We were still at my parent’s house in Lebanon for most of the day today, so I decided to go for a short “barefoot” shakeout run in my Hattoris on the roads around Old Hickory lake.
It was a beautiful route, but very hilly with over 520 ft. of cumulative elevation gain in only 4.6-miles:
Even with the hills, the run felt pretty good, and was quite enjoyable. Also, during today’s run I crossed 1,800 total miles for the year!
Beast Mode…ON!
Over the past couple of weeks I’ve become a bit lax in keeping up with Tumblr, and specifically in posting running updates. Well, I’m still here, and I’m still working my way back to a full running schedule after the injury.
Since completing the Chickamauga Half Marathon two weeks ago, I’ve continued to increase my mileage slowly and wanted to mention a few highlights.
Track Workout
A week ago Thursday, I finished my second track workout since the injury. This particular workout was 3 x 1-mile repeats with 400m recovery in-between. At my peak I was running mile repeats with splits between 5:55 and 6:10. However, I had no idea what to expect after the long layoff. I had a hard time getting a feel for my pace while running, but was pleasantly surprised to run these three with times of 6:28, 6:17, and 6:14. Not quite up to my old self, but felt pretty good none-the-less.
Run to the Hills
Until I finished step 7 of my return to running program (about a week before Chickamauga), I was instructed to avoid speed work and significant hills. Now that I’ve been released to both, last Saturday I decided to give the acclaimed 11.2-mile loop in Percy Warner Park a try with almost 2,200 ft of cumulative elevation gain:
Well, that route kicked my tail! However, I finished it and know that I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me. Incidentally, the next day was when I was originally registered for the Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon, which consists of running the 11.2 loop in both directions. This run let me know that it was not just a matter of my MD advising me not to run the marathon, but also that I was not physically capable of running it.
Total Mileage Milestone
Last week I eclipsed my 2011 running total of 1,763 miles completed, and still have an outside shot at 2,000 for the year, which was my goal for 2012:
I feel pretty good about this considering I missed 6-weeks with the stress fracture. Not sure whether or not I’ll hit 2,000, but I’m not gonna push it to just hit a mileage total.
Well, that’s the recap of the past two weeks. Tomorrow Olivia and I will be running Boulevard Bolt, which is one of the largest 5-mile races in the country (if not the biggest) with over 8,200 participants. Again, I’m not sure what to expect. My PR for 5-miles is 32:22, so I’m thinking that anything between 34:00 and 35:00 will be a reasonable goal.
Anyway, hope everyone has a great turkey day!!
Beast Mode….ON!
When my wife and I were there for the race this year we had pasta the night before at Cafe Giovanni (117 Decatur Street), and it was fantastic! Highly recommended.
lifewithkim replied to your post: 2013 Rock n’ Roll New Orleans Marathon
Have you done a marathon in Arkansas yet? How about Colorado? When you are ready, we have a great couch….come visit and knock off some more states!
Thanks Kim….I have not. Looked at Little Rock for the spring, but was a bit concerned about this hills since I’m coming back from the stress fracture. What marathons would you recommend in Arkansas and Colorado?
Well, tonight Olivia and I officially decided on the 2013 Rock n’ Roll New Orleans Marathon as the race for my marathon comeback. I wanted to wait to register until I got through the Chickamauga Half Marathon last weekend to make sure my leg held up ok. Since that race turned out waaaaay better than I expected, we signed up tonight (Olivia signed up for the half).
My only hesitation in picking this race was that I’ve done it before, and it will not be contributing to my goal of doing marathons in all 50 states. Other than that, it seems like the perfect place for marathon #13. Time to work out a training schedule, and get to work. Almost feels like old times again!
Slowly, but surely, my speed and endurance are coming back. Tonight’s run was by far the best since coming back from the injury, and was a BIG confidence boost for the future.
The conditions were pretty nasty (45º and raining), but I still felt FANTASTIC. My heart rate is coming down, and my pace is picking up. The totals for tonight were 7.9-miles completed in just over 1-hour. This comes out to a 7:39 average pace with 56:20 of actual running and 4-minutes of walk breaks. My average pace for the running segments was 7:23 per mile.
This Saturday I’m scheduled to run the Chickamauga Battlefield Half Marathon (transferred from the full after my injury), with my doctor’s permission, even though tonight’s 7.9-mile effort was my longest in 10 weeks. I’m still not sure how I’m going to get through a half marathon, but right now I’m thinking about doing a 10/1 run-walk ratio. Regardless of what I decide, the goal will mostly be to just get through the race without injury, and give my training a jumpstart toward a successful spring racing season.
Beast Mode….ON!!
Today was a glorious day for running or doing just about anything outside. For the first time in 10 weeks, I met up with our group for part of their Saturday run. I was also joined by Brian who has just moved to Bellevue with his family, and has been attending our church. Brian and I ran just under 4-miles out Old Natchez with the group before heading back while they continued. Our running pace was between the 8:20s and 8:30s, which felt very comfortable, and overall it was quite an enjoyable run.
This run marked the end of Step 7 in my “return to running program” after completing similar runs on Wednesday and Friday (did a track workout on Thursday).
