Clawing My Way Back

Tweaked them. Not bad, they are ok, but tweaked them. Uggh. I ran a 39:20 for 5 miles and felt comfortable at that pace. When I tried to pick it up, no go. Humm. Well, I have 34 miles for the week. Tomorrow, 7:54 pace for 7 miles with a one mile cool down. Will do a warm up too. Sigh. I will also do my Pilates tonight and start back up with the P90X 10 minute workout. I have not done them in awhile. I will get stronger again. Dang it. LOL

Saturday, not bad. Hamstrings are aching, but ok. 56 for 7 miles to give me 41 for the week. Not too bad. Today, not too bad. I was going to do a 7:54 pace but I kept speeding up and before I knew it I was at 7:24 for the last mile. I ran a 53:30 for 7 miles and I will take it. Now my hamstrings are a little achy, (I will jog a little tonight to shake them out) but I think my roller and massaging will take it out. I have 7 miles this week.

They are aching, but ok. I ran a 20 minute shakout run this morning and they were ok. Not great, but ok. I have my heating pad at work, so that will help a ton. Also, I will take advil and do a 10 minute warm up ( I have to now...LOL) before my run. I am thinking 7:36 pace and if the hamstrings will let me, down to 7:30 pace, if not 7:24 pace. We shall see. I have 9 miles this week.

I read in Running Times that your hamstrings are the first muscles to show the signs of dehydration - so I'm going to bet that is some of the hammie issue. I know for me, that statement in RT is very true as often I've had hammie issues only to find them completely gone in a race as I'll be better hydrated.

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:I read in Running Times that your hamstrings are the first muscles to show the signs of dehydration - so I'm going to bet that is some of the hammie issue. I know for me, that statement in RT is very true as often I've had hammie issues only to find them completely gone in a race as I'll be better hydrated.

I am totally hydrating right now. I have gone through 20 oz of fluid on my way to 30oz. I bet you have a serious point there.

I rolled my hamstrings really good. Really good. Then I had heat and ice on them. They are really responding well. I am really happy. I had a shakout run of 45 minutes (5 miles) this morning and really no issues at all. I went from 10 minute pace, to 9 minute pace to an 8 minute pace within the framework of every ten minutes. I was ok. Now, today will be a late run, but again, after a warm up, we will start at 7:36 pace and see. I might just stick and hold it. I think Michele was right. The hydration may have a ton to do with it. I have 14 miles this week.

Very nice. I did not run last night to give my hamstrings even further rest. I ran 7 miles this afternoon. My goal was a 53:12 and to take inventory each 10 minutes. Each one passed with no pain at all. Woo Hoo. I did run a warm up though. I guess this is it. I am GOING to have to make time for a warm up. I hate them so. Sigh. Oh well. Tomorrow and Friday will see 53:12's as I baby my hamstrings. Not sure on Saturday. Otherwise, pleased. I have 22 miles this week.

I have been here. Just not posting. Sorry. Goodness. Let me see. I ended up with 42 miles last week. I ran three 52:30's for 7 miles. Happy there. This past Sunday, 55:00 and it was tough. Very very humid. Goodness. Monday was a day off. Tuesday, damn tough. Humidity was just ewww. 52:30 and it was by far one of the toughest runs to day. I mean it took everything I had to get it done. Wednesday was July 4. Took the day off. Fun. LOL. Yesterday was tough, but not as tough as Tuesday. I ran a 7:36 pace for the first 4.2 miles and 7:30 pace for the last 2.8 miles for a 52:55. I was soaked, but ok. I plan on a 7:36 pace for first three miles and 7:30 pace for the last 4 miles. I do need to trend downward for my Lake Houston 10K August 27. My goal is to get to 7:14 pace for 7 miles. That should get me an upper 44 for 10K there. We shall see. I have 21 miles this week.

Are you going to drag your mill to the Lake Houston 10K or actually run the course?

ounce wrote:Are you going to drag your mill to the Lake Houston 10K or actually run the course?

