Two Runs

Tuesday, April 8:

The idea for this run was to push the pace a little and charge the hills, in anticipation of a much hillier race in a couple of weeks. I ran hard enough to make it feel a bit like a race, with race-pace breathing, and was disappointed when the first mile clocked in at 8:59. The eventual average pace for the 4-mile run was 8:36, not what I had hoped, but it will have to do for now. Temperature 38, very little breeze, I wore tights, one shirt, and a wind jacket.

Slight pain in the left achilles tendon, noticed on the last downhill. Noticeable again the next morning. Hope it’s nothing. Stretch, stretch, stretch. Also the next morning my resting heart rate was 40, which is low for me. Normally it is 46 to 50. This “bradycardia” is most likely a side effect of the CC-4047 study drug that I am taking for the myeloma. If it's also happening while I run, it could account in part for the slower-than-expected pace.

I’ve almost reached the mileage limit on my “training” pair of Brooks Burns shoes. It’s my 16th pair, but now the Burn has been discontinued. I have to switch my 17th pair from “racing” over to training, and buy a new pair for racing on the discontinued shoes market or figure out what to use for a replacement. Very light, cushioned, neutral shoes.

Monday, April 7:

Objectives of a “recovery” run: (1) Keep muscles loose; and (2) Avoid injury & maybe reduce the likelihood of future injury. Should be followed by stretches, as should all runs. Today I ran three easy miles on the NSPCC indoor track (rainy out), and it felt good. Splits: 8:59, 8:57, 8:58, total 26:54, pace 8:58.



Breakfast: Irish oatmeal with cranberries and organic flame raisins, Don's nut/fruit/berry mix, organic walnuts, dried hibiscus blossoms, banana, organic pomegranate juice, blueberries, nonfat organic milk.


Lunch: Cold-fighting chicken soup with organic chicken, onions, organic carrots, organic pepper, and more. Almost a stew really. And the cold is gone!


Dinner: Wild-caught Alaskan salmon (processed in the USA) with organic yogurt and dill, organic romaine lettuce with cucumber, blue cheese, and sunflower seeds, all topped with a little homemade guacamole a la Sunshine & a bit of organic red wine vinegar, roasted asparagus. Doesn't get much better than this!