Training Log Archive: Orunner

Well. We did the 55 minute out and back run. 27.5 minutes out and then 17.5 back. Except we have to return before the clock runs out, forcing negative splits.

Yesterday I proudly knocked out two mile repeats at a season best pace of 7:09 & 7:01. Today I was noticeably sore. So I went out slow but steady.

It surprised me that I was short of the three mile mark at the turn around. But it made sense. The first mile was the slowest and possibly the limiting factor.

9:33
9:17
17:49 - collective 1.92 miles
9:19
9:03

Diclofenac Gel is a miracle. I started to apply it to my knees on Monday. It's amazing. I don't know how it soaks through the skin to the joint, but it must. The discomfort I have been feeling after every workout is, at most, only half as severe now. I'm waiting for the pending 'bad news'.

We did a mile warm-up jog, then two one-mile repeats at race pace, separated by a mile jog, and followed by a mile cool-down. The entire team and Steve completed the workout.

9:56
7:09
9:47
7:01
11:36

I am very happy that I was able to run as fast as my body would allow. I did not feel hampered by pain, but rather felt that this was a true measure of my fitness. Not something to right home about, but being able to perform is a new experience.

C • Improvement 2

The time and intensity of the WU, CD, and interim miles

On the radar I saw a long slender line of heavy thunder clouds heading directly at Joyce Park. At 6:30 AM it began to sprinkle. Lightning was quietly flashing all about. It seemed to be a classic and yet unpredictable situation. I called it and canceled the session, warning the girls to be prepared for a hard wok out tomorrow. As it turned out, an hour or less wait was all it would have taken to well in the clear. Oh well.

Dottie and I walked the North 1.25 miles of the bike path from the fountain at Joyce Park. I continued to mark each quarter mile with lime green marker paint. Using my trusty 18 year old wheel, I carefully measured each stretch. Amazingly there was both disagreement and dead on agreement with the now faded previous marks.

As I pulled the door open this morning to step outside and make my way to run, I first noticed how dark it was. It amuses me how different it can be from one day to the next. I could see no real cloud cover but it seemed unusually dark and overcast. I stepped outside and was hit with an unexpected and overwhelming wall of still thick damp hot air. 'What the heck', I think. I had just checked the weather on the ole trusty laptop. Didn't I? I went back in to recheck.

80° the screen said. Goodness, it has been in the 60's. Pop up thundershowers was the forecast. Radar showed nothing in the area. OK. It's hot.

I had planned an intense workout for the day. But yesterday was fairly difficult. Perhaps I should adjust today around the heat and give the girls a little rest. I decide on a simple 3 mile jog.

The girls are affected by the less than ordinary morning as I was, but lacking my experience, they are less enthusiastic with the lesser workout. Nonetheless, Coach and team jogged three miles together at conversation speed. I had fun and welcomed the rest even if they did not.

On another note, three months ago I was just doing my first three-mile run. It was difficult. It hurt. It left me sore. I remember thinking that I could very well fail at this attempt to beat the arthritis in my knees. But today was a victory bell for my little experiment. This morning I ran three miles, relaxed, comfortable, and pain free. I did it as a day of rest and recovery. And I did it as fast as I was when I was pushing hard back in May. This is a true measure that so far, so good. I am happy.

9:48
9:33
9:57

We did a 55 minute run: Out and back. Turned at 27:50 and beat yourself back to the finish. I struggled with getting back before the time ran out. But I made it with 9 seconds to spare.

8:46
8:36
8:57
9:12
8:43
8:15
2:32 over .29 miles

I wanted to remark the quarter mile hashes on the bike path. Mike Grollmus donated a couple cans of lime green marker paint. Dottie and I drove to Joyce Park after a late dinner and walked the south mile from the fountain.

I carefully rolled the wheel over the asphalt, deliberately avoiding bouncing, skipping, or otherwise compromising the accuracy of the wheel. This is the third time we have painted this section in 5 years. The first was done in the rain and soon faded beyond detection. The second was done in a hurry and clearly disagreed with the locations of the first. I was determined to be as accurate as possibility and to enhance long term view-ability.

Other users of the path were very curious as to why I was marking the trail. I was focused on accurate measurement, and getting done before dark, and so possibly I was less than polite with my answers. "What are you doing?", asked one man. "Marking the quarter miles", I replied. "Why? Is there going to be a race?" "No. It's just what I do." I coldly responded.

I plan to mark the North mile tomorrow.

One mile warm up, one mile cool down, with a 2 mile paced run in between. I went all out to see what I could do. Getting a negative split on the second mile was no easy venture.

Lauren returned today. Molly remains sick. Jessica has pain in her right knee.

7:40
7:36

C • Wow. 2

Warm up / Cool down

Nice short 4 mile run to the dam and back with Steve. His left knee is still feeling a bit uncomfortable, so we kept it short. I probably contributed to a little slower pace. That's OK, I can use the rest.

Saw the Mick's out for their Sunday morning bike ride. Temperature was nice at mid 60's.