Not So Super Sunday

Sunday was not only the day for the Super Bowl, it was another training day for the LA Roadrunners. This time a 30-minute shakedown run following the 14 mile excursion Saturday.

I was a bit pleased that it was not raining, despite the forecast; I like the rain and all, but it does make running in the pre-dawn harder.

I set out and headed past a 24-hour doughnut shop where a few patrons were getting an early start on the non-healthy food for the day. Somehow doughnuts did not make the training manual.

My calves and quads quickly felt heavy yet again. I may need to eat more protein (well, the nutritionist speaker the day before had said protein helps with muscle recovery). Also, the damaged nail/toe was a bit dodgy. This all led to me slowing right down unfortunately.

I did my time (geez, it makes running seem like prison); but, I was not running well. I was just in survival mode again.

I did make it home; but, I did not have fun and started thinking of ways to make this better. Then, soon I was facing a class of CCD kids ... at which point I wished I was running! Still, not quite the image that will grace a cover of a running magazine.

13:58 pace ... ugh
2.28 miles
31:54

Upping the Ante

I am becoming more and more convinced that with the LA Roadrunners and marathon training running it is indeed all or nothing. I always kind of had that attitude when I played sports in school; but, now, I have seen other groups lose people in the middle of runs (our pace leaders for Lucky 7 say they are pleased we all go out together and come back together).

So, this morning, I awoke to darkness as usual and rain as unusual. I decided that this was one of those test days, especially as the ante was being upped: longer minutes and faster pace, plus a bit of a sore knee. Anyways, I decided what the heck ... vamonos!

So, I set out with the addition of a Raiders little windbreaker to the normal gear. I had won it at a Super Bowl party a few years ago and finally have some reason to use it ... they had even won Sunday somehow and even my dislike for them could not counter its utility.

I started out decently and got to my faster pace pretty well.

I then found myself losing the new faster target pace as numerous stoplights, problems with sidewalks, etc. required a lot of stop-and-go running which made it hard to lock on to the speed. I also started thinking about the slick sidewalks as on Saturday a pace leader fell on a little bit of standing water on a dry day! So, visions of going facefirst onto cement at 4:30 a.m. were soon in my head. My knee also twinged a little.

I guess it was a so-so run. I am trying to evaluate it. I did 11:09 pace (faster by a lot over the aerobic pace goals; but, slower than 10:30 I wanted) for 4.15 miles in 46:16. My knee also gave me a little concern. So, those were the negatives. The positives were I ran pretty well considering the knee and the weather conditions as well as first time in a long time at faster pace (September!). I hope to get to the faster pace as soon as possible obviously; but, still some positive signs among the need to be improved signs. I hope when the group goes to the faster pace in a few weeks I will be alright. I am also pleased a bit that on a day when it would have been easy to make excuses and not go ... I did.

So, I hope things will get better and improve. I'm trying ... At least running in the rain is fun!