Funny Oz, funny. LOL. I am going to actually drag my carcass over there and run. My sister in law wants to record it ( I have no earthly idea why. My high school coach used to say I have not a speck of talent and was right. I just worked hard). I guess for my son. Gosh, who knows. My run today. Well, again, I had to earn it. Mother Nature is making me earn every mile. Well, I think this will translate well in the future. Oh by the way, you think it is humid fellow Houstonians, just wait until next week. PWATs in the 2.2 range. That is like have the air completely soaked. These runs will be a delight. It is better than last year, so I guess that is a good one. I ran the first 4.5 miles at 7:36 pace and the last 2.5 miles at a 7:30 pace for a 52:50. I have 28 miles this week. I may do a shakeout run tonight to get the lactic acid out.

Sigh. Well, at least I got 7 miles in. At least it was in 55 minutes. Around the 5 mile mark, my right gastroc was starting to yell at me. I did not pay attention to it, for with my compression socks, sometimes it would come and go. I knew something was wrong around the 6.75 mile mark, but it did not pull. I finished and right away, I was in for it. Big knot and back to what used kill my running. I took the day off yesterday and ( even after ART) there was no way I am running. Today was an iffy day. I have decided no, I will not run. I will bike and swim today. Now tomorrow. My plan is a 20 minute easy shake out run in the morning. We shall see what is going on. Should be ok. I am thinking I might get back to an 8 minute pace by Friday. I am still doing my pilates, so my strength training is good.

God gosh it has been raining. I mean last year, dry and dusty. This year, flooded and iccky. Well, I have had four days off. Suprisingly, I am not that jittery, yet. I guess it is because I know I will be running again. I am going back the beginning before I had compression socks, orthotics and ART. That is, gauge it every 10 minutes and when it get really tight, hop off, massage for 30 seconds and get back on. I actually should be ok today. I am going at an 8 minute pace for 7 miles. Thinking outloud, I am seeing the first 40 minutes should be good. The last 16 might be dicey. I have to stay like this until Saturday. The humidity is not helping either. I will also do a warmup to get them loose. As of this writing, there is no pain and the knot is really down. The run should commence at 4:30 pm./

I lasted three minutes on my run. Three. Well, back to the drawing board. First, tomorrow, orthotics adjusted. Last time this happened, that is what I did. I will be there at 8 am tomorrow. Second, I will bike ride one hour tonight. At least I can take my frustrations out on it. Third, back to 10 minute pace for 50 minutes Sunday. Stay there until the pain starts it slow jaunt outward. Sigh.

Dang, Michael. I was getting all exciting catching up on your blog, getting the hamstring problem resolved thanks to Michele's great suggestion... then blammo - gastroc problems. I hope the tweaks get you back on track soon.

Mark B wrote:Dang, Michael. I was getting all exciting catching up on your blog, getting the hamstring problem resolved thanks to Michele's great suggestion... then blammo - gastroc problems. I hope the tweaks get you back on track soon.

I know. I know. My best friend had asked me Monday he bet this was the case and it is. I should be there around 8 am today. I am a walk in, so it will take them awhile to get to me, but once it is done, it will slowly get better. One hour bike ride and swim today.

Bummer about the leg problems...hopefully the doc can get you fixed up. You need to be ready for August.

Joel H wrote:Bummer about the leg problems...hopefully the doc can get you fixed up. You need to be ready for August.

Yeah, but not until Monday. Sigh.

Sigh. Loudly. I did get 40 minutes of running yesterday in ( surprise..LOL). It was a struggle. I mean a struggle. Now the whole soleus is sore. It was sore all yesterday after the run ( and then I took it out on the bike, averaging 14.5 MPH for one hour...) and this morning. I thought dang. Get this, I mowed for two hours and it loosened up. Yeah, go figure. It is ok, but I am probably thinking of shelving anything but biking and swimming today and tomorrow. I am thinking of a 50-60 minute run on Monday. I am going on to the orthotics places as a walk in after 12 noon. I can monitor my library from there. I actually used my orthotics for my good shoes yesterday and that proved that it was indeed they who are the miscreants. When I mowed this morning, I did not have any insoles at all. Not sure what that means. I do know when I walk the stairs, I feel it. When I walk, nothing. If I can carve out a 10 minute pace on Monday and slowly start speeding up to an 8 minute pace by Friday, we should be good to go. I will say that my orthotist ( and RN) has stated many many times, "It will take the insert a couple of days to work. You must be patient." Ha. I guess until Sunday, I have 11 miles this week.

