Day 113: 4/23: Run #99: 1.00mi, 8:00, Jersey City NJ

Quick one today because it was a rest day.  Went to get my calves massaged after, we'll see how tomorrow's run reacts to that.


The Workout
Supersets
6 Pullups/12 Hanging Leg Raises
12 Bosu Squats/15 Pushups


199.23 Miles over 99 runs this year so far, 2.01mi/run.

Will hit #200 on the trail tomorrow.

2.86mi/run since returning from injury.

Day 112: 4/22: Run #98: 4.50mi, 45:00, West Orange NJ

Strangely today went exactly how I wanted.  A slow trail run between 4 and 5 miles to test my calf.  Found a couple new small trails and just kind of roamed around at a very casual pace to make sure I wouldn't tighten up over this distance.  Hopefully I'll get a 55 minute run in on Wednesday and then run Bear Mountain for practice on Sunday for 6.5mi.

No splits today because I forgot to restart my watch after losing the trail for a minute around mile 2.

This concludes my 2nd week back from injury at 17.86mi despite only running 6 days (last week was 16.51 on 6 days).

Day 111: 4/21: Run #97: 2.90mi, 21:47, Weehawkin NJ

Another day on the track.  As the pain in my calf is slowly subsiding I've been popping anti-inflammatories, rolling it out post-run and tiger balming religiously.  Mostly though, I've been able to feel out what I think it can and cannot handle.  I'd rather do workouts that are beneficial and build on them than blow my calf up and be hung up for a couple days. 

Today's workout was intended to get me moving at a good pace over a longer period of time.  At this point my longest hard effort had been 800's so today I stretched it out to repeat miles.  In the back of my mind I was hoping to do three of them but after number two I was feeling a little shaky in the calf and wanted to keep my schedule for the rest of the week, including a trail run tomorrow.  Half mile warmup, 0.40 cooldown was a jog to the train.  I pretty much hit right where I wanted on the pacing with these, felt pretty good and didn't tire out much. 

Repeats
Mile 1 - 7:10
Mile 2 - 7:00

Day 110: 4/20: Run #96: 3.13mi, 26:58, Paterson NJ

Had a really early errand to run before heading to my parents house on Saturday morning and I had to find time for a run.  After picking out some granite for the shore house and before picking my brother up to go to the Mets game, I stopped at Garrett Mountain.  This was the first time I would run "Manure Mountain" by myself and without my guide Matt.  Yeah there is horse manure EVERYWHERE because the horses use the same trails here as the people.  It makes the trail way more technical having to hop over that stuff every other step. 

I tried to follow the normal loop but ended up making a few weird turns.  The good news is that it's pretty small and I eventually found some familiar trails and finished on the brutal uphill pretty strongly.  I've been trying to deal with hills better and shortening my stride this time helped quite a bit- not to mention that it was grass rather than rocks.  I think my pacing was very good, speeding up on the second mile and running a 9:51 for 1.13 miles to finish off, mostly uphill. 

Splits
8:44
8:20
8:50
1:01

Day 109: 4/19: Run #95: 2.76mi, 22:29, Weehawkin NJ

Another day on the track, easing back into some speed again with my calf slowly recovering from earlier in the week.  I like the track infinitely more than the road so now that it's nicer out I'm trying to get there instead on non-trail days.  I think the lighter impact serves me better and a 2-3 mile workout on the track will get me stronger than a 2-3 mile slog around Hoboken, hopping up curbs and dodging cars.

The Weehawkin track is located in a absolutely beautiful spot with panoramic views of the NYC skyline.  The only problem is that the people have no idea how a track should operate.  People are walking in lane 1 all of the time, there are little kids running all over the place, not to mention people walking across to the soccer field directly in front of runners.  They really need some "runners only in lane 1" or "no ball playing on the track" signs, they would go a long way.  I actually had to hurdle an uncoordinated four year old who somersaulted into lane 1 after missing trying to kick a soccer ball to his dad. 

Anyway, the workout was an easy one today.  Half mile warmup, 25 squats, 1mi of ins-and-outs, 25 squats, 1mi of ins-and-outs, 25 squats, quarter mile cool-down.  The squats were designed to imitate hills since I didn't have any to run on today.

The Workout (gym part)
Pullups- 4x5
Ab Straps- 3x10
Renegade Rows- 3x10x25
Twists- 3x12x65

Day 108: 4/18: Run #94: 1.2mi, 10:00, Jersey City NJ

Calf still not feeling so good but it's time to get moving again.  Did 10min on the spinning bike, 10 min run, 20min spin.  Went home and biked for 30 more minutes so that's 70 minutes of cardio.  Trying to hit the track tomorrow and the trail on Saturday...hopefully.

The Workout
Decline Bench - 3x10x135
Incline Dumbell Bench- 3x10x40
Cable Flys- 3x10x85
Hanging Crunches -  3x8

Day 107: rest day

I really didn't want to have a rest day today but I was limping just trying to walk around.  Right now my goal is a PR at North Face and I have to do everything possible to get there.  Part of the streak was just a vehicle to crush this race in the first place.  Now that the streak has been broken, I'm not going to kill myself running one mile on a cramped leg - I'd rather make sure I can get a long run in a few days from now.  I don't plan on skipping any days but I have to be smart.  Did 20 mins on the bike to loosen up and will ease back in tomorrow.

