You Can Go Your Own Way

Thursday evening and Saturday morning I was running on my own, even though the HalfWits were running both times. Do I suddenly dislike group runs? Do I think I'm better than the HalfWits.

Not at all. I know I have to do some hard-core running by myself in the weeks that are coming up, and I want to start getting used to the concept. Besides, the forecast for Saturday morning was rain, and the idea of driving into Springfield to run in the rain and then drive back was far too depressing.

So I ran on my own. I ran the 8-mile route east on Walnut to the I-55 frontage road and back. Then I did my usual 3-mile run for a total of 11 miles. I've never gone that far my myself and I was really dreading it.

But I dragged my butt out of bed at 5 for a yummy breakfast of banana, toast with peanut butter, and Gatorade. I dressed, got my two bottles of Gatorade ready for the run, and grabbed five pieces of Starburst candy since I had no Gu or Carb Boom.

And it was not a bad run at all. I had the usual difficulties in the construction zone on Walnut and the narrow shoulders on the road between Gordon Drive and the lake area, but I had no physical problems. No cramps, no unusual fatigue in light of the fact that I had no Carb Boom

What really got my attention was the feeling I had once I had completed the 8-mile loop and started in on the final 3-mile loop. I felt energized, almost as if I had convinced myself that I was just starting a 3-mile run, as if I hadn't already run 8 miles.

Wild.

At the end, I was glad to have logged an 11-mile run on my own. In just a few weeks, I have to go twice that far. I'm dreading that one as well.

Terrible

I feel terrible tonight.

I did a hill workout with the HalfWits, after a three-mile warmup of my own. During the warmup and during the hill workout, I felt pretty slow and still a little stiff.

But, wow, that was nothing compared to how I felt by the time I drove home. Really stiff and also sore in places that running usually doesn't affect.

I ate and stretched and took some Advil (aka "Vitamin I") and I feel better than I did when I first got home. But I still feel terrible.

I sure hope things get better as I keep training.

On the positive side, though, a couple people who've run marathons have told me that it's quite normal to feel extremely hungry all the time after hitting the long runs. I've been hungry ever since the 15 mile run on Saturday. But at least that's normal.

Maybe I should ask them about feeling so bad so many days later.

Owie

Owie. That's what I kept thinking at noon today, running 3 miles on owie ankles.

All day yesterday I was dealing with pain, especially in my ankles. I couldn't decide whether to try to get up early today to run and then lift at noon, so I just let it go. If I woke up early and things felt right, I would run early. Otherwise, it would be a noontime run.

Yeah, I woke up about 20 minutes late. So it was a noontime run. Even then, the ankles were complainin'. I didn't listen to them.

It's almost 9:30 now. I walked the dogs after work and drank some cheap red wine with dinner, and the ankles feel just fine now. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

Look Ma, No Cramps!

It's kind of sad when the highlight of my Saturday is a run free of calf cramps, but there it is. Okay, the real highlight was watching Illinois State put Northern Iowa away and advance to the MVC tournament title game. But a 15-mile run with no calf cramps was pretty sweet.

At 5 am yesterday I had a banana, a slice of multi-grain toast with peanut butter, and Gatorade. I also brought TWO packets of Carb Boom gel along for the run. That's good, because we were down to just water at the last water stop.

And I felt strangely tired and a little stiff around the 9 or 10 mile mark. I don't know what was up with that, and I was very stiff for the rest of my Saturday. And of course the ankles were stiff, sore, and angry this morning. But I'm working on them.

I took the dogs through the park and got some flexibility about halfway through, which was nice. And they're starting to feel a little more like ankles right now instead of just massive pain points.

Next week is a cutback run of 11 miles. That will be nice. I'm trying not to dwell on my accomplishment so far because I've got so far to go, but it's kind of neat to think about the fact that I've now finished runs of 14 and 15 miles. Wow.

Five AM

Yeah, I've logged some early-morning runs already. But this morning I actually got out the door before 5 am, something I haven't managed before.

That was important today because I was aiming for more than seven miles, and at my pace that means I was going to be running for over an hour. Ten minutes over an hour. And then I needed to get ready for work.

So I got out the door, I ran into a strong headwind, and I logged 7.4 miles before work. At noon, when the snow was falling so hard that it was difficult to see, I was really glad I had gotten out the door before 5.

I ate a few strawberries as soon as I got out of bed, but that was obviously not enough. Somewhere around the 4 mile mark I really felt a drop in my energy. The rest of the run was more of a struggle. It's not like I was crawling or anything, but it was more effort.

Of course, right about then I had turned north and was running straight into the wind again. I'm not entirely sure that the wind didn't have as much impact as the lack of pre-run nutrition.

Maybe next time I'll suck down some raw eggs, just like Rocky. Or not.

Weather Watchin'

At 11 this morning a cold wind was blowing and there was a stinging drizzle or light rain. I just wimped out--I did NOT want to deal with that stuff today.

Besides, my right ankle was still a little stiff and weak. So I did a 5k on a treadmill. Yippee.

We've been under a flood watch today, but the heavy rain never fell here. We've also been under a winter storm advisory.

Now the forecast is for snow to begin around 6 am and continue all day Tuesday. So I'm thinking about a 4:30 alarm so I can get 7.5 miles in. Whose idea was it to train for a May marathon, anyway?

Miles

I have now run 14 miles in a workout. That's the good news. The bad news is that I got some calf cramps in the last mile and a half or so.

And today I've been dealing with some ankle pain. But that's not news at all, is it?

I began the day Saturday with a 5 am bowl of oatneal and five strawberries. I mixed up some gatorade and drove to Panera.

The three-mile run was fine and so was most of the 11-miler with the group. I drank Accelorade at the trail head, which is like 2.5-3 miles from Panera. I sucked down my Carb-Boom and drank water at the halfway point.

On the second trip through the trail, all the Accelerade was gone. I had water only and wondered if that was going to be bad news for me. I don't know if the lack of sports drink brought on the cramps, but I doubt that it did anything to hold them off. Also, once I got done running and drank down my gatorade, my legs felt fine.

And I have to admit--I felt strong all the way. I was worried that I'd be getting all tired or weak in the last couple miles, because in the past I've struggled once I've gone beyond 11 miles. But Saturday I really felt fine. Except for the cramps.

Next Saturday is 15. I've got to make sure to do the CarbBoom twice during the run, and maybe a few more calories for breakfast.

But all in all, it was a good ending for a grim week. Weather crap just kept coming along--snow, slush, yuck--and all I can say is that I got my miles in.

Oh, and I found out that this blog is public--it's not the private, invitation-only bog I thought it was. So I'm turning the comments on. Feel free to leave a comment if you wish.