Week X

Week X
29.2 miles logged

The week started out strong. I like to get the 8 mile run out of the way to create as much separation as I can between it and the long run. I ran a light 9:46 pace for the 8 miler due to the desire to keep my joints intact for the long run. My right side of my hip on the medial side has a feeling of joint erosion lately and I suspect I have tendonitis from speed work and so many trail runs so fast. I was introduced to running trails less than 6 months ago and I think the hills and surfaces have punished me a bit. Don't care, not gonna stop. I love them too much.

Next run was again after my work shift in the morning. I ran the 4.3 mile loop in the trails with Nick, one of my new running partners. I've found so many great running partners in the last 6 months and it has really taken some of the edge off of the milage. The run was great and fast for me in the trails. 9:13/mile is a bit faster than I usually set out to run them, but it wasn't difficult.

Then the long run. Bonked again. Started at 7 am thinking I would escape the heat, which I am increasingly convinced I am intolerant of. I missed the sun, but I got 98% humidity. Brian and I couldn't even see any part of the sky. Mile 9 came and I was out of water and losing fluid too fast. I got behind my demand for fluids and the life ran out of me. I struggled with breathing, cramping, and started having panic attacks and needed to close my eyes and listen to my breaths to keep moving. We reached water, but the damage was done. I was afraid of my first ever DNF. That would have been lame, so I fought through and finished the miles. I had to catch my breath a lot and went through a lot of water. I left my long run discouraged again, but glad to have been mentally tested. These are the things I believe make a good runner. Running is so much mental and i need to get my butt kicked sometimes to learn to get pissed and try something new and overcome. I took off my last 4 mile run of the week to get my bearings and rest. It took me two days to feel normal again. I cramped for a full day on and off and had a weird hormone thing going on that made me emotional. I didn't cry though, I'm a man. I feel good now.

Next week is a swapped step down week, as we signed up for an 18 mile training run with RunDetroit the following week. I am determined to go into that one angry and find a better way. The long run will be 13 miles. I have secured Nick, my wife, and her running partner Tracy to meet me in Ann Arbor after my shift and put the 13 behind us.

The above picture is of my colossal calf cramp.



Sing.
Migrate.