Catching Up on Blogging

Wednesday, Nov 18:

I worked on a computer problem ALL DAY Tuesday and didn’t get my Tuesday run in. But today I did get in a nice run after spending a couple of hours collecting leaves first. Grass trails in the park, no walking except up a few small hills when my breathing became too fast. Pace for the first 4.3 miles was 9:16, not bad for a hilly grass trail. I didn’t time the next 0.7 miles.

No problems with the knee that locked up Sunday. It’s a masterpiece!

Sunday, Nov 15:

St Croix Valley Runners Sunday run, this time 11.3 miles in 2:06:22, for a blazing-fast pace of 11:11. We had a good time though. Gauss, Steve, Tom, and myself. Steve and Tom really had to rein it back for Gauss and me, but they seemed to enjoy it anyway. From Gauss' house to Pine Point Park, the near end of the Gateway trail, then on the trail to Manning, to take a look at the bridge construction there, and back by a slightly different route. We didn't go all the way to the Mile 16 marker on Gateway, so maybe the distance should be 11.1 in stead of 11.3. Doesn't make much difference.

I did have one problem: Near the end of the run, running downhill in the last quarter mile, my right knee suddenly almost locked up. It was quite painful, and I stopped immediately. I tried to run again and it still hurt. But a couple of minute later it was OK and went from OK to "just fine." I don't know what that was. The pain was on the outside front corner of the knee, just at the bottom of the kneecap. Definitely not ITB, seemed like something got stuck in the meniscus. I was wearing the Brooks Launch shoes - the first problem I've had in those shoes, and of course I have no idea whether different shoes would have made a difference.

I had this same problem several years ago while running in the "bubble" in Stillwater. Back then I put it down to the many, many unbanked corners. This time the only strange thing I did was to run backward for a few seconds, perhaps five or ten minutes before this problem happened. I'll have to look back and see what I did when it happened before, because it went away for a long time.

Otherwise, it's a masterpiece!

Saturday, Nov 14:

St Croix Valley Runners, five miles, nice run. I finished with Gauss and Wayne at about 47 minutes, for a pace of about 9:24. Lots of people running this morning. Drizzle overnight, but this morning was just fine, about 50 degrees. I overdressed with an extra layer on top - just wasn’t paying attention. But we had an enjoyable run. Dave1 was there, did a short run. Hope he doesn’t re-injure his knee.

No pains, no problems. Longer run Sunday?

Wednesday, Nov 11:

Nice 4-mile recovery run on the grass trails of the park, watching the sun set in the 52-degree evening. I brought a flashlight, in case it got too dark, and did use it in the last few minutes. I couldn’t believe the number of cars in the parking lot tonight. People were walking their dogs, and just enjoying the evening, no doubt one of the last this fall. Time 37:33 for 3.9 miles, pace of 9:38, which is not bad for that hilly grass trail. I ran almost all of it, walking only up a few of the hills. I feel great!

Antipasto, mostly organic.