Never Again

Will I do a long run on DEX day!  I took my 40 mg of dexamethasone last night, as part of the new weekly myeloma treatment regimen.  DEX makes a person feel peppy all day the next day, as if seriously over-caffeinated.  That feeling is misleading, though, because DEX actually interferes with the transfer of glucose into muscles, so my legs felt weak and tired after the first mile. 

Result: I can usually walk faster than 15 minutes per mile, but today the pace was 16:01, even though I tried to go as fast as usual and it felt like I was.  True - there were some distractions; I stopped three times to chat briefly or pet a sweet dog, and was on the phone (possibly walking slower) for 15 minutes, but those don't account for the 14-minute difference.  I walked all but the last 60 meters, which I ran just to see if I could.  A little stiff, and yup I could, but I'm glad I didn't run any more than that because the right thigh was feeling it.

Whining:

• Back:  No problem with the usual place on the right side, but I did feel a little pain on the left side, a little higher up.  It's a familiar pain from long runs and marathons, though, so I'm not concerned about it. 
• Thigh:  The right thigh that usually gives trouble lately didn't bother much.  At about mile 7.5 I felt a sharp pain toward the inside, perhaps in an adductor muscle or ligament, but that went away.  Yay!

Based on today's walk I believe that I can run the next marathon at a 15- or 16-minute pace and finish it within the time limit.  I'd prefer to do a 14-minute pace, with a little running, but I'll make that judgment on race morning.

Saturday, July 11:

Another 4-Mile Walk   With the St Croix Valley Runners.  Out two miles on the Zephyr Trail, then back.  It's a very pleasant walk on an old railbed, now nicely blacktopped, with a lovely bridge over the only busy road that the trail crosses.  It's the kind of trail that a person could do every morning without getting tired of it.  Four miles in 56:30, pace 14:08, all walking, no running.  

My back didn't hurt during the walk, though it did hurt a little afterward.  The right thigh bothered a little, but not too much and it didn't get worse.