Bad Run, Good Run

Saturday, June 12, 2010:

After Tuesday’s poor run (below) I expected to run a few miles on Thursday and then the usual five miles with the St Croix Valley Runners on Saturday. But Thursday’s weather was poor, and we never got to the club to run. So Saturday’s run was the first in four days - an unusually long respite. I was actually a little apprehensive about how well this old body would do the job, considering Tuesday’s struggle.

But it was a good run. I started out with Steve, who is much faster than me but was content with my pace after running a marathon two weeks before. Lisa caught up to us after about a mile, a fast runner, winning her age group in the recent Stillwater Half Marathon. We three bounced along at my pace for most of the rest of the way, and I probably ran a little faster than I would have run alone - I was breathing pretty hard. They went ahead with about a half mile to go, but I finished not far behind in 43:58, which is a pace of 8:48 and a pretty good time for me on this route.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010:

Raining today, so we three ran at the club. It was my worst run in a long time. I can normally cruise around the elevated track at nine-minute miles, at least for six miles or so, but today was different. I felt fine for the first three, and then the fourth mile seemed to be more work, the fifth was difficult and I missed the 9-minute goal, and finally in the sixth mile I even got a little lightheaded - it was a struggle to finish it at any running pace.

What happened? I ran a marathon ten days ago - OK I should be back to form by now, in fact I should be stronger than before the marathon. I did eat a full lunch four hours before this run, and I felt that heaviness in my stomach, but that doesn’t usually make me lightheaded. Also, I started out a bit fast, but I’ve done that before recently too. Is the myeloma catching up to me? I’m hoping it’s just a bad day, and not a sign of anything to come. I could never have finished a marathon, at least not with that "fast" start.

Splits: 8:52, 8:45, 8:48, 8:52, 9:11, 9:38, total 54:06. Pace 9:01, but I didn’t click the watch after the last lap and may not be remembering the time correctly.

Friday June 4 and Sunday June 6, 2010:

Nice jogs along the Lakewalk and Riverwalk trails in Chicago. No time, but distance was probably about eight miles total for the two runs. Those trails are VERY popular with runners - lots of others running.


Organic strawberries are in season :-)