"There's only one hard and fast rule in running: sometimes you have to run one hard and fast."








Saturday, February 1, 2014

Where things stand at the moment

It's a brutal winter this year, which has made not running easier to tolerate, but cabin fever has hit a peak. I need to start running soon, if only to drop the few pounds I've gained since the recent ice age began.

I've had extra reasons not to be running. I broke two toenails and trimmed them badly and they became ingrowing, and then infected. They're healing, but especially sensitive to cold. Did I mention it's cold here?

The few times I've managed to get out the door, I've had problems with exercise-induced asthma. I'm hoping that that will end when the temperatures improve. Did I mention it's cold?

As usually happens, my thoughts as to what I want to do with regards to running seesaw between long races and short. I want to do something that means something to me; just plodding through a race to say I did it has no appeal. According to age-graded calculators, I'm not going to be making a mark; for example, I might just barely break 5:00 for a mile, if everything went perfectly, but that puts me about 12th for my age. A sub-3:00 marathon would be the very limit for me and that's not going to get much notice, except among close friends. That brings me to looking at races where I could set an age-class record - all road races of note are unlikely, as are track records, leaving me looking at small races (which generally don't have an over-50 age class) or trail races. The few trail races that have an over-50 record have pretty solid times.

I've picked my race. It's time to start training again.

Because I haven't been able to do much, I've been working on fixing some long-standing injury issues. I pulled my right hamstring last March 13 and it STILL isn't right, but the work I've done over the past month has improved it to about 90%, so I'm hopeful. Muscle issues (piriformis, TFL, gluteus medius, erector spinae) seem to be getting better and I think I just have to keep vigilant at working on them. The Achilles tendon problems aren't fixable, but I've found a way to make them tolerable again.

I might have one more race left in me.

6 comments:

Londell said...

If you were like me, there is always biking... I find that more rewarding right now as apposed to running...

Alene Gone Bad said...

It is freaking cold. Good time to be healing toenails. Obviously you have at least one more in you. Obviously. I guess there's nothing else we can do except see what the groundhog does tomorrow.

Unknown said...

Interested to hear what race you've picked; best of luck getting back into the running groove. It's got to start warming up soon, doesn't it?

Olga said...

It's cold even in Texas.

Robyn said...

I don't mind running in snow, but it would be really great if we could occasionally make it past two-layers-of-long-underwear-and-a-balaclava here.

On the other hand, all is forgiven as long as it's gone by Zumbro.

Anonymous said...

Love this post. Hopeful.