April 19th & 20th

My new training motto……….

” The only way to become a MONSTA is to train like a MONSTA.” ?

Wednesday –  A good day of work with my new commitment to serious training. I was in motion for 100 minutes with 45 minutes of biking , 35 minutes in the pool swimming  and running, plus 20 minutes in the weight room.

Thursday – While aggressively and  proactively treating for plantar fasciitis, I headed to the cinder track for a test workout day. After a considerable amount of walking, jogging and stretching, I decided to attempt some 200m pickups which I have measured out on the 800m track. My goal was to stay within the one-minute range per each 200m effort while maintaining a short quick stride. I managed to complete 8 x 200m all below 1 minute, which is an 8 minute per mile pace.  My legs and breathing were fine.  The foot ached most of the way, but the discomfort remained constant.  (A MONSTA  fears no pain.) That was the first real running workout I accomplished in a few weeks, and it felt very good!

STATS –

I-MAD = 0

I-MID = 3

A.M.HR =54BPM

SLEEP = 7 HOURS

Weight = #155

WORKOUT = ABOVE

April 17th, Patriots Day

Galen Rupp inspired me today at the Boston Marathon! He finished second after suffering with a sore foot for the last month.  I have been reading my blog from last year when I had the same injury in April and May.  When I finally had an MRI performed the diagnosis was inflammation of the plantar fascia. My response was to shorten my runs,  ice a lot,  supplement with ibuprofen,  wear the night-time brace and suffer through  until things straightened out. Rupp had two cortisone shots. Beginning to wonder if that is something I might consider.

So, after the Boston Marathon, I decided to do a test run on the boardwalk today for 30 minutes. The conventional wisdom is that with plantar fasciitis  the discomfort declines as the run proceeds.  Well, the soreness neither increased nor decreased as I continued to run.  I am not sure what that means exactly: but the level of discomfort is not such that I cannot tolerate it for 30 minutes at a time. The morning after tells the tale.?

The little guy from Kenya dropped a pretty quick 4:26 mile to break Rupp on the 21st mile of the race today!  NASTY!

Stats –

I-Mad = 0

I-Mid = 3

a.m.HR = 54BPM

Weight = #156

Sleep = 10 hours

Workout = 30 minutes easy. (Test)

April 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th

Nothing to report.  Resting, heating foot, taking ibuprofen. A little depressed. Maybe a lot.

April 12, Tuesday

Another day off my feet…….

Went back to the club today for weights, swimming and deep water running. After a  short, 15 minute, light, weight room session to warm up, I headed for the pool.   I swam for 23 minutes non-stop, a new recent PR. Then I ran 30 minutes in the deep water. Within 30 minutes I ran a 1200 stride continuous effort pretty good speed to simulate a whole mile. Then I ran a 600 stride effort simulating a half mile. All this is based on my calculation that 75 strides equals 100 meters on a track. I think that 75 strides is really longer than 100m, but it’s close and convenient. Both these efforts were quite difficult, but I was happy to complete them as I think it showed me that my aerobics are still solid and my legs have not lost too much strength.  (1200 quick strides in water is pretty tough!)

The foot is getting close to pain free.??

Stats-

I-Mad = 0

I-Mid = 3

a.m.HR =54BPM

Sleep = 8 hours

Weight =  #155

Workout = above

April 10, Monday

National 1500m is two months from today!!!

Spent a day off yesterday enjoying brunch with Kristen in Philadelphia while reclaiming our house plants, then  sharing dinner with Matty O’Rourke  as he prepared our tax return.  Today I returned to the pool for a pretty strenuous 30 minute effort. In the course of 30 minutes running in the deep end I inserted 7 x 150 to 200 stride pickups. I calculated that about 150 strides is what it would take on a track for me to cover 200 meters. It is pretty aerobically demanding and works my leg muscles quite a bit.  So in my head I did a workout on the track of 7 x 200 meters in 30 minutes including warm up cool down?

Stats –

I-Mad = 0  ☺

I- MId = 3/4.  ?

a.m.HR =54BPM

Weight = #154

Sleep = 8 hours + an afternoon nap. ?

April 8th,  Sunday

Water logging (LOL)

I am inspired today by a comment from my hero, Matt Hoh.( Matt is my hero because he is a warrior for his country and a man of honor. Plus  young men like Matt made coaching and teaching a joy.)  This was his comment.

