
32:56
7:40 avg
out - 17:15
back - 15:40

Ran out with the intention of getting to do core w/KW this morning, but that wasn't happening when I got there, so I just got a little water/Gatorade and headed on back. Called up my doc after and told her "If every run felt this good, I'll be in good shape in no time."

Going to do every other day for a couple of weeks before I go for 4-days, then 5, and hopefully back to full ABILITY to train starting in January.

I headed into the gym after for calf work and core, then some leg exercises and called it a morning.

11/2/10 Nothing

I did nothing physically productive today. Just worked, home, worked some more, then sleep. Good life, huh? :P

11/1/10 PM Easy Run & Core w/KW

4 miles
30:30
7:37 avg

Nice and easy run up Blossom and back. I made it a little further today, and made a point to not stop for water at the half-way point...just turn and keep trottin' on through. All felt pretty good till the last couple of minutes of the run. I actually was getting a little tired, and as soon as I felt like my body was tired, I just looked at my watch and I was near 30 minutes, and right near the Blossom/Jackson Hill intersection, so I got there and stopped. Walked on down to base and did core work with the group.

Headed to the weight room after that and did 3 sets of 10 with heavy weights on my calves, taking them slow to stretch it all out before extending again. I probably should have been doing this a long time ago, but can't change that now. Did some one-legged running man squats and called it a night.

PB&J with a glass of milk for dinner, with a couple of Oreos with said milk to finish it off. :-) Gotta love cookies w/milk.