Saturday/Sunday

Yesterday I went to the gym before work. 4.1 mile run and 2 miles on the elliptical for a total of 22.1 miles running and 8 miles on the elliptical for the week. My right leg felt better this week.
last night and this morning my right leg hurt but on the outside. I was going to the gym and felt a bump on the outside which I pushed over the bone and it felt much better. I was able to run 10.1 miles in 1:38:32. My right leg felt fine after and just feels tired now after being out in the yard for an hour and a half. I'm not sure what it is that moved but I feel almost normal. I'll see how I feel tomorrow and what I can do at the gym.
I have decided to run the marathon in January if at all possible and be ready for Boston in April.

Inconclusive Findings

The doctor said that I did not need surgery on my lower back; it was not the cause of my leg pain.
He suggested going back to physical therapy to have then work on my back and to discuss with him how I feel after about 2 weeks.
This morning I got up at 5 AM to run on the treadmill; 3.2 miles in 31:13. I did get up to 6.7 mph without any pain; I'll have to see how I feel later in the day.

Doctors Appointment Today

I ran 5 miles and went 2 miles on the elliptical this morning. I felt better today than Tuesday.
I hope it's good news at the doctors office this morning.

Thoughts for the Future

Well I ran 3.4 miles this morning and my legs felt OK today. I have put on a little weight which hurts since I was in great shape in July. I just don't get enough exercise right now. 3.4 miles in 35:03 on the treadmill.
I hope I hear great news on Thursday.
My boss/owner has had it rough since May. She has not been able to run. She has a problem which hopefully is now better since she just ran this weekend. You can read it here, http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs023/1101969016852/archive/1103831151664.html
I hope that I hear good news and I will be able to keep running for years to come.
I am envious of my boss because she has a lot of friends who would run with her; at present even if I recover I don't have anyone here in Enfield. I find it difficult to coordinate time and speed to accommodative people to run with and schedule a time which is mutually convenient. I miss working at Nerac where I could run at lunch with people who loved to run.

I Talk to the Doctor on Thursday

This has been on my mind since I found out when my appointment was scheduled.
I took 2 days off; usually I work out on Sunday but I had to help one of my daughters at her apartment and it took a big chunk of the day.
Today I ran 6.4 miles in 1:04:13; my right leg just does not want to go fast. I have to start out really slow and slowly increase the speed over time. After I did used the elliptical trainer and went 4 miles in 29:52 faster than the last 2 days. Just over 1300 calories burned and I felt good. The elliptical trainer allows me to get my heart rate up to 90% of my normal running HR and I can step at over 200 at sub 8:00 minute miles.
Yesterday the sharp pain in my right knee was intense so I don't think that running the Manchester Marathon would be a good idea but I will talk to the surgeon on Thursday. I feel now that I will get over this and I will be running well by April next year. One can only hope.

Status Quo

I did run last Thursday on the treadmill but I got to the gym late so I was able to run only 2.6 miles. I did not run Friday or Saturday. So for the week I ran 21.9 miles.
Today I went to the gym and ran 10.1 miles, 1:37:12, 9:37/mile. I felt OK but I can't really run long.
My MRI results showed a swollen disc and I find out tomorrow when my appointment is to see the surgeon.
I wonder if I could run the Manchester Marathon slow and not do anymore harm? I figured a 4 hour plus but I'm not sure if it will have any real meaning for me.
My tentative plan is to get the treatment and plan to run Boston slow.

MRI Today

I'm getting an MRI today because my family physician thinks the nerve problem will just get worse. I have lived with this for over 15 years and I am getting tired of not being able to run pain free and as fast as I know I could.
I did run 6.2 miles on a treadmill at the gym this morning in 58:34 but I did feel the leg pain until about mile 3 and I don't think I could have run much faster until mile 5 when I did feel better.

The Weekend: 13.1 Miles Sunday

Yesterday I went to the gym planning to run 4 miles. I had to stop after 1. My right leg did not feel right. I went 2 miles backwards on the elliptical trainer instead of running more miles. I felt better.
Today I decided to still try a long run on the track. I planned to try 10 miles but when I got to 9 I felt strong so I ended up running 13.1 miles, 1:51:44, 8:31/mi., 7.0 mph and avg HR 141 bpm. My back and the nerve pain still hasn't popped up; my legs are just tired. I held myself with my shoulders back and stomach in the entire run. I plan on trying to go 18 next weekend and if successful I think I will try to run Manchester.

