Arie's Running Blog

7:20 AM, 35F light freezing rain most of the way. This was one of the worst long runs I had in a very long time. Luckily it's my cut back week and I had only 8 miles to do today. The anti-biotics I'm taking it is really killing me. It will be over tomorrow. Pace per mile was: 7:52, 7:54, 8:02, 8:04, 8:07, 8:10,8:23, 8:25. Horrible pacing. I felt really bad at the end. My half marathon is just 4 weeks ahead and I'm freeking out.

1:06:38

Noon. 32F snow on the ground and on the trees everywhere. Beautiful. Some sun and light wind. I was feeling slightly better today. Pace was still not my usual 8:05 but it felt less of an effort. I am finishing my anti-biotics today and hope to see an improvement in my energy levels soon.

1:05:05

Late afternoon run. Legs are still very tired. I don't know what's happening with me but I lost all my speed the 8:09 pace felt really hard.

0:57:03

Late afternooon run. My left leg hurts a lot. The tendon connecting the hip and the knee is probably inflamed. Couldn't do more than the 5.8 and even those were hard. I'm going to take a day off tomorrow. I'm very worried. I'm regressing.

0:46:37

Went to see a sports medicine doctor this morning. He confirmed I have rectus femoris tendonitis. Contrary to what one would think, the treatmen is actually to heat the place and not ice it. Having some kind of resolution is actually comforting altough the pain lingers on.

Went for a run and it was still painful but the doctor said I can't make it worse if I just go slow and easy. I actually did a good pace and maybe that was a bad idea. Actually it was 7:57 which felt way harder than it should have.

0:55:40

We took the kids and went to Myrtle Beach for a weekend vacation. The best thing about it is that they have hot jacuzzis in the hotel. I am giving hot massages to my sore muscles and tendons and I am already feeling the improvement.

I went for a long run on the beach. It was a painful one but I mannaged to do the distance. Pace was poor: 8:23 but I contribute it in part to the fact that I ran on sand and that it was quite windy. Nevertheless, this was hard and I am very worried about what will happen in 3 weeks when I'm going to do this half marathon. I'm not sure how come I suddenly lost all my speed.

1:47:31

Eureka!!!! I know what's going on. Yes I do have sore mucles and perhaps some tendonitis but this is not it. Well if you read my blog, last week I had a small procedure in my teath. I happen to bleed a lot and I also kept bleeding for a few good days after, even for a week. So I was complaining last night to my wife that I am getting slow and tired and I don't know what's happening to me. So she lifted her eyes from her laptop and quietly said: you lost a lot of blood, you have low iron. And at that moment I had an epiphany. The reason why I'm so tired and that each run is such a huge effort is low iron! God bless my wife (who is a pharmacist). I'm now taking iron suplements and hoping for good.

I went for a run of 4 loops around the east campus. I entered 8 time 100 meter fast segments to see if I still have any speed left in me what so ever. I do. The run was a great workout. It can't be that the iron suplement is already working but I'm feeling better. The over all pace was reasonable 7:59.

0:52:39

Went to Duke's tracks this afternoon with an intention to do a quality workout. Wasn't sure what exactlu but when I went on the track I knew I was going to do a tempo. I did 1 mile warm up in which the muscles were sore and then 5 miles tempo and a mile cool down. Here are my splits: 7:54 (warm up), 7:36, 7:38, 7:39, 7:29, 7:22, 8:51 (cool down). Wow! look at the last two miles of that tempo! I'm so happy. I am going to give my wife a kiss (look at my blog from yesterday for the story why).

0:54:29

In pain today after yesterday's workout.

Lousy run on the treadmill in the hotel's gym.

0:42:00

Ran from my office home through the golf course trail. The pain usually lasts for the first 3-4 miles and then it gets better. I didn't measure time but the second half of the run was in good pace.

My left leg is still bothering me quite a bit. Strangely after 3-4 miles the pain almost goes away and I can get into nice pace and form. I don't think I should do such a long warm up before a half. I hope that the sound of the gun and the crowds will carry me in the first few miles and the pain will prevent me from starting too hard and then after these first miles I will be able to speed up and get into a good pace. Also I have 2 weeks till the race so things can change (for good hopefully).

