Getting over the mental anguish of the stress fracture - another week in the books

Well, I survived another week of decent running and a decent amount of numbness in my right tibia from those nasty stress fractures.  Once thing that I keep reminding myself is that my bone is completely healed and that I am doing the right thing by running a little on it.  This was the advice many people have given me over the summer; that there'll be some "weird" pain where the stress fracture use to be.  And like I've said before, that weird pain was also a thick and fat feeling that I didn't like having.  It was just a reminder that; "hey, I'm going to bug you and hopefully break you mentally before I actually break physically.".  That was not fun, but I still kept at it, and hopefully I'm right.

So, after some light trotting around during the week, a fun trip to Jemez Springs (elevation: 7900'), and 2 little mountain excursions; I would say I had a decent week of running, and I use the word running loosely.  I can honestly say that running up the Pino trail was quite difficult for me.  With the company of Chris and Tony, I made it up to the Crest Trail from the Spain Parking Lot in one hour and fifteen minutes, then blazed down for a total time of two hours and ten minutes.  I've never been up to the crest from that trail, and it was quite amazing and wet.  I would highly recommend that trail and hopefully in the future we will venture over to South Peak and back.  As you can tell, I really have the trail running bug and have my sights on Mt. Taylor 50k at the end of September.  After that, I will head back to the roads and attempt to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Trials in the marathon, but before that I still want to get scuffed up in the mountains.

Here are some pictures from today's run up Embudito Trail.

Post Stress Fracture Running, Rehab, & Trail Running

Well, after a bitter summer of recovering and rehabbing my 3 stress fractures in my right tibia, I am now running confidently again.  This past week I spent the majority of my time lightly pounding on the softer dirt path of the North UNM Golf Course loop.  Once I had some free time to venture towards the foothills on the weekend, I decided to run up the Pino trail.  On Saturday I only managed to make it 45 minutes away from the Michael Emery parking lot, and Sunday morning I was able to run 1 hour out.  I have never been that far up the Pino trail, and from what I observed - it was pretty amazing.  Very lush and beautiful.  This weekend I plan on making up to the Crest and possibly even further...  Time will only tell, since I've been limited to "time" running during my rehab segment.

On another crazy and thought provoking topic; I've recently signed up for the Mt. Taylor 50k, which will take place on September 27th.  It seems a little crazy to run an Ultramarathon after coming back from a stress fracture, but I figured if I can make the La Luz trail run my longest run post stress fracture, then I should be fine...  Again, time will only tell, just so long as I don't do anything too stupid.

More Trail running post to come, and with pictures too!

9 weeks until the Boston Marathon - Week in Review

With only a mere 10 weeks until the most anticipated marathon of the year, I am starting to feel excited and ready.  I've been wanting to run the Boston Marathon since I first attempted this crazy distance back in the fall of 2009 - Twin Cities Marathon.  After that race, I was looking for another marathon to improve on, and for some idiotic reason, I picked the Nashville Marathon in the Spring, as opposed to the Boston Marathon.  Luckily for me, I had a great 2010 spring season and set some amazing PR's on the track.  But, I should've entered in the foot race that starts in Hopkinton.

The Famous Boston Marathon Course

Last year I was entered in the Boston Marathon, but had the misfortune of catching pneumonia and getting injured.  If all goes well, I will be ecstatic to start and cross the Boston Marathon Finish line in one piece.  I will also be jumping out of my racing flats if I finish the race with a PR.  The number one goal is to run the Olympic Marathon Trials Standard of 2:18:00 or faster.  The second goal would be to PR, which is very likely since training is going well; but as all who know what it's like training for and racing a marathon, it is just as unlikely to not run a PR.

This week was a great week, when compared to last week.  I had a whooping 52 miles the previous week, since I was sick and took 2 days off, and came back slowly.  So, I finally feel like a "real" runner and completed a decent mileage week while racing in Boulder, CO for the USA Cross Country Championships.  I had one "speed" session on Wednesday, which wasn't that fast.  I'm not completely sure why I ran so slow, but I got the volume in - 8x1000m with 200m recovery jog.  I only averaged 3:09 (which probably was the slowest I've ever run that workout in), but I might've felt slow because it was so early in the morning.  I started warming up at 4:45am, and did some light drills and started the first interval at around 5:15am.  It was pretty dark at Highland High School, but the street lights and permaglo helped a little bit.  I think I haven't started a workout that early in awhile, so it was a little shock for me.  After a few more weeks, I'll feel more comfortable running that early again.  Besides, it's getting lighter, earlier as well...

