31DEC09

7.5 miles - 62 minutes +/-900'.
Did not feel well today, hips and legs had an achiness to them. Just kind of went at what was comfortable and realised I was a minute faster at the turnaround than when I did this same run Monday. Just hoping it's a bad day and I'll feel better by Saturday. I've had this achiness a number of times before; it happens when I cut back on my running after getting a good couple of months in - Weird, but I guess the body needs to adjust to less just as it needs to adjust to more.

29DEC09

5 miles easy on a beautiful cold day. Fellin' good!

7.5 miles - 63 minutes +/-900'

Did a nice out(up)/back(down) on the closed Blue Ridge parkway this morning. Hip is feeling alot better and expect it to be good enough to finish the Tsali 50k on Saturday w/o any risk for MMC.

GZ sent this link from Inov-8 this morning about the Mt. Mitchell Challenge that includes some great video of the course. Indeed the elements are going to play a big part in this race. I do have a time goal in mind for ideal conditions, but more importantly a place goal since the chances of ideal conditions are probably less than 50/50.

On the Mend

5 miles.
I am dying to go here, I felt like taking off on a Tempo or Uphill TT today, but the hip still needs a little more recovery. I did notice today that the hip felt best going uphill and at it's worst going downhill. Thought of a few reasons as to why this might be; I'm thinking I may be OK for the Tsali 50k next weekend.

25DEC09

10 minutes.
Hip pain was worse this morning and didn't go away after 10 minue w/u. The pain feels deep inside the ball joint. I think this is a good day to take a step back and see how it feels tomorrow. The kids and I have some toys to play with!

Progression turned Fartlek Run

The below was written from a friend of ours in response to our invitation to her for Christmas dinner...

howdi.. hmmm... volunteering at animal shelter..and then...i tend to be very quiet for holiday.. i walk the streets of a cityalone and think ..it is a very quiet and peaceful time for me..and i will probably get a basket for my neighbor and sit with her fora while.. she is really poor. thank you for the offer though..

1:35 - about 12 miles.

Couldn't take another day on the mill so I headed out to the Blue Ridge Parkway that has been closed for almost a week now. Aside from the ice in the tracks it wasn't too bad for training. Wanted this to be a nice progression, but due to the arbitrary changes in effort needed to stay injury free this turned into a very enjoyable Fartlek. I was feeling very well and then at the very end, with about 5 minutes left I just bonked. I think I actually hit a really bad sugar low. This came out of no where; I had been sipping garorade the whole way. I could hardly run, got very warm with the sweats and legs felt very shaky. Met Maureen at the car and stopped at the closest store where I got a Ginger Ale. Felt better and am feeling normal now. I have some tightness and a little soreness in my hips when I'm NOT running. Everything else feels good.

Belgian Christmas

I ate very well tonight, and am drinking even better!

A few short, steep hill reps.

Due to icy roads and especially my favorite steep road, I was back on the mill this morning. Took a little more planning to do these reps, but I think it was done as well or better than on the road. W/u for about 4 miles then the mill was set at 12% and 12mph for the reps with some walking/jogging between. Felt great. Cooled down for about 10 minutes at 4 mph and 12%.

More Recovery

45 minutes - very easy.
Legs are feeling good, better than yesterday. Recovery is going well.
Ran through some nice snow today and through some not so nice snow.
Felt good to be off the treadmaill or pavement.

Recovery Run

30 minutes - very easy.
Felt good for the most part. Just some tightness and fitigue in the hips.
Felt good to run outside, even if it was just in/out of a bunch of parking lots.