A break, a return, a wall

Soon after I was so excited about running all the sub 10’s in a row and hovering and even surpassing 9:30 consecutively I guess it was time for my psyche to take another break. Not a long one, but just over two weeks. And enough to crush my physicality gains. But that’s ok, I am used to coming back! And overall that is what I have done. Looking at my training center program I see I have run 7 out of the last 8 days. Many of them have been shorter runs and all of them have been slower than 10 min miles, but they felt good for the most part. Several of them have been a challenge to get through, but I managed with the exception of one.

First a break, then another return but in the middle of all this was “the wall”. On Sunday I decided to go for a run against my better judgement. I had rehearsal that night, I hadn’t really eaten the day before and I was an emotional wreck (big part of the reason for all the running.) About 2.5 miles in I could not go any further. No energy at all (ummm yeah, no food no sleep idiot). I could barely walk home. I tried to run again a couple of times and made it about a block before I just had to stop. This was the first time for me hitting that “wall” that runners talk about so much. in all my 60 mile a week marathon training days I never got there (close though with hallucinations!) like this. Just dead on my feet. And the feeling lasted for the rest of the day too. I ended up getting somewhat lucky as the rehearsal was cancelled after a two hour band meeting. But at least I didn’t have to play! Such a weird feeling.

I got a call yesterday from the university that is doing the exercise ms study that I participated in last fall, this will be the second round (I think it is three total trials) of wearing the step tracker for a week. The first time I didn’t run at all and was very sedentary. This next week should be different if I keep the running up which I have the best laid plans to do so.

One other thing. Several years ago I got into drinking green shakes which were comprised of spinach, bananas and yoghurt as a base and then a variety of other seasonal fruits. I loved them. They made me feel great and gave me a large boost of energy whenever I had them. I would have at least one a day, sometimes more. They look terrible especially when berries get mixed in with the spinach, yoghurt base, kind of a purplish grey. But are they ever good. So I stopped cause I think the seasonal fruits at one point were no longer any good. And I think I got lazy and the mess pissed off the household (though I always thought I was being careful when I made them.) So point, please. I decided that I need to add some decent foods to my diet and I have come to terms with frozen fruits! So away I go! Green drinks are back on the menu!

Long hill run to the volcano

Once again I find myself struggling to break out of a string of rest days, but once again I did it. Another week off but two runs in the last two days with today’s being a quality LSD/hill run up Mt. Tabor. Couple of things were weird on today’s run. As I silently cursed my neighbor for parking on the right of way (we have no sidewalks in my neighborhood) and causing me to run into the street (no traffic, but their could have been, jerks!) my water bottle fell out of my recently loosened running belt. The stupid spout broke and a piece popped out, so when I stuck in back in I kept squirting water onto my back (not totally objectionable…) so I emptied out my worthless bottle and stuck it back in. I would like to blame my inconsiderate law breaking neighbors for making me vere into the street causing the bottle to break, but reality says it was probably that I loosened it (much more comfortable). I thought at the time either that or its karma for my general irritation with my neighbors.

The second thing that happened occurred after I asked a dog whose owner had him off leash if the dog had in fact “lost his leash.” Not 10 seconds later a woman with another dog off leash appeared. I moved to the side of the trail to avoid her my irritation at “off leash dogs beginning to boil. Suddenly I was air borne having tripped over this large rock and landing solidly on my hip and elbow. Again, karma? She did ask if I was ok (and I was). We chatted a bit and I headed off dusty and bloodied. I really do think I was being told to relax and get in a better mood. It was a beautiful day, I had new good music on my iPhone (Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears), hot but shady, what more should I ask for? So I decided to change my tude.

Other than the karma altert the run today was pretty hard. I took a few walks, but ended pretty strongly. I think more water would have helped quite a bit, the water fountains I found while numerous were still inadequate. I did ok with what I had (probably 5-6 water breaks) but still not enough. Can’t say it more, must drink water.

Tomorrow is supposed to get into the 90s, but I still really want to get a short recovery run in. I am pretty sure I will be going to bed early. Ruthann and I had a great meal at Dove Vivi and I think I have replenished ALL my calories. Good sleep is on the way.

Road trip sans running except…

So with my anticipated break due to work load in the past I decided to go on a road trip with my photographer buddy and that became my newest running block. We ended up doing some photo shoots in a wind farm and a tree farm and got some good shots (according to my buddy anyway.) Other than those short sprints I took a nice break from running for the past six days. The air quality has been really bad as there have been many forest fires in WA and OR so another good reason for not running.

Running breaks are really hard to do in some respects, I found myself really wanting to go out for a run. The rest was good even though much of it was in a car. We took numerous photo breaks which broke up the drive really well. We did get a short hike in so that was a nice break as well.

Today I ran for the first time in six days and just did a basic run, nothing special. Tomorrow we’ll do nine miles, probably up Thurman and the Leif Erickson trail. So a good return back! Today’s six and a half miles came pretty easy but I am somewhat sore. I am going to do some stretching tonight and maybe even some foam roller.

There was an additional running moment on my trip. We managed to drive several dirt roads north of Pendleton and managed to find the old pig farm I used to spend my summers at. It was here I got my start at running when I was 13 or so. I used to run up the dirt road to the top of theĀ  rolling hill and then I would run down back to the house, maybe a full mile. I remember my friend’s dad having me rolling my foot form heal to toe and while I try to be as flat footed in my foot strike as I can, I still think about this and apply some of those stride patterns today. It was awesome seeing the old place and even though it has changed a lot since I was last there 28 years ago, it still felt like home a bit. Good ole Hog Flats, OR.

Delayed running break

I had expected to not have time for running this week due to some new work that came my way. Turns out the work was less time consuming than I had thought (one job I couldn’t do, the other hasn’t started if I even get selected to do it). So I had plenty of time for running this week and managed to get in five straight days for exactly 40 miles. Of those 5 runs, 2 of them were quality runs as well as an LSD run to close out the week. I feel pretty good about the running and a bit worn out. This week I more than likely won’t get any running in though for sure. I am going camping for the week in western Washington. I am bringing my shoes, but with no way to wash off the grime I think I’ll just take a break instead (unless we wind up near a river or something…)

I think a break would be a pretty good idea as I have really been inching closer to over working. I can feel some slight pain in my feet (new pains, not the old ones!) And some stiffness in my knees as well. I think a schedule of five running days a week is probably the max and over the last 3 weeks I think I only missed 3 or 4 days. Overall the mileage feels good. I would like to start adding in some longer runs to balance out the quality runs I am doing.

Imminent running reduction ahead

Good news on the work front this week as I start at least one and possibly two new jobs. However, bad news on the running front. These last couple weeks have been a boon to the regularity of my running, but I know a lot of that was due to an increase in spare time. Not all of it, but I doubt I will get another 40 miles in. I plan to do an 8 miler tomorrow early at a slow pace. Though possibly I should do less with rehearsal that night. Hmmm, probably less is better for tomorrow.

I suppose I could start getting up earlier to squeeze them in, I just need to go to bed earlier.