Ramping Up

I've had a great week of running. My ramp back into heavy running started shortly after my podiatrist appointment last week. I've been doing the stretches and exerises she gave me (and dropping the pills she gave me too) and my feet feel pretty good. So I've been running a ton.

Last Wednesday I went out and did about 10 at the green belt with Joe P and company. The run was good, and fast, and I was dead tired when I finished. Then I hit the same trails on Saturday and Sunday for a total of about 25 more miles. I was lost most of the time but it didn't matter. I knew I was spent when I took a nasty fall and slammed my collar bone into a tree. No major damage, but I knew I was done for the day.

Again, this Wednesday I went out with the HCTR crew and did about 8-9 miles. We went a lot slower this week, and it was easy. It's a good thing too because I forgot to bring water. 10 miles without water is OK for me, I'm a little dehydrated when I'm done, but it was fine.

My feet are still feeling good, and I'm ready to ramp up with Pike's Peak training starting next Wednesday. I had been frustrated with all of my time away from heavy running, but I think it's paying off. I feel good, and the shorter faster running I had been doing seems to have helped. I feel faster and stronger on the hills. Maybe it's just an illusion, I won't be winning any races anytime soon, but I'm happy with my progress.

What's New?

I haven't posted anything in a while, so figured I'd give an update. My running has been pretty good, I've been running descent (boring) miles most of the week, just squeezing in miles as my schedule allows. Went out to Bastrop last weekend with Jim for a longer run, but it was hot and he got pretty tired, so we cut the run a bit short. No big deal, I didn't want to push it that day, and he's still recovering from Freescale.

The biggest news is from yesterday when I went to the podiatrist, finally, for my foot injury. I was reluctant to go, but the doc is a runner, so I figured I'd trust her. She diagnosed me with about 5 injuries, all stemming from an initial case of plantar fasciitis. That came form the Warda 44 miler in Novermber. After that, when I finished training for Sunmart and ran that, I eventually developed several forms of tendonitis in just about every tendon in my leg.

I knew I could trust the doctor when she asked me how much I ran. I told her a lot, and she asked, "marathons?" I told her that I did those and some longer runs, and she excitingly replied "Ultramarathons!?! Cool!" She then taped up my feet, gave me some stretches and exercises, and told me to run a LOT this week. To keep a "pain log" and give her all the details in 2 weeks when I go back. Any doctor that doesn't tell me to rest is a doctor for me. So now I'm running all out for the next two weeks with no excuses. I ran 5 last night at St Ed's when I got home from the doctor. The tape job she gave me seemed to help. It simulates an orthodic, and if it continues to work, then I'll be a candidate for that.

Tomorrow I'm heading to the HOL to run some trails with Joe and some other HCTR folks. I've been a member for a few months now, and yet never ran with any of them. So this should be a good time.

Happy trails.

No Five-0 for me...

I've decided not to go up to Waco this weekend for the Waco Five-0 50K. I'm sure it will be a great race, and I think I'm ready for it, but I run plenty of races and I'm going to take this weekend and just get some long easy runs in for fun. Jim and I have discussed going out to Bastrop State Park for a couple of loops. It's a great trail that I've only been to once. And I want him to get some trail experience since he's signed up for his second marathon, Pike's Peak. Not a bad second marathon. Gambatte!

In other news, I finally got a podiatrist appointment for my feet. With Pike's Peak training starting up soon, I just need to hurry up and heal. My legs are strong right now, and mentally I'm ready. If my feet were better, I'd venture to say I'd be as healthy as I've ever been.

A few xTimbers pics

I don't think I did a very good job describing the muddy chaos at Cross Timbers last weekend, so I've added a few pictures. The first is me bathing in the cold waters of Lake Texoma after the race. The second is after the bath. My clothes were still pretty muddy, but I got enough off of my legs that I could get in my car and drive home.

Pike's Peak

Alright, I'm officially signed up for the Pike's Peak marathon. I also signed up for the Rogue training program.

The hard part is done, now for the fun stuff.