Two weeks of running

Oh wow, I haven't posted in almost two weeks, but luckily I haven't been falling behind in my running. I can't remember what I ran during the week of April 20, but it was probably two or three days of 5 to 6 mile runs.

Saturday, April 25 - 20 miles! This was our second 20 miler, and it was even tougher than the one two weeks before, at least for me. I didn't get that awful muscle cramp in my right shin - in fact, my feet and legs felt fine, considering - but I was suffering from bad hay fever and it made me feel weak (not to mention very drippy). But I stayed with the group, just barely. It's somewhat heartening to know that I can run 20 miles even feeling like crap.

Monday, April 27 - 4.5 miles. Felt I needed to have a mellow week. Legs felt fine.

Wednesday, April 29 - 5 miles. Ditto.

Saturday, May 2 - 10 miles. This was great - a beautiful day and an easy 10 miles. Didn't have to go pee at all during the run, a first for the longer training runs!

Sunday, May 3 - Which brings me to today - the Santa Monica Classic 10K. It was at 8, which meant I had a leisurely morning with the paper and still had time to bike over to the start. I run 10Ks regularly as training runs (a bit more than 6 miles), but I don't run them fast, so I had no idea how to pace myself or when to push it. I achieved my goal - under 54 minutes, meaning a less than 9 minute per mile pace - but it was a bit hard. First I was going slower than I wanted to because of all the crowds, and then we were going uphill all the way to mile 4, which was about at San Vicente and 14th, but then it was blessedly downhill after that. Felt a bit light-headed, which was very unpleasant. Otherwise a fine race, especially considering it came the day after a 10-mile run!

Sun. April 19 - 10 miles

Left the house at 8:15 am - should have left earlier as it was a HOT day and soon the sweat and sunscreen were dripping into my eyes. That's the last time I go running on a sunny day without my trusty jogger-nerd headband! Legwise, I felt fine the whole way, although I did feel a bit light-headed at times toward the end of the run.

It will be REALLY awful if Marathon Day dawns bright, sunny, and hot.

Sat. April 18 - 5 miles

Got these miles in before work - nice and easy, felt just fine.

April 16 - 5 miles

Yep, keeping it nice and easy for this recovery week. My legs felt just fine while running, although my right knee feels the tiniest bit hot as I'm writing this.

April 14 - 5 miles

There was some residual all-over soreness but luckily no particular pain in my right calf. Didn't feel too bad, considering that 20 miles on Saturday.

Saturday, April 11 - 20 miles!!

I did run between March 31 and April 11, but it has all faded into the past - that's what happens when I don't keep up with my blogging. But anyway, it seems insignificant compared with the amazing 20 miles I did with the Roadrunners Lucky Seven group. Woohoo! Took us 3 1/2 hours (and man, was the last hour difficult) - and it felt so good to know I can do it.

My legs and feet were so sore that I could feel myself trying to run more gently, so as to put as little pressure on them as possible. The worst, though, was a muscle in the back of my right calf that I could feel tightening steadily during the last five miles. It was so knotted Saturday and Sunday that I could feel all these lumps in my muscle under the skin. Didn't run yesterday or today, choosing to walk instead - and I think it's much better. I do NOT want to injure myself now, with the Marathon only a month and a half away.

I'll miss next week's 10 mile run (have to work), but I can do that on my own. In two weeks we'll run 20 miles again, a run so essential that I've found a sub to work for me that day. And then we'll taper down, with only a 15 mile run in May and lighter runs until The Big Day.

I did it! I did it! 20 miles!

Tues. March 31 - 7 miles

Felt a bit tired at first but warmed up about half-way through and ended up enjoying myself. It helps that the weather has been so lovely. Lots of folks cluttering things up as a result, though.