Grrrr!!!

The injury that won't quit.

The foot is fine -- no more plantar fasciitis. The hamstring injury just won't give up. It was in the middle of the left hamstring leading up to and past my Hyannis marathon. Not enough to totally derail the training and race, but enough to have had some effect. Trained and raced through it.

After resting for a while, started up with the training again. So the hamstring injury moved up the muscle into my butt. A real pain in the butt. Meanwhile, the plantar fasciitis shows up. I'm sure each of these was affecting the other.

After backing off again, some total rest and then starting back up again, the foot pain (plantar fasciitis) is gone. Meanwhile the hamstring injury moves its way back down my leg to the hamstring tendons (behind the knee). It seemed to be getting better.

It just got worse again.

And again I will have to back off on running. Increase the cross-training. Ice it. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

And so now, the Tucson marathon would be too soon for a serious BQ attempt. If I can resume training again in another 4 to 6 weeks, I could possibly do the Arizona Rock N Roll marathon as a BQ attempt. Weather would be good. It's flat. A little crowded at the beginning, but doable. But training in Boston all the way into January.

Gonna have to take this one week at a time.

Grrrr!!!

Base Build-up

OK, I'm back to base build-up. Finally.

No pain in the foot, and the hamstring is just a minor issue now -- and icing it is really helping.
Last week I accumulated 26 miles in four runs. Longest was Sunday morning's 9 miler. It was pretty warm, but I got through it OK. I was starting to fade about halfway through. I had run across the Mass. Ave. bridge (Harvard bridge) and was heading back when I passed a runner who had stopped to take a gel. We ran the rest of the way along the river together and it was enjoyable having someone to talk to. He kept me going at a good pace for most of the remainder of my run.

This week I add another running day (five total) and will put in 32 or 33 miles (long run of 11 on Sunday). Today's 7 miler at lunch was also a bit warm, but carrying water really helps -- drinking it early in the run, sprinkling it over my head towards the end of the run.

The following week I need to be in the high 30's for mileage (12 to 14 mile long run) -- cause then the countdown to the BQ (attempt) begins. 18 weeks until the Tucson marathon.

C-Ya

Back On Track

Well, almost...

I've now gone more than a week with NO PAIN in my foot! (Yeah) On the other hand, the pain in my knee has been lingering. (Boo) However, I think I've figured out what it is -- and it's not my knees. (Yeah) It's inflamation of the hamstring tendons. (Boo)

Left hamstring again?! WTF? The good news is that it seems to be controllable. Icing, gentle stretching, and I've been able to do my 6 and 7 mile runs. That's good, because if I want to make a run at a BQ in Tucson in December, I've got to get my base mileage up -- like NOW.


So, yeah, I am finally getting back on track. The weather has been warm and a bit humid. But the trails are mostly shaded so it's been great recently.

As soon as I know whether I'm back on track for my training schedule, I'll update my upcoming race schedule.

C-Ya

Where was Kurt?

day lilies sway
under whispering oaks;
splashes of summer


[Had to start with haiku -- composed on my run on Tuesday]

So where has Kurt been? Well, on vacation for one thing. Nova Scotia in particular -- mostly Cape Breton Island. That place is freaking amazing. I'll be going back. Next time with a bike. That place is made for bicycling. I'll post some pictures soon.

But that only explains about a week or so of my absence. What gives?

Injury recovery.

I've had a chronic hamstring (low-grade) injury since BEFORE my last marathon. I developed some sort of plantar fasciitis after the marathon. And to top it off, I started having some pain in the backs of my knees.

I backed off. I did more cross-training. I took two weeks off (that did not really help). So here's where I am now...

The hamstring injury is gone. (Yeah!)
The knee pain is pretty much gone. (Yeah, again!)
The plantar fasciitis is still lingering a bit. (Boo!) But I think I have it under control.

After the two weeks off, I went out for an easy run. Within a block my heel was hurting like hell. After a bit, it sort of stretched out and I finished the run OK. This week, on Tuesday I did 7 miles at an easy pace. I stretched my foot every way I could think of before I started. Virtually NO PAIN! Just to be complete, I iced it at my desk for a while after the run. Yesterday, walked several miles (down to the Charles River -- Harvard Bridge -- Boston's amazing 4th of July celebration) -- no pain in the heel. Today will probably be about 6 miles. We'll see how it goes.

And it needs to start going, cause it's time to start building back up for my run at a BQ in December.

C-Ya