3 Months Off

I can tell I still live in the House of Pain because my heel acted up and I had to go on sabbatical. Well, it's September 1 and time for another try. This time I've dusted off the orthotics to see if they can help. I walk with them on playing golf as well. So far....who knows. Ran 2.5 miles today at around 10 minute pace. The adipose has ballooned to 164.5, as well might be expected. Goal: long term, maybe a marathon in 2011. But many steps need to precede that.

Back in the saddle

OK, it's been mentally challenging, but I took off enough time to let my left heel quiet down. Two days ago I easy jogged two miles, the same today. My plan is every other day running for the forseeable future. In June, that means running on odd days. On other days or in the evening I can ride my bike, having finally fixed a flat from last year. New tube, no less!
It's hard to predict when I'll be able to ramp up the miles. Not earlier than July, it looks like.

Hiatus

Why no postings? Simple: no running lately. As the expression goes, my dogs were barking. Well, one dog, anyway: the bad achilles on the left side. So a week off and rumination on how to prevent flareups. Probably it means fewer days a week running and a cap on the furthest distance run. Make it five days a week with M-Th or Tu-F off, or something. I am golfing on weekends, meaning up to 8 miles walking. That shouldn't make much difference, but we'll see. This weekend I plan on some easy hiking to measure some trails in Lebanon Hills with the Garmin GPS.

Setback

It was bound to happen; I just didn't know when. Maybe it was the extra frisky pace on Monday. Maybe, as in Slumdog Millionaire, it was written. All I know is that the left heel Achilles complex was sore as hell on Tuesday. Outside the weather was threatening, so I hopped on the 'mill and hopped off after a slow mile. Took some Aleve and hoped. Wednesday I could tell there was a problem, so I ran a super slow 2.5 miles. It was talking to me and I could feel the right leg taking over.
Last night I bought some gel heel inserts and slipped them into my shoes. They felt really good. (I'm gellin' like a felon). Today I ran a conservative 9:20 pace for 4 miles with positive results. yeah the pain is there, but very slight. Looks like technology may be helping. So is my determination to avoid racing and hard running this year until I can adapt. Maybe I never will adapt and I'll finish my days as a fitness jogger. Hope dies hard in this heart, however. That is also written.

Confession

I reneged on my plan to run 6 on Sunday. I can't blame late night at work or partying; I just didn't have enough gumption. Plus, (here is the rationalization) I had golf planned for later and wanted my legs to be fresh. Whatever. Card me a zero, please.
Today, back to the usual 4, but run in reverse. Whether that allowed for better warm up or maybe my legs were fresh after the day off, or I am getting more fit, the end result was a 9:05 average, 15 seconds faster than usual. Tomorrow will do 5, expect warm enough temps over night for shorts and T shirt.
BMI is down to 25.2. Funny, the calculator estimates my ideal weight is 133. I look skeletal at that weight, though I'm much faster. It's the muscle mass in my legs, I think, that gives me the extra.

TGIF

Weather is hovering between one and two shirts, but no gloves, thankfully. My fitness has progressed to where the 4 mile loop is almost too easy. The 5 passes by nearly as well and the opening mile is pretty much all downhill. I have an 8AM haircut tomorrow and golf at 10, so the run is going to happen early, like at 6:30. I'll just do 4 and then sneak in a 6 on Sunday. Yeah, it's a deviation from the schedule, but I'm not ramping the weekly miles, promise!
Post run weight was 156. Not close to good fitness levels, but the trend is all negative. Every time I heft the twenty pounds of iron weights I remind myself how nice it will feel to not carry that much extra weight. Baggy clothes, here I come.

Heart check

I wore my HR monitor today to compare numbers with past experience. The only reason I use it is to keep myself from running too hard, too often. Would that I had known that 25 years ago I might have saved myself from some injuries. My worst injuries were always preceded by extraordinary achievements and over training. I became too fit for my body to withstand, and always broke down.
Anyway, today I averaged 143 BPM for a 9:16 pace. For comparison, the last time I was remotely fit, in 2007 a month after running the Pikes Peak Ascent I was running my 4 mile loop at around 8:50 and 135-140 BPM. So my fitness has a way to go.
By the way, it was warm enough, barely, for shorts and T shirt today. 44 with an east wind, heralding some rain later in the day.