In 1991, Coach, you had me run in the pool when I had an Achilles injury. A few months later I barely lost the Group III, 800m state championship, I think the pool may work fine for you too ?

I do remember that race at South Plainfield. Matt and Pat Redmond were both in the hot heat. The finish was a blur of five guys lunging simultaneously at the tape.  I wish I had a copy of the photo finish because I did see it. Pat was awarded third place even though he was not in the picture thanks to my friend Bill Bannon who was the photo analyst. Pat was sprawled  on the track across the finish line, and the camera did not catch his body.

I also remember that Matt  anchored our 1st Place Eastern State Championship 4 by 800m relay, running a 1:53 for the 800m.  That team of Brian Harris, Brenden Heffernan and Pat Redman ran 7:48 that night. It was the fastest time in New Jersey that year and remains the North Hunterdon High School and Hunterdon County record to this day.

Thank you for the encouragement and a nice memory, Matt.

Stats –

I-Mad = 0

I-Mid = 4

a.m.HR =54BPM

Weight = #145

Sleep = 9.5 hrs

Workout = 1 hour at club;  15 lift – 15 swim  – 30 water fun

April 7th, Friday

Today I became resigned to the reality that I will have to get the major portion my work done in the water for at least another week or two. The strained muscle in my foot is healing very slowly and it makes no sense to run on the surface.  I just looked at my log I can last April and I am writing basically the same entries about a strained muscle in my foot. That time it took almost a month for the foot to completely heal which was exactly what the first doctor I went to told me it would take. So it’s lifting and water running for the foreseeable future.

Today I worked out in the fitness lab for 25 minutes lifting, lightly because it’s been a while. Then I ran in the water for 40 minutes. I decided to do 10 of the pick up series 30 -20 – 10. Now on the ground it would be 30 seconds at 5K pace, 20 seconds at 800-meter pace and 10 seconds all out.  In the water I count strides 60 – 35 – 25. Ten sets is the most I have ever done,  so I was pretty happy with today’s effort.  I finished with 15 minutes in the whirlpool mostly focusing on massaging the sore foot.

Stats –

I-Mad = 0

I-Mid = 4/5 ?

a.m.HR =54BPM

Sleep =8 hours

Weight =#154

WORKOUT = ???? 65 minutes

April 5th, Tuesday

A good session of alternative training at clubhouse tonight.  Biking and light lifting in exercise room, 20 minute swim and 20 minute water running in pool. A total of 65 minutes.

Stats –

I-Mad =0

I-Mid = 5.  ?

A.m.HR =54BPM

Weight = #156

Sleep = 8 hours

Workout = 65 minutes at club

April 1, 2, 3

???  FEELING ANTSY

This plus70Runner is feeling a little antsy these days because of the slow pace at which my foot is healing. This is clearly not a serious problem, but it is preventing me from doing any serious work. I was in very good shape two weeks ago when I ran the St. Augustine Lighthouse 5K in My Best Time Ever. I was anxious to get back to New Jersey with my goals having been accomplished to be in good aerobic shape and injury-free. Well I think I’m still in pretty good aerobic shape, but this injury is nagging me. I was planning to begin doing speed work in April and May in order to run a competitive time at the Senior Nationals. Speed work, and in fact any work, is on hold for a few more days until I get the foot issue under control.  So I will be doing work that does not involve impact or pushing go off my left foot. I can bike and swim and run in the water.  ???

Saturday- Spent 7 hours on my feet today at the Raider relays. I don’t think it helped my foot very much.

Sunday – Today I ran a very slow 2 miles in about 30 minutes at the cinder track. . My foot was hurting during the entire run. It never got better. This is what makes me believe I do not have plantar fasciitis, because if I did, the discomfort would slowly disappear as I got warmed up. Have to stay with the concept that I have a strained muscle in my foot.

Monday-Today was an indoor day at the clubhouse riding the bike, swimming  and running in the deep water,  no impact or push off.  (I hour of work)

STATS – STABLE

March 30,  Wednesday

Foot healing: rode bike for 32 minutes today.  5 miles.  First time on bike in a few months. New goal is to start running on Sunday.   Saturday will be a long day on feet at Raider Relays. Trying to stay positive and focused.