Clawing My Way Back

5 miles with a warmup for Friday morning. Not too bad. 39:59 after a 17 for 2 miles. Then I ran a 2 miles at the park with my son. Wow. He actually ran a mile. He is almost three. I did not push him, he just kept running. Then I ran 7 miles at a 53:30 on Saturday to give me 35 miles for the week. Not too bad. Now, today I ran 7 miles at a 55:10. The first 5 miles were at 40 and then I sped it up. I have 7 miles for the week.

It is hot outside. Looking for a high of 97-98. Is this fall? Well I do know the high on Saturday will be 85, so we must hang on until then. I will run at a 7:42 pace for the first two miles and 7:30 pace the last five miles. Still struggling with the Soleus. The compression socks help a ton.

You would think by that heading it was all over. Nope. I call this run redemption. This is the first back to back 7 milers I have done in a long while. This has been the kookiest summer I have ever had. I started with a 7:54 pace and after two miles, a 7:48 pace and the last mile, 7:42. It was really hot upstairs, but I kept plugging away.I ended with a 54:30 for 7 miles. Again, confidence builder. I will do one just like it tomorrow. I have 14 miles this week.

Haven't checked in for awhile now so I was glad to see your training is still going. Hope you get cooler temps soon. I know it shouldn't be too long now. Hope the calf issue continues to improve.

jon c wrote:Haven't checked in for awhile now so I was glad to see your training is still going. Hope you get cooler temps soon. I know it shouldn't be too long now. Hope the calf issue continues to improve.

Yeah, slowly but surely. I still have not made it back to my orthotic folks. Time constraints are a big issue. The compression socks are really helping. I know I can easily get back to a 7:30 pace. Now, 7 minute pace, not sure without the tweaking. We are heading for our THIRD hottest September ever. This all started back in April. Amazing. Well, we have a 97 today, 97 tomorrow and 95 on Friday to close out September. Then the high on Saturday, get this....wait for it....83. Wowzers. Downright cold.



WITH ONLY FOUR DAYS LEFT IN THE MONTH...SEPTEMBER 2011 IS SET TO
BECOME ONE OF THE WARMEST SEPTEMBERS ON RECORD ACROSS MUCH OF
INLAND SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

FOR COLLEGE STATION...
THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR SEPTEMBER (THROUGH 9/26) HAS BEEN
83.4 DEGREES WHICH CURRENTLY RANKS AS THE 3RD WARMEST SEPTEMBER
ON RECORD (1ST PLACE IS 85.2 DEGREES SET IN 2005). IN
2011...COLLEGE STATION HAS HAD THEIR 1ST WARMEST APRIL...THEIR
10TH WARMEST MAY...THEIR 3RD WARMEST JUNE...THEIR 2ND WARMEST
JULY...AND THEIR 1ST WARMEST AUGUST.

FOR HOUSTON INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT...
THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR SEPTEMBER (THROUGH 9/26) HAS BEEN
82.8 DEGREES WHICH CURRENTLY RANKS AS THE 3RD WARMEST SEPTEMBER
ON RECORD (1ST PLACE IS 83.4 DEGREES IN 2005). IN 2011...HOUSTON
INTERCONTINENTAL HAS HAD THEIR 3RD WARMEST APRIL...THEIR 8TH
WARMEST MAY...THEIR 1ST WARMEST JUNE...THEIR 3RD WARMEST
JULY...AND THEIR 1ST WARMEST AUGUST.

FOR HOUSTON HOBBY AIRPORT...
THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR SEPTEMBER (THROUGH 9/26) HAS BEEN
82.8 DEGREES WHICH CURRENTLY RANKS AS THE 3RD WARMEST SEPTEMBER
ON RECORD (1ST PLACE IS 84.5 DEGREES IN 2005...AND 2ND PLACE IS
82.9 DEGREES IN 1998). IN 2011...HOUSTON HOBBY HAS HAD THEIR 3RD
WARMEST MARCH... THEIR 2ND WARMEST APRIL...THEIR 8TH WARMEST
MAY...THEIR 2ND WARMEST JUNE...THEIR 3RD WARMEST JULY...AND THEIR
1ST WARMEST AUGUST.

FOR GALVESTON...
THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR SEPTEMBER (THROUGH 9/26) HAS BEEN
82.5 DEGREES WHICH CURRENTLY RANKS AS THE 15TH WARMEST SEPTEMBER
ON RECORD (1ST PLACE IS 84.6 DEGREES IN 2005). IN
2011...GALVESTON HAS HAD THEIR 7TH WARMEST MAY...THEIR 1ST
WARMEST JUNE...THEIR 2ND WARMEST JULY...AND THEIR 1ST WARMEST
AUGUST.

I did not get to run yesterday. I swear I was totally shut out:



Meeting from 8 to 10 am

Meeting from 10 am to 11:30 am

Meeting from 12:00 to 1:30

Meeting from 2 to 3:30

Meeting from 3:30 to 5 pm

Drive home ( with an accident) 5 pm to 6 pm

Then..it was over. Man, snakebit.