Even though there has been some frustrations along the way, overall my return to running has gone extremely well. I ended up completing 97.8-miles for the month of October, and 33-miles last week. Not quite where I was before, but way ahead of where I thought I’d be starting November. Thanks to everyone for your continued support.
Beast Mode…ON!
Tonight, for the first time in 10 weeks, I returned to track with the Jim Spivey Running Club (JSRC), and it was a whirlwind of emotions. My last time at track was one of the best workouts I’ve ever had, and then the next day my running came to a halt for six weeks, taking with it my hopes of running a BQ this fall.
Overall I’ve tried to maintain a positive mindset throughout the injury and recovery, but tonight things kind of overwhelmed me. First of all I was nervous for a number of reasons. Also, I was reminded of how high a fitness level I had reached through the summer, and how far the injury has set me back. It brought doubts about whether or not I can ever get to that level again without injury. I realize that all of this is incredibly minor in the grand scheme of life, but it is also hard to express to others how important running is to me.
However, I tried to push those emotions and doubts aside and just focus on having a good workout. I tried to remember that this is important milestone in my recovery, and how well things have been going so far. It helped that Paxton arrived as I was warming up, and it was great catching up with him.
Tonight’s workout was very simple, 2 Sets of 3 x 600m, which seemed to be perfect for my first night back. I quickly realized that I had very little feel for my pace, but somehow I still reeled off somewhat consistent intervals. After an initial repeat of 2:32, where I was still trying to get loose, my next five intervals were 2:22, 2:22, 2:18, 2:22, and 2:18. While this was not quite up to my prior standards, I’m pleased with the consistency, and pleasantly surprised at how good I felt.
It’s good to have reached a new milestone in my recovery, and I look forward to continuing to work hard and reach even greater heights in the future.
Beast Mode…ON!
This morning’s run with Nathan marked the completion of my modified Step 6 of the “return to running” program provided by my doctor. Steps 5 to 7 originally only included a single 20, 25, or 30-minute run, which never made sense to me because Step 4 included 45-minutes of actual running. I ended up altering these steps by adding an additional 15-min and 10-min running interval to the end with 1-minute walking segments in-between…
After a less-than-steller Step 5, which was hampered by post-Disney fatigue, Step 6 turned out to be fantastic. This was especially true of the run yesterday in which I completed all of the running segments at sub-8min pace. Today’s run with Nathan was also quite enjoyable, though it was pretty chilly. This was the first run since last winter/spring where I had to wear tights.
Also, last week I was able to finish just over 31-miles, and am just over 90-miles for the month. Both of these are well ahead of my expectations, especially considering I’m still on the “return to running” program.
Tomorrow will be a rest day, and then hopefully I can start Step 7 on Wednesday. If everything goes well I should be able to begin incorporating speed work and hills into my training once I get past this step. I’m even considering making a return appearance at track with the JSRC this Thursday evening.
Beast Mode…ON!
With our Disney vacation over Kate’s fall break, I got a little side-tracked from posting updates on my “return to running” program. I only ended up running one time while at Disney World. I decided after the first day that running would only increase the stress on my right leg, which was already pretty intense from all the time spent walking and standing in the parks.
My one run on the first night at Disney marked the end of Step 4 in my “return to running” program, and then I didn’t start Step 5 until Tuesday of this week, and just finished it earlier this evening…
Step 5 was originally only a single 20-minute run, which never made sense to me because Step 4 included 45-minutes of actual running. I ended up altering step 5 by adding an additional 15-min and 10-min running interval to the end with 1-minute walking segments in-between.
Generally my feet and ankles have felt pretty beat up since returning from Disney, but I’m happy that my right leg continues to feel strong. The runs in Step 5 have been kind of meh, because I’ve been so tired since getting home on Monday night. However I’m glad to have Step 5 in the books. On average I’ve completed just over 6-miles with each run/walk in Step 5, bringing my weekly total so far to just over 18-miles.
Tomorrow will be a rest day, and then hopefully I can start Step 6 on Saturday. If everything goes well I should be able to begin incorporating speed work and hills into my training once I get past Step 7. This will be great, because I’m still struggling with my heart rate being much higher than it was pre-injury (Can’t wait!!)
Beast Mode…ON!
Since starting this blog a couple of years ago, I have posted content on a wide array of subjects (family, bible, preaching, etc). However, the primary purpose has always been to share notes from my journey as a runner and marathoner. Along the way, so many of you have offered support and encouragement and I am grateful to each of you.
In honor of my 1000th post, the link above is to one of the running posts that got it all started, entitled “Why I Run.” I have updated it from time, but it is mostly the same as it was from the beginning.
I have now completed 2 of the 3 runs in Step 4 of my “return to running” program:
This step consists of:
Yesterday morning I ran with Nathan on a modified version of our old “Nature Center Loop” starting from the Edwin Warner Park Nature Center. I could tell the difference in running 15-minute intervals vs. the 10-minute intervals in Step 3, but overall I felt really good. We kept the pace pretty chill during the running intervals, which was good since I had just done P90X Legs and Back on Monday night. In total we finished 5.74-miles in just over 54-minutes.
