Training Log - March 4

Well, a blog friend finally called me on the carpet and asked about my running. I'll admit it: I've been lazy. Actually, it has been crazy at church lately, but that's no excuse. In fact, the crazier life gets the more I need to run.

I'm happy to say that I knocked out three miles on the treadmill today. It wasn't pretty, but it got done, and I feel great.

Training Log - Dec 30

Went for a 30 minute run on the treadmill using the heart monitor to set my pace. It's always interesting to watch the machine adjust to the monitor...it slows down for the exciting parts of TV shows! Got home at about 8:30 and lifted for about an hour.

Training Log - August 6

Today was a weight training and stretching day. It felt good, but I prefer running.

Trainging Log - August 5

Went for a 10k run today. It is actually the second one since my last post. Both have felt good, but long. My left hammie is a little tight, as usual, but the shin and foot issues seem to have disappeared.

Training Log - July 26

Zoiks! Look how long its been! I ran 3 miles today for the first time in a long time. My foot bothered me for a few days...then I was on vacation...then I was lazy.

My three mile run felt good, but I was amazed at how long it felt mentally. That is one of the more curious things about running. Physically, I could have gone much further, but mentally it was a long time.

Now I'm really not sure what to do with my training. I'm going to try a longer run (10k on Monday and see how my body responds. I'm really trying to gauge just how much I've lost. If the 10k goes well, then I'll try a longer run on Saturday, and maybe I'll still enter the 1/2 marathon. We'll just have to see how it goes.

Training Log - July 8

I went for a three mile run today. Had no problem at all with the shin. The new shoes felt great. In fact, my legs felt fresh from the time off and the extra cushioning that new shoes provided really made me think that the shoes might have been part of the problem. (It couldn't have been overtraining, could it?)

I did have a small problem with my foot. I was at my mom's place last week. Every time I'm there the toes on my right foot start to ache, particularly the second toe. I'm not sure why other than the fact that she has a super thick pad under her really plush carpet. It always seems to take a few days to recover from the carpet. Weird.

Now I am faced with what to do with my training schedule. I had been up to 10 milers on the weekends, but have taken some time off. I don't want to reinjure myself, but I would like to do a marathon. I suppose I'll ease into things this week and see how it goes. The half-marathon in August may be a good barometer of where I am at

Training Log - July 7

It's been a while since my last entry because I haven't been running. I decided to wait until my shin stopped hurting completly. It took longer than I thought. It didn't actually stop hurting until about July 3. We were in the Cities and I was able to find a pair of running shoes at store there and was planning on going running after work today. Unfortunately it looks like it is going to rain. Hopefully I'll be able to get a run in tomorrow. I want to test my shin...and my shoes.

Training Log - June 25

Today is a scheduled off day. My right shin hurts simply going down the stairs. It's not bad when I am walking around. When I run, it hurts. When I go down stairs, it hurts. If I increase mileage like I had planned, I think that it will hurt more.

I'm going to cry.

Training Log - June 24

80 degrees today. I went for a three mile run. My right shin is bothering me still.

Nuts.

Nuts. Nuts. Nuts.

I should probably take a full week off, spend a lot of time icing, do some serious bike riding to maintain my cardio and then ease back into running.

I really don't want to. I want to run. If I wanted to bike, I'd be a biker.

I'm going to go pout.

Training Log - June 23

I ran 3 miles today. They were blacktopping 50, so I couldn't make it out to the Scenic. I ran over to 343 instead. That gravel road may become a new "regular" route. 50 in that direction has curve with a nasty slope to it, but once I am past that and turn on 343 the gravel road has almost no crown.

I had a little pain in my shin, but not bad. I think that I'll really cut back my midweek mileage this week (from 17 to 7 or 10), do some more cross training. Hopefully, I'll be able to do an 11 mile run on Saturday.

Training Log - June 21

I took yesterday off from running and decided to do some cross training today. My wife and I rode for about an hour and a half. While not as intense as a 7.5 mile run, it was a great change of pace and rested my shin.

Training Log - June 19

Ran 5 miles today. My right shin was bothering me. Argh! I think I might need to rest it a little. I've noted the problem before. As I think about it, there are two things that have changed. First, I've been increasing my midweek mileage. This means greater stress on the legs. Second, I've been doing some wall squates using the exercise ball. This pressures exactly the same spot that began bothering me.

Why is it that the treatment of running injuries always involves not running?

Training Log - June 17

Ran 6.2 miles up the Scenic today. This week is something of a lull in my training. I'm going to start ramping up the mileage again next week. I'm looking forward to it. Really.

I scheduled my 7.5 mile loop for Saturday, but discovered that they are going to be tearing up the road starting tomorrow. That's good, because the wooden bridges on that country road scared me. I'll have to find a new route. Maybe I'll drive somewhere just to run something different.

Training Log - June 16

Just a quick 3 mile run this morning. The good news is that I also managed to get some weight training in, something that I really need to start adding to my training.

Training Log - June 14

Yesterday's "cross training" didn't happen. The weather was lousy. I wound up having an "off" day instead. Oh well. I guess missing a three-miler won't kill me. In fact, it's probably just what my legs needed.

Today's 10 mile run went well. A little soreness that worked itself out after the first mile. Then it was just an awesome run. Long, but good. One highlight was seeing the smallest fawn standing by the side of the road. It couldn't have been more than two feet tall. It bounded off into the woods as I approached.

Training Log - June 12

A five mile run today. My shin was bothering me. In fact, my right leg seems a little sore an a variety of spots...in a way that I definitely don't like. I'll do some extra stretching today and then I'll see about my three mile run tomorrow. With a 10 mile run scheduled for Saturday, tomorrow might be a good day to get the bike out of the rafters and do some cross-training.

Training Log - June 10

Today was a 10k run on a windy misty day. My shin bothered me a little. Its one of those things that you notice when there is nothing else to think about and then it goes away. It made me wonder if I should get a new pair of shoes. The shoe company has discontinued the ones I like and I cannot find them online. So its another trip to the running store...90 miles away.

Training Log - June 9

A three mile run. What a great day in the woods! There was that early morning mist with the sun breaking through the trees every now and then. The sound of crows fighting in treetops. I saw the tracks of a deer I just missed seeing. Today was another reason to run.

Training Log - June 7

It was over 60 today as I did my long run. It seemed hotter. Today was one of those days when my long run was really mentally tough. Funny how some runs are like that. My legs are tired and have that post-run burn feel to them. I did experience a little soreness in my right shin, but nothing I couldn't run through.

I skipped a 3 miler yesterday. The weather was windy and rainy all day and I just couldn't face the treadmill.

Training Log - June 5

It's 50 out, but misty. There's a major storm coming in this afternoon so I ran 5 miles today. Normally I run on the gravel shoulder, but lately I've been running on the pavement. It seems easier somehow. Hopefully I'll get my next two runs in this week. It sounds like the weather could be a problem. I can always do my three mile run on the treadmill tomorrow, but I the thought of trying to do a 10 miler on the thing.