Week 9 and part of 10

Last week I had an interesting week getting all my miles in. Mondays easy recovery run started not so good. We weren't even into a mile in when I could feel like a little pinch in achilles tendon, that and  and my calves felt as if they were on fire. I had to stop and take a walking break for a few minutes, then went really slow from there. We got our 4 miles in, but I could feel every minute of them, my calves were really, really tight. I sat down on my couch that night and tried to massage them, but felt that it was making it worse, they kept getting tighter and tighter. I put some ice on them, but couldn't really feel any relief. I rested the next morning and felt better by Wednesday. My running buddy couldn't come that morning so I thought I'd wait until a little later when there would be a little bit more light and I could feel comfortable going alone. I think I waited too long. I got up there at about 6:30 am. I started out slow and then realized I was going to be really late going back home and had to pick it up if I wanted to make it on time to get my little ones and myself ready for school. So what was supposed to be a 7 mile tempo run, turned into a 7 mile speedwork run. My calves where killing. I was sure I would be sorry later and that this run would result in an injury. I did some more icing that night and tried to massage it. I went on a slow 4 miler the next morning, could not finish the 4th mile and decided to go home before it turned worse. I walked the next day, applied some more ice and yes, I ventured out into my first 16 mile run the next day. I thought I would get out there and play it by ear. I would run slow and if I felt like I just could not do it, I would just turn around and come home. The first 3 or 4 miles where a bit uncomfortable, but not as bad as I'd imagined. I went past a certain point and to my surprise I started feeling  really, really good. I kept it slow to be on the safe side and was able to run 16.5 miles in 2 hrs and 50 min. I felt really good all day long and was again surprised the next morning when I wasn't super sore and could walk up and down stairs and get on the floor, and back up, to  play with my little girl in nursery at church. I think there is a benefit on going slow come recovery time. I like it!

This week I decided that I am going to go solo for the rest of my marathon training. So to be able to run alone in the mornings I decided to run a combination of treadmill and street running. Monday I got up early and went to the gym at the same time I would normally be outside. I did three miles on the treadmill and then came home when there was a little more light and run outside another 2 miles. This way I won't be tortured running on the treadmill for the whole 5 miles. Three miles on the treadmill is really just all I can take. This week my tempo runs go up to 8 miles and I am planing on running those with Jessica from church, and going to the park for speedwork on Thursdays. I feel the park is a safe place because there is other runners there before 6 am, even thought we shouldn't be there. I hope I don't get a ticket or something. Anyway, I'll see how this goes.

This weekend long run calls for another 16 miles, but since I did a little more this past weekend I'm shooting for 17. I think I will be OK.  After this week there is only 6 weeks til crunch time, EEK! and exciting!

Moral of the week: "Slow is good"

Happy running!