Today’s Focus

 Run – Just run

Planned Workout Description: 

10:00 Minute Warm-up

8 x 2:00 minute run, with 2:00 minute walk recoveries

After yesterday’s day off and slacking off on more than a few things lately, I need to get back into the routine of doing the plan, eating better, and doing the non-running stuff that will help me run better in the long run

Warm-up: 

20 leg swing routine (front, side, forward and back rotations) 

40 air squats

100-ups 

Run #1

·    Course:  Philbrick/Howard Lap

·    Distance: 1.42

·    Duration: 12:46

·    Power: 222

·    Running Streak Day #: 1

Run #2

·    Course:  Troy Trail O/B 2:00 run/2:00 minute walk recovery & Full Recovery Strides (Run/Walk Rehab run)

·    Distance: 4.19

·    Duration: 48:32

·    Power: 160

What I Actually Did: 

The first run was to warm up and get ready for the rehab run, then I got this great idea to go faster for 3:00 minutes, just to see how the Achilles was feeling. So after coming out of Howard, I picked up the pace to something I thought I could hold for that time. I didn’t do that well with the pacing and effort, but the Achilles did a LOT better than I thought it would. Progress.

The second part was 2:00 minutes of running with 2:00 minutes walking, and I did pretty well. I did the 5:00 minute warm-up section as a slow run, and then the 2:00 minutes of running nicely until I got to the bottom of Stevens Hill, a run segment ended at the lower gate, so I just kept running through to the end of the next segment. Then changed the next run segment to a walk segment. I made it up the hill without too many problems. I only had one run segment left, and the Achilles was feeling good, so I thought that I would see how it felt to run a little faster.

I did a faster finish to the last segment and then three more strides with full walking recoveries between. It was odd running faster for a change, even with me keeping a close watch on making sure that nothing felt off with the Achilles.

Variables that impacted the run:

Injuries/Niggles: The left Achilles is progressing. It needed yesterday off as a rest day and did better than I expected this morning when running faster than I have for a while. Everything else felt pretty good.

Weather: Broken clouds, 77°F, Feels like 74°F, Humidity 53%, Wind 10mph from W

Shoes: ASICS Magic Speeds (14.91) – Did everything I wanted to do comfortably. The only thing I might change about them for a longer run would be snugging up the heel just a little. They do not have the ASICS thunk when I put my foot in, and while they haven’t bothered on the runs I have done in them so far, I don’t have that locked-down feel that I have in both the EvoRide 2 or Nimbus Lite 2s.

Other Stuff 

Matt’s dogs came out a Bennie and me while we were walking this morning. The girl and Mom were in the garden, and the dogs were in the driveway. They came at Bennie and me when we were across the road. The girl stopped Duke, and a couple of the goldens did get pretty close while acting very aggressive. No, they did not attack us. They finally listened to the girl’s commands. No apologies, nothing, just acting like it was our fault their dogs came at us on the other side of the road.

Later in the day, I had to play with a lawnmower that wasn’t working, put in an air conditioner, and mow the road piece. It was a pretty busy afternoon.

Prehab & Rehab – stuff that I have to do

Strength Work – I did the strength work, and after not doing the tire whacking for 3 days, it hurt. Still doing the step calf routines, which I think are the main reasons I am doing so well.

Stretching – In the evening, I managed to do some of the stretching but was pretty tired.

Mobility – The pill bottle and I got to know one another pretty well again, and I did ice after running in the morning and again in the evening.

Balance – The single-leg balancing is something that I really need to work on, especially the eyes closed version. I can feel the little stabilizer muscles being worked quite hard when I am doing them.