Long Time No Post

But we have been running.  Sometimes I work for a living, and that's taken time away from blogging lately, but I keep running regardless.  It's one of the best parts of the day and settles me down, calms my stress.

I actually ran 170 miles in August, an unusually high tally, and may have the injury to prove it.  See August 29, below, when I saw the sports doctor about the left Achilles tendon.

Saturday, September 09, 2016:

The girls and I did a half of a 5k (1.55 mi) together, then I did the remainder of a 4.02-mile route at my own pace while they finished the 5k.  Nice time, no whining, they finished just a few minutes ahead of me.

Splits: 25:33 (1.55 mi), 6:40 (0.47 mi), 25:45 (2.0 mi), total 57:58, for 4.02 mi, average pace 14:25, best 12:53 for 2 mi.

Thursday, Sep 08:

To the junior high track and back with my girls, plus a mile on the track.  We explored a bit on the way to the track and back, hustled a little at our own paces on the track itself.  A little of everything..

Five miles in 1:53:21.

Monday, Sep 05:

Nice 6.4-mile loop today.  By myself this time - I can go a little faster that way.  1:35:13, for an overall pace of 14:53.  Not great, but good enough.

Sunday, Sep 04:

Local neighborhoods with my girls, 4.7 miles in 1:53:00.  Or so.

Saturday, Sep 03:

SCV Runners   We had six walkers today - nice time.  A strong 4 miles in about 62 minutes, just a little slower than 15 minutes/mile.  Enjoyable conversation.

Friday, Sep 02:

We three walked across the big highway into the Sanctuary and back home.  Nice time together.  4.5 hours in about 1:30:00.  We didn't really hurry.

Thursday, Sep 01:

Lovely Hike   We three walked & ran from home to a co-op grocery a few miles away.  Total 7.5 miles in 3:49, but we spent a lot of that time goofing around.  Very hilly.

Wednesday, August 31:

We three walked the favorite lake-trail 5k in 52:17.  Nice.

Monday, August 29:

Four miles, and then walked another mile to the sports doctor.  I had hoped that he would tell me not to worry about the strange sensations in the left Achilles tendon, but he did NOT say that.  He thinks there may be an injury, and that it would be in the junction of the bottom of the calf muscles and the top of the Achilles tendon.

He suggested a "rehab" exercise, which I have done but less regularly than he suggested, and a stretch, which I have done a little more regularly.  Here's hoping.  A serious Achilles injury would put me out of the marathon business for a while.

Sunday, Aug 28:

Sixteen Miles At a fairly good pace.  I wasn't trying to go very fast, but the pace turned out to be 15:30 despite several nature breaks and even one wrong turn which must have cost at least a couple of minutes.  No real problem with the left Achilles

Saturday, Aug 27:

My girls and I walked to the organic market and back, with backpacks to carry what we bought.  About seven miles in about 2:30:00.  That might include the time that we spent in the market, plus some strolling around downtown.  Very hilly.  We had a nice time.

Thursday, Aug 25:

Six miles in 1:35:03, pace 15:51.  Hot & slow, coddling the Achilles tendon.  I didn't feel anything there at all, so I cancelled Monday's appointment with the sports doctor.

Later that night I felt twinges in the Achilles in bed, so early the next morning I recaptured that sports doctor appointment.

Wednesday, Aug 24:

4.2 miles in 1:01:36, pace 14:40, striding easy, gentle on the left Achilles tendon.

Monday, Aug 22:

Cool, dry, sunny, breezy   In other words, nearly perfect in every way.  What a day.  A very hilly but enjoyable twelve miles in 3:02:31, for an average pace of 15:13.  It might have been a little more than 12 miles, too, so perhaps a little under 15 minutes/mile, and I wasn't hustling too hard today.

Whining: There was (and later still is) an occasional tightening of a muscle at the point where the calf connects to the top of the left Achilles tendon.  It doesn't hurt, like a pulled muscle or a cramp, it just feels tight for maybe 20 seconds and then loosens up again.  I take it as a warning sign, though.  I've been laying down a lot of miles, and I'll take a day or two off and then cut back some.