Week 5 Results...

So...wow...this running stuff in the summer is tough. As if I didn't know that or should know. Not sure why...but man, I was tired this week. Maybe I am increasing my miles too fast? Maybe the knee/leg rehab is taking its toll? Maybe both. I was a bit dissappointed in only that I had to take a few extra rest days due to my schedule and just my general feeling of exhaustion. Maybe I need to sleep more too!!!

Mon - 10 miles
Tues - Off. 3 hrs of rain after work made it hard to get out and run.
Wed - 10 miles.
Thur - 8 miles. Good solid tempo run of 3 miles in the middle of 7min, 6:50 and 6:30. Felt good and I was surprised to be able to hold that pace.
Fri - Off
Sat - Off
Sun - 16 slow miles. Ran during the heat of the day...mistake #1. Didn't eat much in the morning...mistake #2. But I got it in.

Total mileage: 44 miles. Not too bad.

Goal for week 6 - I think I am going to let myself keep the same goal of upper 40 miles. I am going to shift my day off to Monday since the long run on Sunday should have taken some out of me. I am also going to put in some biking into my training on the days I want to rest from running. Goal for the long run will be another 16 miles or so.

So far, I am pleased with my progress. I really have no room for disappointment or frustration...I know what I am up against with the come-back I am pursuing. 3 weeks until my 1st race...the Erie (Presiqle)Half Marathon...Goal - attempt to run as close to 1:30 as possible...am I crazy???

Week 4 Progress...

Now I am getting excited. This is the blog entry I was hoping to be able to write. The only thing is...I hadn't planned on writing this for at least another month, at the earliest.

After last weeks success, my goal this week was to keep up the consistency and throw in some faster runs. I was a bit nervous picking up the pace...being I am just over 4 months out from my knee reconstruction and only 3 weeks into running again.

I kept to the usual plan....run about 8 miles each day until the longer run on Saturday. Thursday's I run with the Pittsburgh Sports League running group; which is a chance to run with a group that can push my pace. This Thursday did just that. While I do not know the exact pace I ran since my Garmin was dead 1 mile into the run; I estimated my pace was under 7:30 since i finished a minute or so ahead a friend who ran the 7 miles in ~52 minutes. Let's just say I was pretty pleased and surprised I could hold that pace. I hadn't pushed an average pace under 8 minutes yet....and here I am under 7:30. Wahooo! The last mile or so I was pumping my fists since for the 1st time in months I felt like 'my old running self (almost)'. That was a good feeling and a huge confidence booster.

Friday I rested and mentally prepared for Saturday's long run. Since Thursday went well, I wanted to push Saturday a bit and see what I could do; granted I would be cautious so let's say 'conservatively aggressive' was the goal. I do want to push the envelope; that is just who I am, but I am so nervous about the knee and how it will respond. Let's just say...it is responding better than I imagined. To not be deterred, I left the heart rate monitor at home so I could focus on 'the feel' of the pace.

Saturday's run is as follows.

• Mile 1 - Warmup start of 8:15 pace
• Mile 2 - 7:50
• Mile 3 - 7:48
• Mile 4 - 7:54
• Mile 5 - 7:47 Feeling good at this point. Thinking 'Could it be I will avg under 8:00 pace'? That would be nice. I started to get some chills, but realized I got 9 miles left.
• Mile 6 - 7:33 "Whoaaaa" I said...that was fast. But I felt good. Is this the week of breakthrough runs!!!!!
• Mile 7 - 7:27
• Mile 8 - 7:39 Still feeling good. Can I hold 6 more miles? Oh, yes I can.
• Mile 9 - 7:27
• Mile 10 - 7:10 Oh I am laying down the hammer now.
• Mile 11 - 7:33 Don't be deceived...I was running through downtown so stop and go a couple times was the slow down.
• Mile 12 - 7:19 This is the home stretch, so I am holding a consistent pace back.
• Mile 13 - 7:19
• Mile 14 - 6:59 Sub 7 last mile. After 13, I still had stuff left in the tank.

So the average for the 14 miles was 7:35. I am ecstatic.

