Saturday December 2, 2006. Six miles indoors

NSP Community Center track, 6 mi in 48:53, pace 8:09. Marathon pace. Splits 8:31, 8:10, 8:03, 8:03, 8:15, & 7:53. We three went to the Reindeer Run this morning, but it was so darn cold we decided to watch all of the costumed runners go by at the start and then go home to run at the gym. Temp was almost OK, but there was a stiff wind, and we really didn't want to face it on the far side of the lake. But on the track at the gym I felt very good, no sign of hamstring trouble. I knew it would be a good afternoon when the first mile was 8:31 instead of 9:00. And my breathing was five or six strides per full breath through at least the first four miles, really changing to four strides per breath only for the last mile. For me, this is an indicator of good aerobic capacity when I can breathe that easily at marathon pace. A little warning from the right knee around mile 2, but it passed.

Looking at running the Zoom! Yah! Yah! Marathon in Northfield on January 14. It's Minnesota's first indoor marathon, 150 laps on a 283-meter track, certified BQ. Sounds like quite a snore, but I've done 20-milers on a much shorter indoor track (270 laps / 20 mi) so this won't be bad, and there will be support. Very small field, half-filled already I think. But can I get ready for it without re-injury? We'll see. I need to be sure that I take at least two days off from running every week. Pete Pfitzinger wrote a wonderful article in the January issue of Running Times (the current issue). To paraphrase one point: "There is no such thing as overtraining; there is only under-recovery." And I need to stretch regularly, even on the off days, especially the conventional hamstring stretch and the toe-touches.

I notice that I'm writing more in this log now that it's also going on the web and I can imagine that someone else might actually read it. That's ego for ya. But I hope that in my creaky, cranky years I will enjoy looking back on this log.

Thu 2006 Nov 30, 2 miles indoors

NSP Community Center 2 mi, 17:50, pace 8:55. Just a nice indoor jog, followed by upper-body resistance training. Fills out 25 miles on the week, and only 71 (!) on the month, including the NYC marathon. Tsk. But ramping back up now. Next week 30 miles including a 10-mile "long" run. Sunday pee in a bottle all day (24-hour urine collection), then regular 3-month myeloma blood draw on Monday.

Wed 2006 Nov 29, 5.8 mi, 20 deg

Woodbury Runners 5.8 mi, 47:54, pace 8:16. Uff-da. The good news is I have no pain in the hamstrings, and the bad news is that this felt like a 5k race. I really did lose some endurance in those 18 days off (duh!). Went with Jim, who slowed to run with me, bless his heart. Three other runners pretty much smoked us. But then again they're not in their sixties yet :-)

Some pain in the right knee, but I think I may have stepped crooked or something. Temporary problem. Tried to go slow enough to maintain a 4-step per breath pace today, not entirely successful because it's a hilly course. But almost entirely on paved trails, safer than roads after dark. All but one of us wore a headlamp tonight. In a windy 20 degrees, I wore three shirts and a jacket up top, with knee warmers, long sox, and my "teflon" pants below. Perfect. Faces got a little cold going into the wind, but fine on the home stretch. A masterpiece! Tomorrow NSP Community Center indoor track for a short run and upper-body workout, then relax until the Reindeer Run on Saturday.

Tue, 2006 Nov 28, 8 mi indoors

North St Paul Community Center (NSPCC) indoor track, 8 mi in 1:11:22, 8:55 pace. 13 ½ laps per mile, nothing more boring except a treadmill. This is better because the track has windows on all sides, and because I go past A & S every two or three laps. I was shooting for a 9:00 pace, so this is fine. No complaint from the hamstring! I felt an ache there during the stretches later, but I'm hoping that is just part of the healing process.

According to my breathing at that 8:55 pace, I didn't lose too much during the 18-day respite from running. When running at marathon pace, I normally take four footsteps for each full in-and-out breath. Today I was taking five or six, so I was breathing easy. That's good - I should be back to normal soon. Maybe I already am. But still going easy on that hammy. Tomorrow another six miles, easy again, maybe in snow? I love snow, as long as there is no ice underneath.

My Myeloma

I've decided to put more information about my own myeloma on this blog. Here are three links. The Test Results Table may not look right in your browser unless you widen your browser window:

• My Myeloma


• Test Result Table


• Treatment Table

These links are also in the righthand panel, and the data will be kept up to date. Next doctor visit is December 11.

Sun 2006 Nov 26, 4 mi, 50 deg

Three-Legion Run, 4 mi, pace 8:30. A little faster than I wanted to go, but it felt slow enough. I wonder if I should re-measure that route - is it a little short? Nothing heard from the right hamstring during the run, slight dull ache afterward again. Anyway it appears that I got away with an easy run two days in a row. That's a very good thing. And what an excellent day to run! No wind, hazy sun, beautiful. Next is an 8-miler on Tuesday; my "long" run of the week. Big deal. Keep stretching, massaging, knee lifts (what are those called, when you stand on one foot and bend the other at the knee, lifting the foot back and up as high as it will go?). Anyway, I'll do those and report back on Tuesday. Meantime, today is a masterpiece, in the bank already.

Sat 2006 Nov 25, 5 mi, 27 deg

St Croix Valley Runners 5 mi, pace 9:09. What a beautiful morning. Cool and crisp with the sun rising through streaks of clouds. And after two Thanksgiving dinners I needed to run! No pain during the run, I felt strong. Even doubled back once to join a couple of guys behind me. We had A&S, George, Dave, Tom, Al, Gauss, & Paul. Nice group.

But I have a minor concern. Or is it not so minor? After taking 18 days off from running, I still feel the hamstring after the run, going up stairs, or as I sit down. Both Thursday and today. Not during the run, but later. Is this a normal part of the healing process, or am I just starting to re-injure it? Should I take more time off, or start a therapy program, or just run until it pops again and then take time off? Curious minds want to KNOW! Sigh. For now here's the plan, subject to better advice: (1) Keep running slowly and build up both the weekly mileage and long run conservatively; (2) Do stretches more religiously; (3) Start doing standing knee bends; (4) More self-massage on the affected hamstring muscles. Let's see how that goes. At bottom: I'm alive, feeling great, life is good. All else is just noise.