Today, run at 4:45 pm.

Michael Mitchell wrote:I did not get to run yesterday. I swear I was totally shut out:



Meeting from 8 to 10 am

Meeting from 10 am to 11:30 am

Meeting from 12:00 to 1:30

Meeting from 2 to 3:30

Meeting from 3:30 to 5 pm

Drive home ( with an accident) 5 pm to 6 pm

Then..it was over. Man, snakebit.

Today, run at 4:45 pm.

4am wake up call man...SUCK IT UP!! Oh and you already know this but I HATE SUMMER!!!!

WORST SUMMER EVER.

Was not sure on this one. Came in with trepidations. I started with a 7:54 pace and by mile two, I was at a 7:48 pace. By mile five, (38:00), I was at a 7:14 pace. Now to some, this is crawling. Heck to me last June, this was ha ha pace. Since I have been humbled by this worst summer ever and with injuries, I can take what I can get. I ran a 52:30 for 7 miles and that means the last 14:30 was two miles. Now, this is a good thing. I am getting there. I have 21 miles this week.

I feel your weather pain. Still looking at 2 more weeks at least of high 80s/low 90s with lows in the 70s. That's just harsh. We get a cold front this weekend. For two days, the high will only be about 85. I may need a jacket.

And congrats on your progress. It's got to do wonders for your confidence.

healdgator wrote:And congrats on your progress. It's got to do wonders for your confidence.

Yep. We are getting a cold front. This Friday evening, I think. I will be in San Antonio this weekend for a mini-vacation, ( yes, I will be running in the early morning...woo hoo). I know my confidence will come back...somewhat slowly...thank you for the encouragement.

We are supposed to get a cold front here, too. We'll be up north, though...so even chillier there. Wisconsin and New York!

Enjoy your mini-vacation and the cooler weather!

You really are making good progress, Michael. Once the weather switches to something a little less brutal, I think you're going to see all the summer suffering pay off.

I ended up with 28 miles last week. I made some serious progress. I missed Tuesdsy because of a meeting and Thursday because of thunderstorms ( our lights were flickering). I ran a 53:30 for 7 miles on Friday and missed Saturday due to we being at Sea World in San Antonio. That is ok, I walked all day for 8 hours. Today was really good. I felt bloated and out of shape, but ran anyway. The first 3 miles were at 23:36 and the last four at 30:54, to give me a 54:30. Not bad for an easy day. I think this week will be a good one. I have 7 miles this week.

Another ladder workout. My soleus is STILL tweaking. Until I get my orthotics adjusted, I have to rely on the compression socks. First mile, 7:48 pace and ramped it up to a 7:19 pace. So there is something. I ran a 52:30 for 7 miles. I guess not too bad. I think eventually (maybe tomorrow perhaps), I can run a 52:30 for 7 miles for the whole way. The first four miles were at 30:36 and the last three miles were at 21:54. I guess there is hope. I will run 7 miles tomorrow at lunch for I have a meeting from 1:30 to 4:30 and I have to take my son to swimming lessons. Fun. I have 14 miles for the week.

Lunch run. 5 miles. That is all I had time for. It was hot and humid at the YMCA. I paid for it. 37:30 for the 5, but the soleus was tweaking the whole way. I am tired. Good night. I have 19 miles this week.

So is your race coming up in a few weeks...mine is 2 1/2 weeks away!

Joel H wrote:So is your race coming up in a few weeks...mine is 2 1/2 weeks away!

Not sure. Still working on my tweaking. Not there yet. The race is October 29....

Michael Mitchell wrote:

Joel H wrote:So is your race coming up in a few weeks...mine is 2 1/2 weeks away!

Not sure. Still working on my tweaking. Not there yet. The race is October 29....

You are ALWAYS tweaking man! You NEED TO SLOW DOWN to allow it to stop but you don't train that way so you will always be tweaking something! Until you get that into your thick skull you won't be uninjured. Ok, I am OFF MY SOAP BOX now.

Is it still the Monster Mash?

Yes Coach Higdon...LOL. Yes, Monster Mash 10K, October 29 at 7 am.

Last month I would have said, "Forget this, I am not running". Today, however, I am at least getting out there. It was brutal. Nothing in the tank. I tried to do something, but either I could not breathe ( I forgot to take my Zyrtec), my legs were heavy, or it was still too hot (77). I started off at a 7:48 pace, ramped it to a 7:42 pace and just could not go any faster. Ended with a 54:30 for 7 miles and just said the heck with it. I will get back to normal, just not today. I have 26 miles this week.

Today was not that bad. I am really impressed. First mile, 7:48 pace and by the last 2.25 miles, 7:30 pace which brought me to a 45:22 for 6 miles. Not bad. Very hot and humid, and I am tired, but I am slowly coming back. Slowly. I have 32 miles this week

Looks like another La Nina winter for us....I HATE LA NINA's!!

Joel H wrote:Looks like another La Nina winter for us....I HATE LA NINA's!!

Yes, although it might be as strong as you might first think. We do get snows and cold during La Ninas....