Sunday, June 29, 2014

Injury Reinvents Training

My right knee is injured. Probably happened last weekend when I did a tempo run on the treadmill. It was a great tempo pace...held about 80% heart rate reserve and ran 6:30 miles! Unfortunately, the heart and lungs were ready, but my legs didn't like that speed on the moving belt. I must have over been over-striding and put extra pressure on my knees. The right one folded. Even three straight days off didn't help. Two short runs have not helped, or hurt. I'm stuck.

I lost my bet to Joe. I paid the fee to get out of the bet due to injury. We are still on for the race portion for the bet (half marathon on October 19). I need to run 1:35, he runs 1:50. Now that the "process" aspect of the bet is over, and I'm injured, I have a chance to reinvent my training. "Chance" might be the wrong word. I am forced to reinvent my training. And I have a simple solution...I'll run as a I feel. I've read over a 100 books on training. I know what needs to be done. I know what makes a runner faster. And I know what typically gets me injured. For ALL RUNNERS, if you stay uninjured, you'll improve. It may be slow improvement, but you'll get better if you stay injury-free and run consistently. If I incorporate smart and selective fast running, I'll improve faster. For now, it's time to heal...while still running. I'm going to run each day, short and slow, until the knee feels better. Then, I'll slowly go farther and faster. Slowly faster. That's the mantra!

I only have 41 days until my next race--the Howl at the Moon 8-Hour. I'll be ready. I simply need to run simple. Nothing crazy. No rules to follow. Just run as I feel. Some days that'll be fast, others slow, sometimes long, many short. I may hit the track. Definitely trails. Run simple. Run as I feel.

Oh yeah, I'll try to avoid the treadmill too. Those things suck.

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