Week 4 recap. Total miles: 50.5

Mon - 8 miles / 8:18 pace
Tues - 9 miles / 8:36 pace
Wed - 8 miles / 8:04 pace
Thur - 7 miles / ~7:25 pace
Fri - Off
Sat - 14 miles / 7:35 pace
Sun - 4.5 miles / 8:40 pace

I did it. 50+ miles in week 4 only 4 months after knee surgery. The dream is still alive...a PR in Chicago is still the goal.

Goals for week 5: 56 miles...with a couple 'slightly aggressive' runs.

Can I do this???????

Week 3 Progress Report...

Oh my goodness. What an emotional rollercoaster ride I am on. Ok, here is this chapters overview...

• Great Running Week
• Great Rehab Progress Report on Wed
• Great Weekend Get-away to SailFish Florida
• USAIR SUCKS THE BIG ONE. AWFUL FLIGHT EXPEREINCE HOME to Pittsburgh (if I ever get home)

I really tried to stay focused on this weeks running...and I did and the knee/leg felt okay. I am very glad and very optimistic now about what I may be able to do in the next couple of months. After work on Wednesday I had my Physical Therapy appointment...the 1st one in about 2 weeks or so. WHen I told them the amount and type of running I have been doing, they were not extremely thrilled I was doing that. I was like "What???, you told me I could start running." To them, running is 20 minutes...NOT 8 miles. So they recommended I get a strength test done to confirm I am rehab'ed enough to do this type of running. The end result was that my injuried knee's (right) quad strenght is only at a 2% deficency compared to my left leg...and my right hamstring is actually STRONGER than my left leg, which is good since it is my dominant leg. Granted I still have work to do on the quad and other muscles (calf, hip flexor, etc) I am well ahead of schedule.

So right now I am sitting at the airport in Charlotte waiting for a flight from LAX to arrive so that that crew can take me and 100+ other people up to Pittsburgh. The plan is to arrive home around 4:30am. I have one of the biggest meetings scheduled for work tomorrow with like...6 VP's, the CIO and the President of our company. Oh my. Did I say I hate USAir right now.

Week 3 Running Log Total Miles: 47 Miles

• Mon - 8 miles. 8:15 pace
• Tues - 8 miles. 8:13 pace
• Wed - 8 miles. ~9:15
• Thur - 8 miles. ~9:00
• Friday - OFF (travel day)
• Saturday - 3 miles. Was to do 10...spent 45+ minutes searching for my wedding ring that I dropped during the run. My wife did find it later on a return trip..thank goodness.
• Sun - 12+miles. 2 hrs in the 80+ degree heat/sun of Florida.

The week 4 goal is to keep up the hard work, and to introduce some 1 minute striders into the runs.

BTW...Did I mention I ran 47 miles this week?!?!? This is only 4 months after my reconstructive knee surgery. Only 4 months!!! To my friend Justin who bet me a steak dinner that I couldn't run a sub 3:10 in Chicago this year...get ready to pay up!!!

Week 2 dissappointment...

I am not happy with myself. Only 2 runs in this week. The 6 miler on Tuesday concerned me so I took Wed off. Thursday I had an after work function (Pirate's game) so a run didn't happen then. Friday I was beat from a hard work week...so that left Saturday for the next run. Not good. I am dissappointed to say the least. But as I write this, it motivates me...so here on in, I will be better, much better.

Saturday's run was an 8 miler. SLOW. THis is long stuff, especially after all my knee has been through. I ran slow...but I got it in, and I felt pretty good. 10 miles. 1:23. Ugghhh that is 10:24 pace. I had plans to run another 8 on Sunday. But after Church Sunday morning, the heat, then shopping for a new TV for the bedroom and a new office desk, I had no motivation left. Just when I was stepping outside to run, the rain came. Ugggh. No more excuses.

Week 3 starts today.
Mon - 8 miles. 1:06. 8:14 pace. This was a hilly run, so I am happy.

Goal mileage for week 3. 40+ slow miles. I can do the slow miles without much difficulty, but it kills me mentally. A 10 miler at the end of the week is going to take about 90+ minutes. That is a good aerobic workout, but how in the heck am I going to run 6:30 pace for a marathon training like that??????

I need to learn patience. In time all will come together, in time.

Goal for tomorrow's 8 miler: A flat 9 minute pace.