Another 4-day-in-a-row comeback

Once again I find myself completing another four runs in four days comeback. Looking at my running records it appears that I took 3 months off, thought that seem awfully long and I may have not recorded a few runs in between. My Garmin watch, as much as I love it, has been giving me trouble again and not recording things properly. My first two runs I did without the watch at all as it was out of juice for the first one and froze on the second after my janky watchband repair fell apart and it smacked the concrete. The third run (actually the second in a row) was a little better and simply took 1.6 miles to record the first mile, so I felt ripped off! But the new Garmin online software allows me to edit my runs, so today I was able to get my numbers where they should have been! The last two runs have been accurate as far as I can tell, so maybe the watch needed to wake up from its slumber too?

I usually start these reboots slowly by running less miles at the start. But this time I jumped right in and ran 6+ miles my first day back. It felt great though my legs were a tad rubbery afterwards. I added two performances to that as well as shoveling and moving bark dust and I was bushed. But after the two performance days I got right back into it and ran my four in a row for a total of nearly 20 miles. The first day of the 4 in a row was super hot and I struggled to finish, but finish I did, well with a few walking breaks. For the last two runs I cut out the extra walking breaks and only walked the hills. I feel pretty good about that. The only real issue I am having is the start of a blister on my left ankle, I’ll live. Bandaids will get me through the next one.

My feet were quite sore for the first couple of runs pretty much throughout. But in the words of my friend Kraig I powered through. I tried to concentrate on having pillows for feet and through meditating on that I was able to deal with the pain. The last couple of days the soreness has lessened quite a bit. Maybe I just need to get them used to the pounding a bit. I am sure they will never be all that happy with the running, but it is good to know I can get myself to deal with the pain and I am really glad to see it lessening.

Today I cut my miles back and ran the canyon, a 3.7 mile run. My time always slows running the meandering path, I often wonder if the trees are the issue. Perhaps some other weird reed vortex is causing problems. Or perhaps I just ran 3.7. Whatever, it was a nice run and good to see the canyon again.

I need a break from the breaks

Today was the second run in a row after another extended break. Last Sunday I managed to roll my ankle off the edge of the sidewalk. When I felt myself going down I just decided to roll with it and tumble freely rather than fighting it or trying to catch myself. It ended up making the fall rather soft which was great, but after I noticed that the back of my head came within inches of smacking against a concrete block. I guess I got lucky!

So that run was the third day back from a week I took off from a back issue I had been having. I managed to get back into it really smoothly and felt like I hadn’t lost much fitness at all. This time after another week off I feel completely different. I am more sluggish, tired, sore and my heart rate has been really high. I think I need to ease into it, which is what I was planning to do after the first break, but things went so well. This time I think I will heed my worries and take it easy. Both of these runs have been 6 milers and relatively slow, but my HR on both runs as been really high especially today when I was pushing it at times. Slowing down a bit is actually just what I need at this point as I transition into base type training. So maybe these breaks are a good thing, we’ll see.

RIP Pearl.

Finally wearing out my new shoes again

This all started last night when I decided to set my alarm for morning run o’clock. The alarm went off and I jumped back into my old routine. Turn on the coffee pot (prepared last night), get dressed, make an emergen-C, pour a cuppa, open a Clif bar, lightly read the web, pull on the shoes and head down the driveway.

It felt really good to break past the road block I had created for myself. It amazes me how simple getting back into running becomes once you take that first step. It’s a tough first step, but once you are past it you are running again. Huzzah!

When I entered the run into my diary I saw that it had been three weeks since I had last ran. My lungs felt it too. I was huffin’ and puffin’ for some of the run, but overall it wasn’t too bad. I know that in a few days time I will be back to approaching form. Not going to be there anytime soon, but I will quickly be back to making base runs like they are base runs instead of the tough run I had this morning.

When I tried to come back from my last break I really pushed it. So hard that I managed to create a nagging hip/thigh issue. No more of that this time. I am going to approach a comeback with a gradual attitude. I am not going to push the miles and definitely not going to push the tempo yet. I am sure it won’t be too long before I am hitting a long run, but I am going to try to hold off for a bit. The good thing about this break is that I have managed to heal the hip/thigh nag that I previously created.

I am really looking forward to burning some calories and especially to not gaining any weight. I have put on at least 5 pounds these last several weeks. Loose pants here I come again!

Finally wearing out my new shoes again

This all started last night when I decided to set my alarm for morning run o’clock. The alarm went off and I jumped back into my old routine. Turn on the coffee pot (prepared last night), get dressed, make an emergen-C, pour a cuppa, open a Clif bar, lightly read the web, pull on the shoes and head down the driveway.

It felt really good to break past the road block I had created for myself. It amazes me how simple getting back into running becomes once you take that first step. It’s a tough first step, but once you are past it you are running again. Huzzah!

When I entered the run into my diary I saw that it had been three weeks since I had last ran. My lungs felt it too. I was huffin’ and puffin’ for some of the run, but overall it wasn’t too bad. I know that in a few days time I will be back to approaching form. Not going to be there anytime soon, but I will quickly be back to making base runs like they are base runs instead of the tough run I had this morning.

When I tried to come back from my last break I really pushed it. So hard that I managed to create a nagging hip/thigh issue. No more of that this time. I am going to approach a comeback with a gradual attitude. I am not going to push the miles and definitely not going to push the tempo yet. I am sure it won’t be too long before I am hitting a long run, but I am going to try to hold off for a bit. The good thing about this break is that I have managed to heal the hip/thigh nag that I previously created.

I am really looking forward to burning some calories and especially to not gaining any weight. I have put on at least 5 pounds these last several weeks. Loose pants here I come again!