My New Workout Plan

TURBO!

Pineland Run

D was really itching to get out for a run at Pineland Farms in preparation for the race at the end of May. I was also anxious to go for my first run on trails in what seems lke about 40 years.

Success for both of us. My calf felt fine. Really, I barely even noticed it. My quads seem to have atrophied in the last month. Apparently, not running does have negative effects. Who knew? That being said, it was only my third run back, and I made it through 5 miles pain free. Good stuff.

D put in about 11 miles and toured more of the course. Apparently, the part we ran together, the Oak Hill Loop, is the easier section. It is hilly, but the treadway is smooth. Mostly grass. The other trails that D hit were much rougher. Should be fun. And by fun, I mean not fun at all. And, really, running a 15.5 mile trail race after a month off and only 12 or so miles a week is a brilliant idea. Can't wait.

3-Mile Run

D and I ran 3 miles from my parents' house this morning. Yes, running 3 miles is still news. Calf felt good. No complaints.

We're going to run at Pinelands tomorrow. D has 12 on the schedule. Yes, I'm jealous.

Off vs. Off-Calf

Today, my training log reads "Off." That's a good thing. There are 22 other entires this month that read "Off-Calf." 22. That sucks. Today's day off from running is much more pleasant. And, in calf related news, I am happy to report that my calf feels fine after yesterday's run. That bodes well moving forward.

I Ran!

(You had to know that was coming.)

Returned to the scene of the crime, the bike path, this morning. Yup, I even ran in the morning. I couldn't wait to try the thing out. Overall, I'd consider it a success, and I remain cautiously optimistic. I felt good, not great. My calf didn't hurt and wasn't tight. But, I could tell that something was there. Not sure how much of that was due to the fact that I was completely focused on it the whole time. But, that being said, I'm pleased. Actually, my quads felt tighter than my calves.

I ended up with 3 miles in 26:34, and was barely breathing throughout. Even though it was a real easy pace, it's good to know I didn't lose all my fitness this month. As far as the plan goes, I'm going to take it easy for the next two weeks and see how everything feels. With today's trial, I'm feeling comfortable enough to get onto some trails, too. That will be really nice. Looking ahead, I'd still put all my race plans up in the air. We'll just see how it goes.

So, for now, I'm back.

GRRRRR...

The good side of being injured...

Um...I take that back. Being injured sucks. SUCKS

But, I have somewhat consistently been doing my core exercises. I hadn't been doing them when I was actually running. Hopefully, I can keep it up. I am super buff now, and I wouldn't want that to slip away.

Another of our friends, Clearwater, is heading off to hike the Pacific Crest Trail tomorrow. He doesn't have a trail journal like Patch because he is afraid of the Internet. He's afraid he'll be inundated with low-quality porn. He only likes the high class stuff. But I digress. If Clearwater completes his thruhike of the PCT he will have hiked 7600 miles from 2005-2008. That's a lot of walking. No wonder he's such a stud.