Taper

by

Brooks pain, but old running shoes save the day!

IMG_1212

So here is my shoe (I don’t have fat ankles, not sure why it looks that way in this pic).  Notice the orange strap that goes across it.  Where that strap hits the right side of the shoe is where my pain is in my foot.  Strange, because these are my second pair of Brooks PureFlow shoes and I’ve never had a problem.

I went out for my run yesterday and got about a quarter mile into it when my foot started hurting again.  It hurt on the top of the foot on the bone that leads to the big toe.  So I ran out and back toward my house.  By the time I got home I was in some real pain.  Crazy.  Not wanting to quit my run, I immediately switched shoes with my old pair, you will remember look like this…

Screen Shot 2014-04-04 at 6.54.07 AM

Okay.  A bit worn.  My foot felt better though, even though this is the same style shoe and has that strap.  After about 3 miles more, the pain was gone and I felt so much better.  The only issue was earlier, while I was in pain, I obviously adjusted my form to compensate, even though I tried really hard not to.  I am sore today in my ankle and calf muscles.

The run.

It was a good run.  I ended with a mid week high mileage  (at least since my marathon last September) run of 6.4 miles.  I also had an 8:38 pace and that included a 2 minute walk while I got a call from work.  I think it is a conspiracy that work calls me in the middle of my runs.  Anyway, I really felt great about the run and the mileage.  I hope to keep doing that same run about every other day to start slowly building my mileage up.

At the moment I have no plans to taper for my half marathon.  I’ll probably slow down a bit, but that is about it.  Running has become a lifestyle for me and tapering for a half marathon doesn’t seem to be that big of a deal to me.  If anyone wants to chime in on that one, feel free!

Tom

by

I choose not to run… maybe

What a month last month was for my running.  I needed that month to be able to go to the marathon next Sunday and not panic.

I had a PR in miles run in a month – 195.

I had two 20 mile runs.

I had two 28 – 30 mile weekends.

Overall is was a great month.  Except…

Okay, I’m beat up a bit.  My hip is feeling better today, but my achilles on my right foot is not good and the upper part of my left foot (where you tie your laces) is still hurting quite a bit.

I’ve decided that I am not running another step until I feel better.  Today I am working, but tonight I will soak my feet in ice water and heat my back (not at the same time 🙂 ).  My goal is to get to the starting line at the Lehigh Valley Marathon and know that I will “rock it”.  That doesn’t mean I won’t run all week, unless of course it takes all week to heal.

So just consider this tapering on steroids.  I have to get my body back in a good place.  I don’t want to be a person who says, “I worked out for 4 months and then got hurt”.

I’m 50 years old and have only been running 17 months.  Everything I do is new to me in running.  I’ve learned a lot and I have a lot to learn.

If anyone disagrees (or agrees) with me on this decision to not run and to heal, please feel free to let me know.  I don’t want to regret what I did or did not do the last week before the biggest challenge of my life.

by

Hangin’ with “The Dog” and tryin’ to taper

Just hanin’ with the dog this morning and resting after my 5 mile run. I was able to get out and get my run in before it got too hot, but it was not a great run and the reason for that goes back to yesterday’s run with Neill…

"The Dog" hiding?

“The Dog” hiding?

First, my hangin’ with “The Dog” picture of the week. This is courtesy of my eldest son. “The Dog” loves to be under things and in tight places. TJ got her from the Humane Society and she had been abused as a puppy. She was 8 weeks old when we got her. She is a great dog and a great addition to our family, even when she hiding (or thinks she is hiding). 🙂

On to yesterday’s run. I really enjoy running with Neill. We have a great time talking and he is a strong Christian, which is always encouraging. Our run went well overall, but we both had problems to overcome.

My problem was with my left foot. The top of my foot where my laces tie started getting sore. I tired to just run through it, but it became more and more noticeable. Finally at a Gatorade stop, I loosened my shoelace and that seemed to help, but it was still sore. This is the issue I had today also. That muscle on the top of my foot seems just be aggravated, which is bothering since I hope to run 26.2 miles at this time next week.

I may, in my taper, just not run a couple of days and let my whole body heal. I know that just about everyone would agree with that plan, but my head says no. In the end, what a fellow runner at work told me was good advice. He said, “You want to get to the starting line feeling 100% and like you could run the best race of your life”. That is my new goal. Besides, there isn’t anything riding on this race and as long as I finish, it is a PR!

So on to the final week before my marathon. TJ and I are excited and hope to do well. We head to PA on Friday morning about 4:00 AM with HM and RS. RS wanted to run the marathon, but he is too young according to their rules.

I hope you all have a great week ahead and please, run some miles for me. 🙂