Training Log: Gswede

I couldn't hold back anymore. I had to get out and explore the area south of my house.

Really fun and some really good views because the top of Raccoon Mountain is just fields with sparse pines. It looks like a place that gets extra cold in winter.

There's a bit of private land back there with some no trespassing signs, but it's own by a trucking company that has facilities along 307. So I'm not super worries about running into anyone back there. I'll just stay out of there during hunting season.

Achilles actually felt better after the run. Probably warming it up and some light exercise does it good. I'm not committing to any races for a while now though. The priority is to heal this lingering injury.

Moved into my apartment in Scranton. Pretty sweet.

A large 1-bedroom about a mile from downtown and about a quarter-mile from the "wilderness," if anything can be called real wilderness in Pennsylvania.

At any rate, I have about 40km2 of state forest south of my apartment with a trailhead accessing it almost visible from my living room.

It is an exciting time here in Scranton as they recently held a mayoral election because the previous mayor was arrested by the FBI and found guilty on corruption charges.

And who won the race for mayor? A former Obama staffer whom the Lackawanna Democrats decided not to make their candidate. So, SHE ran as an independent. She's inherited a big mess as the city has had to deal with significant corruption over the years, which seems to happen when one party dominants local politics.

At any rate, it's shaken things up here and there have already been significant changes since several other city employees have been found out for corruption. It'll be exciting to see where this rust belt story goes.

I'm just happy I get a huge forest to train in while I watch (and maybe participate) in all of it.

Ok, so it's a 9-point plan, not a 10-point plan. But this should do it.

1. Twice daily - Part 1: Eccentric heel drops with only body weight 2x15 - Part 2: Eccentric heel drops with weight - 5x15 Part 3: 5-minute isometric calf hold

2. Daily contrast hydrotherapy

3. Shoes with a drop of 9mm and no hardback shoes. If they have a hard back, modify the shoe to not aggravate the Achilles

4. Cross-training the day after high-intensity, preferably cycling with clips

5. Strassburg sock for passive stretching

6. No running on hard surfaces

7. 15-20 minutes of progressive Achilles warmup before any run or competition (running without placing pressure on the Achilles)

8. No workouts below 3:30/k until Achilles improves considerably (2-3 months minimum)

9. Never run with pain. Pain doesn't heal