Back to the Gym

Well I started running again at a gym. $10/mo. cancel anytime. I ran the 1st mile in 10:21 and 4 miles in 35:55. It felt good running in the morning again. I'll be able to cross train too which is a plus although I would rather run. So far I have run more miles than I have run in a week since August 19-25, 22.5. Not what I had planned back in July but I am feeling a lot better. Manchester may be doable but I won't know for at least 2 weeks. I would have to take it slow but it would certainly be a plus mentally and emotionally if I could run it. I'll know more after a long run on Sunday.

Softer (surface) Running

Yesterday I ran 4.1 miles again on an artificial track. I started off fairly fast and kept it up. I didn't bring a watch or GPS but I could tell by the steady pace I kept that I was running well at a faster pace than I have started off in the past two weeks.
Today I ran around a field hockey field; 4.0 miles, 8:19/mi. and 7.2 mph. The ground was soft and wet in places so I feel really good that I could run so fast.My legs feel really good and I did not feel any pain while running.
Tomorrow morning I am going to run at th gym on a treadmill. When I don't feel any pain for a week
I will try and run 4 miles on the roads. I am trying to get back to running 5-6 days in a row with long and short and fast and slow runs. Mixing it up will help me return to full time marathon training. I hope to run only twice a week on the roads for awhile; probably until Boston Marathon time. I think this will help me have a longer running life. I just hadn't listened to all the people telling me to run on softer surfaces. I hope I have learned my lesson.

Keep the Faith

I'm always hopeful that things can and will get better. I'm just not as patient as I should be.
Yesterday I ran 5.2 miles at one of our high school's artificial tracks. My leg actually felt normal yesterday morning so I gave it a shot. I ran 5.2 miles, 46:36, 8:57/mi. I then came home after walking backwards for 1/4 miles and rode my bile for an hour and a half. Probably a little over 20 miles.
Today I just got back from the track and I ran 7.2 miles, 1:00:56, 8:27/mi. and I hit 6:50/mi. at one point. At 4.3 miles I did have a little pain in my right knee but it went away quickly and I feel really good right now. I walked 1/2 mile backwards after running.
I ran only 61 miles in September after running only 129.2 miles in August so I'm finding that my conditioning is not as good as it should be either. Even my left leg does not feel as good as it should.
My plan this week is to try and run almost all my miles on artificial tracks and/or treadmills. I'm hoping that my legs will get stronger and the nerve pain will not come back. As suggested by Lindsay, I am taking it one day/week at a time.

Update on Running, Hamstring and Nerve Pain

Well I haven't run since Monday. My hamstring seems better but my back and the nerve problem is difficult to know how it is doing. I had my last PT session on Friday and I am continuing to strengthen my hamstrings and to work on stretching everything. I am thinking about going to the artificial track today and run to see if I can make some progress on running again. If not, I will bike today.
It is ironic that I seem to have a number of people reading my blog lately now that I have drastically reduced my running.
I will have to be patient and give it some time; I just hope that it won't be long and keep me from running the marathon in January and April. I still have an outside chance to run in Manchester NH but I would need to recover more this week to be able to run Nov 7.

Recovery Run?

Well I walked for an hour this morning, stretched and did some strengthening exercises before going for a 3 mile run at noon. It seems like my hamstring feels good after the initial 2 miles. But yesterday it seemed like after the long run that I probably weakened it running 11 miles. I felt the same after last weekends 15 miler. My conditioning is not where I want it and only short runs make the hamstring feel good the next day.
I did get some advice about running Hartford and long term goals from a couple of readers of this blog, thanks Lindsay and Patrick, and I'm inclined to agree with them and not push my legs too fast and run when I'm not ready. So Hartford is up in the air right now; I definitely need to feel better than I do today to decide to run.

Sunday and Less than 2 Weeks to Go

I woke up at 3:15 this morning and could not fall back to sleep. I got up and read for an hour and then went back to bed. After CCD and church I went for a run because I think that part of my problem was too many push-ups and too much stretching/foam roller use. Also the nerve in my leg seems to have popped back into a better place. Just when I thought that Hartford wouldn't happen.
I ran 11.0 miles in 1:39:14, 9:01/mi. and 6.6 mph. Slow and my hamstring hurt some but if I can put together a few days of runs I feel I can get a little faster. I'll see by Wednesday.