Day 106: 4/16: Run #93: 3.37mi, 31:13, South Orange NJ

My plan for today was to do the same loop that I did on Saturday except to really ease into the first two sections and then hit the hill harder at the beginning of mile 3.  Less than a quarter mile into the run I knew my calf was going to be an issue as it was already tightening up.  I tried to focus on my 3:2 breathing ratio, hoping that it would take my mind off of it.  The result was going out a little faster than planned and my calf being the worst post-run that it's been all year.  Nonetheless, this pace is essentially dead-on my North Face goal pace, albeit on an easier and shorter course.  8:00 miles are coming a lot easier right now on days that I feel good but I still need more uphill training - and more days of feeling good!

Splits (difference from Saturday)
8:02 (-0:50)
8:26 (-0:14)
11:06 (-0:16)
3:37

Day 105: 4/15: Run #92: 1.28mi, 10:13, Hoboken NJ

Today I ran home from my haricut, creative right?  Really felt crappy running on pavement compared to trail and track but it was my rest day so I just cruised through a quick run.  This puts me at 16.51mi for a 6-day week. I'll be looking to exceed 20 for the next two weeks and if that happens, I will hit 200mi for the year on next Monday or Tuesday.  With that milestone I'll also make a $200 donation to the National Parks Conservation Association.

Splits
7:54
2:18

The Workout
Pullups - 4x5
Seated Row Machine - 3x10x90
Lat Pulldown- 3x10x100
Ab Machine- 3x15
Cable Twists- 3x12x65

Day 104: 4/14: Run #91: 2.50mi, 19:00, Weehawkin NJ

Slow 0.25mi warmup and cool-down with 4x800 at 7:00 pace as the workout on the track in Weehawkin.  This was supposed to be 5x800 but my legs were really sore after 4 so I called it quits.  This still puts me at about 16mi in the 5 days since I've been back so I'm not too worried.  I don't think I'm coming back too quickly because I do have a huge mileage base with only a 12-day layoff.  I've been religiously using the foam roller and compression as well as ice and anti-inflammatories to try and push through to North Face.

1:  3:33
1:45
1:48

2:  3:27
1:43
1:44

3:  3:27
1:45
1:42

4:  3:28
1:45
1:43

Day 103: 4/13: Run #90: 6.00mi, 55:53, South Orange NJ

Today was a weird, weird day on South Mountain.  After spending the whole day in the car, I arrived a little before 6pm to perfect weather.  I decided to run my favorite orange loop backwards, targeting about 3.5 miles but doing the first mile on a non-technical section.  I was wary of tightening up as I did two days earlier so I tried to take it pretty easy.  Right before the first mile clicked off, I fell badly, tripping forward (the same way I always fall) and took a chunk out of my palm while bruising the outside of my knee. 

I shook off the fall and coasted the next mile which was mostly downhill.  Then when it changed to straight uphill, the trail beat me and I had to walk a couple sections.  I think that little rest helped me catch a second wind though because I finished up the orange loop relatively strong despite some more uphill.  My IPod also seemed to play a string of great running music and I was running free and easy at 3.5 miles when I got to the end.  I actually felt so good that I decided to lengthen my run to 4 miles, then 5, then 6.  At 5.95 miles, a mere 30 seconds or so from stopping, I spilled again right on the same spot and now had a really bloody hole in my hand.  A small price to pay for this breakthrough run. 

Splits
8:55
8:40
11:22
9:08
8:50
8:55

Day 102: 4/12: Run #89: 2.00mi, 15:42, Weehawkin NJ

Despite having a tight calf all day, I forced myself onto the track thinking that the surface might be easier and I think I was right.  Other than 30mph driving rain, it was a pretty good interval workout.  I did six laps of 100m intervals with a one lap jog on either end. 

Splits
7:52
7:44

Day 101: 4/11: Run #88: 2.88mi, 27:28, South Orange NJ

Took an easy trail run with Nick today.  My footwork was terrible and my calf tightened up about halfway in to this run.  I really couldn't be more discouraged, it seems like a big setback that I'm not fully recovered with 3 weeks till North Face.

Splits
9:21
9:38
8:29

Day 100: 4/10: Run #87: 1.85mi, 18:00, Jersey City NJ

Wow, how depressing that the first day back is day 100!  I still plan on trying to get to 365 runs this year and I'm 12 behind right now. 

Nick and I worked out and then did a nice easy jog along the JC waterfront.  Felt a little creaky in general but my bad area felt ok during the run and the day after.  That being said, it usually felt fine on super easy days anyway.  Trail tomorrow- weather permitting!

Trying to increase my lifting reps up till the North Face race.  I've also been working core pretty hard and trying to watch my diet.  I figure if I can get the rest of my body in better shape it might make up for the lapse in training.  Looking to be around 158-160lbs on race day (traning weight 165).  During the time off I biked every day of the second week, working up to 70 minutes.  Hopefully all of this helps a bit.

The Workout
T Cable Curls- 12x30, 2x10x35
Rope Pullovers- 12x80, 2x12x90
Iso Dumbell Curls- 3x8x30
Dip Machine- 3x10x90
4-Way Barbell Curls- 8x45

Return to Action

Back in the gym the past couple days but more importantly, did 20 mins on the stationary bike yesterday.  I can't believe I'm missing the change to warmer weather right now but I'll be hitting the bike harder and harder each day till I can run again.  A little swelling left but all the pain is gone, hopefully this is working!  I'm planning on hitting the trail 3-4 times per week once I'm training again- hopefully the reduced impact will allow me to do more miles.