September 29, 2012

4.5 miles, 42 minutes 8am Hyland Lake Park
Much of what I expected today came true. Not due to sabotaging my run by being negative, more what I've experienced in the last couple weeks taking on hills and new routes.  Following the trails wasn't difficult and I always try to take note of any warning signs posted to avoid running up a section that turns out to be closed;  expending more energy than I have for a "good" outing and most importantly not end up walking back from exhaustion.

Hyland lake is picturesque as the trail rounds the lake, ground covered in woodchips for soft foot placement under a tunnel of softwood trees. I was surprised that first mile ticked off very quickly and I was rounding the lake in only 8 minutes, heading north for the next 5 miles.  Plenty of steep downhills were available to practice speed descents I watched on one of Anton Krupicka's blog Friday.  It looks like a blast cruising down hills like a deer. 

Just at the north section of the trail I see a sign that reads something about going out of the park and assume it's not where I want to head.  So I turn left and at the next trail marker am pleasantly surprised how "fast" I'm heading back to the parking lot.  By mile 4 my left knee is noticeably becoming an issue and that's when I realize the car is about a half mile out.  Now the stiffness is too much and I walk the last of the distance back.  My watch kept running so the pace I recorded is grossly understated. 

Interestingly the last time first time my knee stopped me I was just a half mile from home while on a long run.  A mis-turn on Saturday ended up saving me from hobbling 2 miles in shame past the dozen other runners I had already seen ambly traipsing along the paths this morning. Sunday's run will probably not happen because I don't think my knee will even make a 2 mile loop at this point.

Optimistically, I believe Dr. Nolan at Premier Sports and Spine Clinic will figure out the root cause of this new ongoing pain.. Instead of finishing up the successful treatments to my lower back that has hindered being active over the last year, this week we started looking into my knee pain on Friday and  have a follow up visit this Wednesday.  I sincerely hope it's something treatable while I can continue running. Taking days off when I don't want to just bums me out.

September 28, 2012

4 miles,  40minutes 5:00am Jensen Lake and South of Holland lake
Frustrating new route today. I assumed when I added the horse trails on the run it would be like the steep climbs on the west side of Lebanon Park, but alas, they are extremely sandy and reduced me to plodding along uphills. Wearing a headlamp in the wee hours didn't help either as I had never navigated the middle stretch of today's route. I must have stopped at least a half dozen times to figure out my next turn and could not establish any kind of a rhythm for a good quality run.

Crossing the twisted bridge at "damn it's dark" a.m., wasn't as exciting when I considered it collapsing and me going for a swim in 40degree weather; possibly maiming one of my extremeties enough to end up crawling back to my car. An empty parking lot when I arrived assured me I'd be hobbling along unaided and was a little concerned when I heard a quiet "crack" about mid-way across. But I survived for a crossing another day.

Despite my prior nights planning to pack a running kit and work clothes, due to a small oversight I am hardcore commando today. Hardcore is appropriate as it's been 16 years since my last free-balling moment, when I was out of clean clothes (twice worn underwear) and had to walk a mile on-base to the laundromat in Norfolk  belting out my rendtion of Tom Petty's hit, "Free Ballin!" (I know you're singing it too).

With back to back long runs of 6 miles each this weekend I'll need to find a good course that doesn't have so many new turns.  Being new to trail running, that is going to be impossible and I'll probably end up wandering all over Hyland lake park for an hour. That will be awesome! I ain't scared!  It's trail running - it's soooper fun!

September 26, 2012

2 miles (?) 20 minutes 1:00p - Lebanon HILLS Horse Trail (west)
2 miles, 19 minutes  6:00pm - Jensen Lake
Trail running has made running fun. I love the horse trail at LH, for it's steep climbs and forgiving terrain that has been easy on my feet and knee. Next week, following the horse trail I am going to try and continue under the bridge (the starting point of the horse trails) and do the 2 mile around Jensen lake as well. I'll try and bring my camera phone with me sometime and get some pictures of the hills and that oddly twisted bridge.

Yesterday, a mile in to what was supposed to be a longer 4 mile run, my knee started to get a twinge of pain and I was afraid of being debilitated 3 miles away from my car and limping back for an hour, before I could drive home. So I upped the pace and within a 1/4 mile it faded to where I was feeling good except I could tell my energy to go 4 miles wasn't going to happen.  When I thought about it last night, moving my pace a little faster may alleviate all the pains I'm having completely. Especially if I stay on the softer trails. Naturally my runs will be a little shorter and I'll have to incorporate some kind of extended warm up. In order to do weekends long runs I will still have to slow it down, but I see them as a possibility again  if the faster tempo results in less stress.

Instead of getting into a cold bath at home after my evening run, like my legs were asking, Jen and I went out for some games and pizza with friends/performers from the renaissance festival. Good thing I decided to take today off, all that tasty grease would make for an uncomfortable run today.