Pain

Well I'm in pain. I tried to run on Thursday and started at 10 something a mile and got slower. my right calf felt like a vice was squeezing it. I stopped after 1/2 a mile and walked home. At PT on Friday they worked on my back and hamstring. Jane, my physical therapist, gave me some exercises which have helped but I'm not sure I can run Hartford now. My massage therapist, Shannon, also talked about similar exercises but did not tell me it was related to my past injury. She has known me for years and I think did not want to tell me what was on her mind since she probably thought I would not be able to run Hartford or Manchester.
I probably hurt more mentally than physically. Not being able to run is a crushing blow; I do not like to bike or walk or any alternative to running. I have been blessed to run as much as I have and I do appreciate it.
My vacations are all centered around marathons. Now what will I do if I can't run?
Right now my back feels strange like it is not strong enough to run. Should I try Hartford and just run slow and walk some? It seems wrong but I don't want to give up. I don't want to jeopardize my chance to run Boston. I know it's a long way away but what will I do if I can't run in Boston. I have worked so hard for 6+ years and it means the world to me.
Any thoughts email me at keithal2@gmail.com

Sciatica Now

I got up at 5 AM to run today. 6.9 miles in 59:50 an 8:40/mi. pace. My sciatica in my right leg is bothering now but my hamstring seems better. If I get over this soon I should be able to run faster. I hope this is only temporary. I've got to go to PT and then a late day at work.

Long Run

15.1 miles, 2:14:25 (13.1 in 1:56:49), 8:54/mi., 6.7 mph, avg HR 142 and max HR 154. So my right hamstring hurt some for the first 2 miles and from mile 8-11 but I feel OK now after the run. I have some time to get a little faster but it looks like Hartford may be a long training run for Manchester NH. Every marathon will not be run when I am at my best physically and 2010 has been a year I have had enough adversity to be happy just to make it to the starting line and run the best I can on that day. I'm looking forward to Hartford to see how much I can recover from the hamstring injury. I hope to run about 3:50.

New Shoes and Faster Too

I worked a nine hour shift and got home after 7 but I wanted to try my new Adidas Supernova Glides so I ran 5 miles. My hamstring hurt near my right knee for a mile and a half but then I felt really good. 5.0 miles in 42:58, 8:35/mi. and I felt like I could stay at that pace for awhile. 24.5 miles for the week. I can't tell you how thankful I am to be running again.

Faster Yet Again

Well I only ran 4.3 miles but it was the fourth day in a row and my hamstring felt good. I went 4.3 miles in 37:50, 6.8 mph with an avg speed of 8:48/mi. That's about 85% of normal. I'm thrilled! I hope I can keep it up with longer runs.
I have received a few emails lately which I want to share. The first is one from Melissa Murphy from YouCast about running the NYC Marathon for a charity. Here in part is the letter with the important links:

"It’s not too late to train for the marathon! Team Continuum’s coach John Hirsh has compiled a crash-training program to assist your readers’ transformation from recreational runners to marathon-ready in time for   November 7th.  Send your readers to http://ycin.net/ct.php?ctaid=1178 so they can begin their training.

Team Continuum, an official charity partner of the NY Road Runners Association, is currently raising money from participants running in the ING NYC Marathon.  When a cancer diagnosis results in hardship and uncertainty in someone's life, Team Continuum steps in to pay the patient’s bills, and to provide immediate and vital non-medical assistance to cancer patients and their families. So many of us have been touched by this disease and we’d love your help getting the word out about Team Continuum by letting your readers know how they can get involved.

 If your readers couldn't get into the 2010 ING NYC Marathon, Team Continuum has guaranteed spots!  Just send your readers to http://ycin.net/ct.php?ctaid=915 By clicking REGISTER they'll get guaranteed entry and will join the effort to raise money for this great cause.

 For more information visit http://youcastcorp.com/c/110/go/index.php?r=0. I have great assets for your post at: http://www.youcastcorp.com/teamcontinuum .

It seems like a very worthwhile charity and one you should consider running for in NY.

The NYC Marathon is an experience you should not miss out on running; I had a great time and the music and fans are first rate!

PT This Morning and a 10K After Work

I got up at 5:20 so I could be at PT at 7. I got out of work at 3 so I was able to run after work. I added 1.2 miles and was faster again today. I ran 6.2 miles, 57:16, 9:14/mi., 6.5 mph, avg HR 136 and a max of 162 bpm. My right hamstring felt "normal" I did not feel it when I walked. After running I was able to put my leg on the trunk of my car to stretch, like I use to do. It felt great! I'll probably take tomorrow off; I hope to get my per mile time under 9:00 soon.