So today I went for a 12 miles run in 40F, rain and wind at 7:30AM. Not your optimal conditions.I did 4 miles slow then 4 miles fast at about HM pace and then 4 more miles slow. Here are my splits:

first 4 miles: 8:22,8:21,8:18,8:15

middle 4 miles: 7:50, 7:38, 7:48, 7:44

last 4 miles: 8:21, 8:09, 8:25, 8:03

Noon, 46F overcast. Went for an easy run. I was in pain. I think it is time to realize that I am really injured and stop denying it. If I want to do well on the HM in two weeks I need a lot of rest. i think I will switch to cross training for a few days and then re-evaluate my situation.

0:52:26

6 miles on the bike at the gym and then some weights and a lot of stretching. I hate being injured and not able to run.

6 miles on the bike at the gym and them some weights and stretching. I still don't feel any improvement and I'm afraid I will not be able to stay off running for long. The half marathon is in 10 days and I am panicing.

Did bikes and weights in the morning and in the afternoon went to the tracks and tried to run some. Was able to do 2 miles in an OK pace (8:22 average). I'm starting to have serous doubts about the upcoming HM.

Went to the gym for some speed work after 3 days of rest. Ran 15 minutes warm up at 8:35 and then 3 times (5min at 6:49 + 2min at 9:05) and then 10 minutes cool down. It felt good to run fast again.

Long run on a cold rainy Sunday morning. I was in some pain but was able to finish this run. My splits were: 8:19, 8:04, 8:03, 7:58, 7:51, 7:52, 8:10, 7:55, 8:06, 8:02, 8:12, 7:53.

Sore after yesterday. Went to the gym and did 6.5 miles on the bike and then some core and weights and a lot of stretching.

Went to the gym for last speed work on the treadmill. Left leg hurts but I decided to run through it. My run included, 15 minutes warm up at 8:35 pace, then 3 times (5 minutes @6:49 pace + 2 minutes @9:05 pace)  and then 12 minutes at 8:45 cool down.

First of all, you guys have been a great inspiration and I have enjoyed reading the posts here and learned a lot from them. Thank you! Here is my RR:

Before: I set on the task to break my old HM PR last November. The last month was quite horrible in terms of training as I was injured. My monthly mileage dropped form the upper 40s to the lower 20s. But after so much preparation and after running something like 700 miles, I decided to bite the bullet and do this HM.

Race: Woke up at 6AM, ate light breakfast and took some ibuprophen and two Hershey kisses. Weather was 60F cloudy and 90% humidity. About 2000 runners lined up for the HM race. The gun went off couple of minutes after 8AM. The first 3 miles were a loop in downtown Raleigh. I obviously went out too fast. The next 4 miles were a gradual climb up a street which is on the border of NC State University’s campus. Then we turned and after another mile we entered a nice paved trail that goes behind some art museum. This trail included 3 major hills but also nice down hills. I was alternating between cursing the race director and then blessing him. Then at mile 10 we joined the same road we came up on but now it was mostly a down hill. The HM finished in downtown Raleigh again with a very nice ½ mile stretch to the finish. I was kicking hard and zooming past a guy who dared to pass me half a mile before.

Time: 1:37:50 (unofficial) which means 7:28 on average.Here are the mile splits:
01  6:50 (shoot! this is too fast! it's not a 5K!!!)
02  7:05 (it's not a 10K either! slow down!)
03  7:20 (leaving downtown Raleigh)
04  7:30 (starting a moderate climb)
05  7:33 (still climbing...)
06  7:33 (I'm finding my pace but also starting to have doubts)
07  7:41 (having more negative thoughts and trying to ditch them)
08  7:17 (crazy down hill, I love the race director)
09  7:48 (two crazy up hills, I hate the race director)
10  7:50 (third hill and then flattening + gatorade stop)
11  7:35  (feeling good but a bit tired)
12  7:34 (seeing Raleigh's downtown approaching)
13.1 8:14 (7:29 pace including a nice kick at the end)

After: Just a bit sore and only one blister but very happy about crashing my old PR (1:44:26) by more than six and a half minutes.

Thoughts: 1) I’m wondering how my race would have looked liked if I wasn’t injured for the last month. 2) How to solve the 'starting too fast' problem and is it really a problem?  3) how to better mentally train such that I will not have so many negative thoughts.

Recovery run after my HM race.