Six Little Runs

In the Lost Dutchman Marathon I had a little trouble with my left hip.  At the time I thought it was hip flexors, which do give trouble from time to time but are never a limiting factor, and they always clear up soon after the marathon.  Not so this time.

Since the marathon we've run three times in the local soccer dome, once each in two different YMCA's, and once at Snap Fitness.  Each time I intended to run three miles, but in five of the six runs I stopped after two miles because of the hip pain.  It's not severe enough to stop me from running, but it shouldn't keep happening and suggests an actual injury, not just some stressed ligaments, so I stop.

The one time I didn't stop at two miles I ran very slowly, using a run/walk ratio of about 1 to 4 in distance, or 2 to 11 in paces, resulting in an actual speed of about 13:35 min/mi.  At that pace the pain showed up briefly and then subsided.  If sustained, the pace would bring a 6-hour marathon finish, but without any time for bathroom breaks or anything else.

That was yesterday.  Today I increased the running to a ratio of about 2 to 3 in distance, or 1 to 2 in paces, resulting in an actual speed of 12:40, which extrapolates out to a marathon of about 5:32, thus allowing sufficient breaks for a 6-hour finish.  Unfortunately, though, the hip pain showed up enough that I stopped after two miles again.

I need to take two or three days off for healing, maybe more.  But there's another marathon coming up pretty soon  ...