Well, nothing for the past two days. The soleus and lower calf are still tight, but that should end slowly as the orthotics that will be adjusted ( at 1 pm today) start to work. I am hoping for a 50 minute run today, 9 minute pace by Wednesday and 8 minute pace by Friday. When I hit the 9 minute pace, I will run 7 miles. This is both frustrating and demoralizing at times, but fact of life. I am stuck with these orthotics for the rest of my life. To add insult to injury, my PF in my left foot is starting to act up a bit. Lovely. I am sure my orthotist will get this fixed. This is adjustment number for her now is 6. Until later today, take care.

Humm. Good news, the orthotics are adjusted. She did both of them. Second, I felt the difference right away. The knots started to loosen. Woo Hoo. She ( orthotist) said go ahead and run ( by the way, while I was waiting, I got 7 pages done on Chapter 6 of dissertation, yea me!!). Oh I did. I was thinking 10 minute pace. I got 4 steps and it seized up on me. Literally just said, "oh no you do not". Stopped and we are done for the day. Sigh. Now, good prognosis. The minute I stopped, the knot stopped. This reminds me of the PF. It is going to take awhile. It could be Friday before we get any running done. Meanwhile, bike riding tonight for one hour and 10 minutes, tomorrow too. Why, 700 calories. That should be enough to stabilize me. I will try to swim too. I have emailed my orthotist and she knows. Again, I will be back, not worried about that. I can already feel a difference. I think asking to run after 2 hours of newly adjusted orthotics was too much to ask. Until tomorrow, see ya.

It is so difficult to be patient, especially with things like this. Just keep telling yourself it'll resolve itself it you allow it to.

Decent cross-training, too. Congrats!

Sorry about the calf, Michael. I, too, am experiencing some calf problems and I am taking it easy for a few days. Biking doesn't hurt and neither does the elliptical, so I'll stick with that another day or two. Good luck with yours.

Yeah Michele, I will try. Ok,update time. Humm. Got my orthotics adjusted. That is the great part. I asked the orthotist, "can I run?" She said,' Yep". I got home. Nope. Nope. Nope. I took four steps and nothing. Just nothing. Froze like a tight drum. I thought, ok, Got to give it time. I have. I walked two miles two days ago. Felt great. I thought, as opposed to waiting until Friday, let us give it a whirl today. I did. I went a quarter of a mile at a 10 minute pace and it was ok. Not great, not bad. I then walked another mile. Now, tonight, while the wife is away, I will trundle 50 minutes WITH my compression socks on. I am thinking that might help a bunch. I am at least hopeful. It has been a long time since my compartment syndrome has been this bad. I did bike yesterday 17 miles in one hour. I was booking it. LOL. Wish me luck.

I want to start cursing so bad. I really do. I will not, but I do. I am so frustrated I cannot speak. After running 1/4 of a mile, it is knotted up. Now, on the positive side, that is 1/4 mile more than I could do Monday. I am going to do ART tomorrow at 3:45 ( and maybe Monday too. I know together that got me back and I am going to ride it back )and this will really be good. I have an orthotic checkup on Monday at 1 pm and that will be good. I know that in time I will be running again. I have dealt with this since 1991, but this does not make any better. I know I can WALK. At least I can WALK. Friggin walk. Sigh. Ok, here is the plan. I will walk for 40-50 minutes tomorrow and bike for an hour for lunch. I will then take a vacation hour to get to my ART and I am done for the day. I will rinse and repeat until I can run again. Right now, the Lake Houston 10K is in jeopardy. I will talk to you all tomorrow.

Gaa! That is so annoying. Can you pool run with this?

I can and forgot about that. I do have the float and shoes from the 2009 episode of PF. Good idea.