Tonight after mid-week worship service I ran through the dark streets of Bellevue (and avoided a skunk). All day today my legs have been extremely sore from doing P90X Legs and Back on Monday night, so I felt a bit like the Tin Man during tonight’s run. Overall though I was pretty happy with my energy level, pace, and my heart rate which continues to improve. In total I finished just over 6-miles in just under 56-minutes.
Lord willing, tomorrow’s run will be completed at Disney World!!!
Beast Mode…ON!
From my wife earlier today on Facebook:
Stressful morning. While out running Lara and I heard screaming and ran to see what was happening. A woman had been attacked by her ex-boyfriend and stabbed multiple times in the neck with an ink pen. Kudos to the Brentwood police who were there within minutes. Also thankful for the man on the bike who stopped to help. It was very scary.
Can’t tell you how grateful I am that she is ok, and how proud I am of her for helping this woman. Thankfully she is going to be ok, and the ex-boyfriend is in custody.
Professional Runner Christian Hesch Admits Doping
This story has been exploding across the running world over the past 24-hours, but I’m finding the story behind the story to be even more fascinating than Hesch’s admission. The article linked above is by Mario Fraioli with Competitor.com who details how Hesch and journalist Stephen Kasica played a behind-the-scenes game with several publications. Fascinating read. Hesch’s apology, as well as the New York Times and Runner’s World Newswire articles mentioned in the Competitor.com piece are linked below:
Christian Hesch Publicly Apologizes For Doping – Competitor.com
In Chase for Wins, a Runner Cheats – New York Times
Road Ace Christian Hesch Doped, Facing Ban – Runner’s World Newswire
As for the admission, it does make me wonder how widespread doping or PEDs are in the world of professional running.
Considering how much I LOVED the Saucony Kinvara 2 (K2) and original Kinvara (K1), I was extremely nervous about all of the changes in the Kinvara 3 (K3). However I now think the K3 is even more perfect for me than the K2 (I didn’t think that was possible).
The K3 retains the features that made the K1 and K2 such popular options for runners looking for an all-purpose shoe in a more minimalist design. These include:
The new features I like best in the K3 include:
Another improvement is supposed to be in the durability of the K3’s outsole. At this point I have not put enough miles on the K3 to make a determination, however I never really had a lot of issue with durability in the K1 or K2. I’ll post an update when I have a few more miles in these babies.
My only complaint is that they did away with the loop based speed lacing system of the K2 and replaced it with traditional eyelet lacing. The reason for this change was to spread out the lacing area (and reduce pressure), but it results in a little puckering of the upper when cinching the laces. Not a big deal.
Overall, Saucony has taken what was already an awesome shoe and made it even better. Find Your Strong!
I am seriously considering making my Marathon return at the Rock n’ Roll New Orleans Marathon next February 24th. While I’m doubtful that will leave me enough time to get into Boston Qualifying shape, there are several reasons why I’m thinking about running this race again in 2013:
Well, that’s what I’m thinking at the moment. We’ve already made hotel reservations, but just waiting to pull the trigger on registering for the race and airline tickets. Would be even nicer if I could convince Nathan and his wife to go down there with us.
What do you think?
Ed Whitlock Runs 3:30 Marathon At Age 81 (Runner’s World)
This guy is incredible! Maybe I DO have a chance of qualifying for Boston sometime in my lifetime!
Today’s run was a late-night effort through the streets of Bellevue in my Saucony Hattori shoes. Even though I got a really late start, it turned out to be one of the best runs since I started back, and was also the final run/walk in “Step 3” of the “Return to Running” program:
Looking back on the 10 days I’ve completed since my return, I guess I should be pretty pleased. Sometimes it mentally feels like I’m starting over, but I have to remind myself that so far I’ve been pain free, and I also got in almost 25-miles this week.
Tomorrow will be a running rest day, and then “Step 4” should begin on Tuesday.
Beast Mode…ON!
Yesterday morning I went out for my second run of “Step 3” in the “return to running” program. I parked at the Green Hills YMCA, and ran through the surrounding neighborhoods. While I didn’t have any pain in my right leg, they did feel very tired from the run and elliptical on Friday. It is amazing to me how much harder a 10-min run / 1-min walk x 3 (Step 3) is than 5-min run / 2-min walk x 4 (Step 2).
Even though I was tired, I still got it done, and finished 4.2-miles in just over 40-minutes (9:33 pace). After the run I went inside the YMCA and did 50-minutes on the elliptical, and then Olivia joined me for an hour aqua jogging in the pool.
We closed out the effort with a yummy brunch at Noshville Deli across street with the Kiddos.
Beast Mode….ON!
NATHAN, who crushed the Murfreesboro “Middle” Half Marathon today with a time of 1:29:18!!! Here’s a breakdown:
Great work my friend. I’m proud of you, and knew you had it in you to go low today! Now you’ve set the mark I’ll be chasing next year!!
Honorable mention goes to my friend Josh with a time of 1:36:19 in only his 2nd half marathon! That’s an improvement over his first by almost 6 1/2 minutes!