September 25, 2012

2 miles (?) 20 minutes (?), 2:00pm Lebanon HILLS west(Bold for emphasis)
Awesome hill run today! Horse trails dominate this course but Google earth, nor any other map I found, even recognizes them so I had to make due with the hiking paths for the distance and elevation climbs. Starting off, a very slight incline turns quickly into a descent that requires putting on the brakes or you'll likely lose control. After about 3/4 mile of treed in wide sand and dirt path, a horse trail diverges from the hiking path, marked by a large definitive No Hikers symbol. The hiking route probably follows along a slight incline back towards the trail head. Screw that! When I peered UP the horse trail it had an inviting look at about 30 degrees so I accepted and was promptly welcomed to a 45deg. incline after the first bend; just why I came this way -  fun climbs with the side benefit of increasing leg strength and begin inching my way to ultra trails with their technical terrain and steep, leg deteriorating inclines.

The hill was probably only 50 yards up, but manageable to my surprise. Better yet, two more good inclines followed before I reached the summit and ambled along a flat section before an easy long descent near the beginning of the trail. Unfortunately there are no breaks in the trees for viewing from the "summit."

3 miles, 27minutes, 5:45pm Jensen lake + 2 small lakes
Tried to make this a recovery run of sorts, worrying the hills this afternoon may encourage cramping later on tonight, but ended up cruising it at 9 minute miles despite taking all the extra hills one can detour off the main trail.  Right about the half way point a bridge spans the two small ponds on the new route I added to the run at the last minute, that could have been right out of Alice in Wonderland.  Imagine a twisted wood planked structure that teeters at each step. Damn that was fun! Trail running has me hooked. Those kinds of things won't likely be encountered on asphalt paths and concrete roads in town.  I'll be back again tomorrow!

Septermber 21 - 23, 2012

September 21, 2012
2 miles,  time??(No watch),  6:30pm Friday night I was itching to get in a run after being completely pain free all day, and my wife was gone so I sent her a text with a picture in my running gear that read "You can't stop me now!"

Almost immediately I felt some twinges in my right foot so changed my stride to a shuffle until reaching the dirt trail around the dike where it would be better to put weight on it.  Had a few more uncomfortable steps, but mostly where the trail turned back to asphalt before getting back home.  Both legs felt okay, but unaccustomed to running after doing 60 miles of biking since Sunday.

September 22, 2012
2 miles, 18 minutes 10:30 am
2 miles, 17:50 minutes 6:00pm
The road out behind the Renaissance festival in Shakopee is all rock and dirt and seemed like a good idea for the initial jaunts on ramping up mileage again. Today I also decided to alter a couple of things for all runs to prevent further injury, based on the two pains I developed last week. 1)Pronate on my right foot and supinate on the left. This may open up an avenue for more injury shift the weight of each step to another side but has been working so far. 2) Split all runs into to equal, (for now) distance runs of morning and afternoon and allow the body to rest/recover some.

Again, both runs felt  extremely sluggish, but are by far more hilly than I'm accustomed to in 2 miles. Then there was the traffic creating dust clouds on both outings that was distracting and really kept me from gaining any focus and I expended a lot of effort as a result. Out of the hundreds of cars creeping along on the narrow weed lined road I did get one drivers encouragement to keep it up, giving me a glimpse of the "crowd engergy" many runners say keeps them going.

September 23, 2012
2 miles, 18:14 minutes 9:30 am
2 miles, 14:46 minutes 7:30pm
Morning traffic at the festival gets diverted to the overflow where I start my run, immediately after opening, I have discovered, as the first cars came through almost right after I departed.  Nothing to note expcept the hills are great for training.

On the evening run  my legs felt fantastic and easy. So I settled into very smooth gait that felt fast but manageable.   I would have loved to do an interval session and slowed down to some 9 minute miles and then ramped it back up again but my form started to feel like it was difficult to maintain and the right foot was disagreeing with the pouding so I cut it short.

September 20,2012

9-19-2012  12 miles(?) 50 minutes 5:30am

Morning rides pre-dawn are exhilarating, especially when your headlamp fails on the way back. Still trying to maintain some level of  aerobic exercise for Sunday when I will try out the lower extremities and see if any parts are still bothered. 

Wildlife has been abundant early in the morning. Deer, raccoons and rabbits seem to be everywhere when I riding near Highland lake park.

I'm starting an online e-log that has a route map and it isn't agreeing with google maps, plus my wife says the route we took was 9 miles according the the app on here phone so I'll have it hammered out in a couple days.

9-20-2012  8 miles,40 minutes 5:30am

Same route to Highland Park but got up too late for a the long route, opting for the quick extra half-mile loop near the entrance.

September 18, 2012

Biking - 7.5m 45 minutes 5am (Wish I could run that fast)
             9 m 60minutes 7pm

Foot has been feeling better each day, with a lot of icing last night I didn't really notice it was a problem until today sitting at work and the blood draining down has been making it swell again. I'll keep icing it and riding bike everyday then go for a moderate jog on Sunday and see how it goes...