12 Miles and Possible Injury

When it rains it pours. And it was pouring today at times when I did my 12 miles. Took another couple of days off from the bug I had earlier in the week. The run went well until the last half of the 12th mile. It felt like a sharp cramp in the back of my right calf. It could be Achilles Tendonitis which I've had before or Soleus muscle pain. If it's a rupture of the plantaris muscle that will stop me for while and, of course, I won't be able to do the marathon. Will take a couple of days off and see if the pain goes away. The run was great up til that point and, thinking it was a bad cramp, I walked through it and ran the last quarter mile. I could feel it but the pain wasn't sharp. My time for 12 Miles was 1:59:20 at 9:57 per mile.

On the bright side, between the showers, there were plenty of Kildeers flying in the fields, and Yellow Jessamine was beginng to bloom on the roadsides.

toadshade

100 Miles - Back in the Groove!

I felt a lot better today after taking the medication. Seem to have a lot less phlegm and more energy. Did my Asbury 4 Mile easy run in 37:18 minutes at a 9:20 per mile pace. Made a 100 Miles for the month. Felt strong and comfortable and feel fine now. Most of the mucous seems to be gone but I'll still take the meds for a while. This has to be an easier week for me. My plans are 4-6 Thursday, 4-6 Friday, 8-10 Saturday - provided my cold continues to improve.

toadshade

The Doc's Findings

The NP stated there was nothing in my lungs yet and gave me some prescription antihistamines and decongestants like - Lodrane 24 D and Fluticasone Propiniate (nasal spray). Told me to get over the counter Mucinex DM. My main goal over the next 2 days is to propel as much phlegm and mucous out of my body as possible. I won't provide photos. I would welcome any feedback from any runners out there actually reading this that may have had this experience. I've been told that you can run as long as it stays above the neck but anything below will only worsen things.

Thanks - toadshade

Major Snag

I got sick. What I've been dreading all along. It started out as a head cold and has now done down to the throat. People can hear me breathing at work. My plan is to get to a doctor today or first thing tomorrow and, hopefully, get on antibiotics which should knock this out with no real harm to my training. Maybe the rest days will help. Better that it happened now instead of a week before the marathon like it did last time.

toadshade

16 Miles and Upset Stomach

I tried to hydrate early before the run and drank a ton of Poweraid, a glass of orange juice and took some Airborne to try to fight off this cold. It didn't sit well with my stomach so for the first 6 miles I had to make a lot of rest stops. I'm thankful that they're plenty of woods in my neighborhood. The run turned out well anyway at a time of 2:41:35 at 10:06 a mile. It was a beautiful day and there were plenty of flocking birds like Robins in the yards and the Cedar Waxwings were Pyracantha pulling today. Saw some Red-tailed Hawks in the fields and heard a Red-shouldered Hawk over Sunview Lake. Song and Savannah Sparrows were in the fields. Great day to be alive!

6 Miles and Blooming Magnolias

Japanese Magnolias that is! Another Spring sign of the longer days with more sunlight. Nature seems to know it before we do. The Cedar Waxwings were Sweetgum sitting instead of Hackberry hopping today. It's good to have these Winter and Spring birds around for a while. This was a brisk 6 mile training run around Sunview Lake in 57:03 at a 9:30 per mile pace. Being the third run in 3 days, my 58 year old body was showing signs of fatigue in the last 3 miles. Not too much of a drop in pace though. I took a bathroom break in a small grove of Loblolly Pines. A Brown-headed Nuthatch provided musical accompaniment.

As I type this there's a thunderstorm going on outside - in February!! Will be looking forward to the 2 day rest before my 16 on Saturday. Have 80 miles on the month so far. My goal is 100 miles and, at this rate, I'll get that and more.

toadshade

Easy Does It 4

My ego said 6 today but better judgement said 4. I had a 'euphoria hangover' from yesterday when I ran 'like the wind.' Well euphoric recall has gotten me into trouble before so I prevailed with the shorter 4 miles at 37:33 at 9:23 per mile - a decent short mileage training pace. I was tired and a little fatigued so it turned out to be the right decision. A beautiful Winter afternoon on my suburban run.

toadshade