So training and racing looked a little like this:

Mon - pm. 8 miles
Tue - am. 4 miles / pm. 12 miles
Wed - am. 2 mile warm-up 8x1000m (3:11, 3:08, 3:09, 3:08,
Thur - pm. Strength training + 8 miles
Fri - am. 6 miles
Sat -
Sun -

43 Days until the Boston Marathon

With another Sunday long run done with, and a few more miles under the belt, I'm starting to feel the grind and exhaustion of the past 18 weeks.  After looking back on those 18 weeks, I've raced 2 half marathons, 2 cross country races, one road 5k and loaded a few yoga sessions into the mix.  It's not a lot of racing, but with a busy schedule, it sure seems like a lot.  It also has been a mental challenge to come so close in the half marathon Olympic Trials standard (Houston race of 1:05:38 to the qualifying time of 1:05:00), and keep grinding away towards the marathon standard, but I know it's going to pay off in Boston.

The Boston Marathon is still far enough away, that I am not totally pumped about it, or amped, but at the same time, I can't wait to race it.  I've been waiting 5 years to run this marathon, and I hope it's everything I dream of.  And at this point, the training has been relatively strong.  In the grand scheme of 18 weeks; I've had a tad bit more miles than my build up to the US Marathon Champs, and a few better races leading up to Boston.  Last week I ran a half marathon in Phoenix, Arizona, that didn't go as well as I would've like, but I am now satisfied with the performance.  A real quick run down - I was 2nd place in 1:07:52, and the conditions were rainy and windy.  It's not an excuse to run that time, but considering a few other factors, I am okay with it.  If anything, it has really fueled the fire in my training, which is why this past week has been one of my better weeks of training in a long time.

Moving forward, I will continue to keep my mileage at the magical HUNDO (100 miles), and really stay diligent about getting up early before work to maintain that mileage.  Since it's been lighter, later in the days, I've now moved my workout session to the afternoons.  Things are looking good, and I can't wait to get to Boston!

Last Week: 2/24 - 3/2

Mon - pm. 10 miles
Tue - Off
Wed - pm. 4x1 mile w/4min rec. (5:05, 5:06, 5:01, 4:58). 10 total
Thur - am. 6 miles / pm. 10 miles
Fri - am. 6 miles pm. Drove to Phoenix
Sat - am. Phoenix Half Marathon 2nd place - 1:07:52. 18 miles total
Sun - am. 8 miles / pm. Drove Home

Total: 68 miles

This Week: 3/3 - 3/9

Mon - pm. 10 miles
Tue - am. 6 miles / pm. 10 miles
Wed - am. 4 miles / pm. 2 mile wu 4x2 miles w/2min rec. [5:21, 5:07] [5:20, 5:34] [5:19, 5:10] [5:28, 5:26] Windy going north on the bike path 2 miles cd. 12 miles total
Thur - am. 6 miles / pm. 10 miles
Fri - am. 4 miles / pm. 8 miles
Sat - am. 11 miles / pm. 6 miles w/strides
Sun - am. 22 miles w/5x1 mile w/1min rec. [5:12, 5:11, 5:08, 5:15, 5:06]

Total: 109 miles

8 weeks until the Boston Marathon

After a great adventure to Boulder, Colorado for the USA Cross Country Championships, my weekly training has slowly come around.  It's still not anywhere where it should be, but it's improving from last week's sickness.

The race itself went a little better than I thought.  I finished 26th in a decent field, but I know I could do better if I was more motivated.  I have too many excuses at the moment, and all I really need to do is put my head down and continue to pound the pavement!  This week was okay, as far as training goes, so I'm going to get back on track and put all distractions aside.  The Boston Marathon is only 8 weeks away, which means, it's just around the corner.  I'll be posting my training until race week.

Official Results from USA Cross Country:
http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2014/USA-Cross-Country-Championships/Results.aspx

Training:

Mon - pm. 8 miles
Tue - am. 4 miles / pm. 12 miles
Wed - am. 8x1000m (3:11, 3:08, 3:09, 3:08, 3:09, 3:11, 3:13, 3:06) 10 miles total / pm. 8 miles
Thur - pm. 8 miles
Fri - am 6 miles
Sat - am. 2 mile shake out, 12k USA XC Race 38:48, 4 mile cool down. 15 total
Sun - am. 17 miles @ 8400' - 9000' feet in Rollins, CO

Total: 88 miles