avondale training journal, starting Dec. 2018 (comments welcome)

[avondale]

Congratulations.

Loved the photos! It is making me want to hit the trails. But is also reminding me that the trails will hand me my a$$....not for the faint of hart.

Thanks! Yes, trails with lots of hills are tough, and they all seem to have lots of hills!

 

[DopeyBadger]

Way to go!

 

[michigandergirl]

Congrats on your trail race!!! I love how green the leaves are!

 

[disneygpa]

Congrats! Looks like a great day and the trail sounds challenging!!

 

[avondale]

Way to go!

Congrats on your trail race!!! I love how green the leaves are!

Congrats! Looks like a great day and the trail sounds challenging!!

Thank you, all. It was great weather and a pretty route.

 

[Rogue224]

Congratulations! Thank you for sharing!

 

[avondale]

Congratulations! Thank you for sharing!

Thank you for reading!

 

[avondale]

Week of April 26 - May 2, 2021

I took this week off from running in order to recover from my race.

I tried to add in 1 - 2 short walks as described previously.

Monday after work: 60-min walk around the neighborhood

Tuesday

• Before breakfast: foam rolling and stretching
• After work: 45-min walk on the treadmill

Wednesday

• Before breakfast: foam rolling and stretching
• After work: 2-hr walk around the neighborhood

Thursday

• Before breakfast: upper body workout
  • 2 x 15 decline push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 10 pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 9 shoulder presses (25 lb each arm)
  • 2 x 15 military push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 10 chin-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 13 triceps dips, both feet on Swiss ball
  • 2 x 15 wide push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 10 close-grip pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 9 shoulder front raises (12 lb each arm)
  • 0 x 10 push-ups on medicine balls to side plank
  • 0 x 9 ea lawnmowers (30 lb) - ran out of time
  • 0 x 9 shoulder side raises (12 lb each arm) - ran out of time
• After work: 90-min walk on treadmill

Friday

• Before breakfast: foam rolling and stretching
• After work: 60-min walk around the neighborhood - it was so incredibly windy that it was hard to walk in a straight line!

Saturday

• Before lunch: 3-mile walk at Brookside Gardens - so pretty, especially in the spring!
• Before dinner: 2-hr tennis doubles match - my partner and I won 6-4, 7-6, but our team lost overall.

Sunday

• Before lunch: tennis doubles round robin
• Before dinner:
  • 10 Rounds boxing workout
  • 45-min walk on treadmill

Health

The headache continues. I'm continuing the physical therapy. I saw my neurologist this week, and we are changing out one of my medications: one of them has a side effect of excessive sweating, and that was me all last summer. Hopefully the new one won't do that to me.

 

[avondale]

Week of May 3 - 9, 2021

This is the first week of my next training plan! A week off always makes me happy to get started again.

This was a bit of a tricky plan to put together, as it links in four races and goes through early October. I don't usually run so many races.

• Crow Vineyard 5k, July 30, "C" race
  • Planning to run this very easy as part of my taper
• Allegheny Front Trail Race (I am doing the 14-miler), August 7, "A" race
• Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run (I deferred my 2020 entry to 2021, and then the April 2021 race got postponed to September!), September 12, "C" race
  • Planning to run this in about 2 hours as an easy long run
• Virtual Boston Marathon, October 8/9/10, "B" race

I again followed the training plan guidance and suggestions in a couple of trail running books that I have read, like for the trail 10-miler I recently did. Also combined with wisdom gained from DopeyBadger.

I tried to add in 1 - 2 short walks per day this week as described previously.

Monday

• Before breakfast: foam rolling and stretching
• After work: 90-min walk on treadmill

Tuesday

• Before breakfast: legs and pull-ups workout
  • 2 x 13 weighted glute bridge (30 lb)
  • 2 x 10 pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 23 dumbbell swings (25 lb)
  • 2 x 10 chin-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 13 ea one-leg squat
  • 2 x 10 close-grip pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 1 x 13 goblet squats (30 lb)
  • 1 x 18 superman/banana X
  • 0 single-leg step-ups - ran out of time
• After work:
  • 40 min easy
    • T+D 134, 2.5% effect; light rain turned to partly sunny
    • time: 40:01
    • distance: 3.24 mi
    • average pace: 12:22
    • splits: 12:25, 12:20, 12:04, 13:39
    • ave HR: 138 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 62 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Sligo Creek Trail

Wednesday after work:

• Hill repeats: 15 min WU + 5 x (1 min hard uphill + 2 min walk downhill) + 10 min CD
  • T+D 127, 2% effect
  • time: 40:06
  • distance: 3.14 mi
  • sprint split paces: 10:11, 9:30, 9:47, 11:27, 10:20 - these are over a short enough distance that I don't know how much I trust them
  • elevation gain: 285 ft (uncorrected)
  • route: Forest Glen Annex

Thursday

• Before breakfast: upper body workout
  • 2 x 15 decline push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 10 pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 9 shoulder presses (25 lb each arm)
  • 2 x 15 military push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 10 chin-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 13 triceps dips, both feet on Swiss ball
  • 2 x 15 wide push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 10 close-grip pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 9 shoulder front raises (12 lb each arm)
  • 0 x 10 push-ups on medicine balls to side plank
  • 0 x 9 ea lawnmowers (30 lb) - ran out of time
  • 0 x 9 shoulder side raises (12 lb each arm) - ran out of time
• After dinner: 2-hr tennis doubles round-robin

Friday

• Before breakfast: foam rolling and stretching
• Before dinner:
  • 40 min easy
    • T+D 98; rained the whole time
    • time: 40:03
    • distance: 3.34 mi
    • average pace: 11:59
    • splits: 11:58, 12:03, 11:58, 11:52
    • ave HR: 141 BPM - just above my target range
    • elevation gain: 62 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Rock Creek Trail

Saturday

• Before lunch:
  • 50 min easy on trail
    • T+D 97
    • time: 50:03
    • distance: 3.85 mi
    • average pace: 13:00
    • splits: 13:13, 13:27, 12:21, 12:59
    • ave HR: 138 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 89 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Northwest Branch Trail
    • comments: So nice to get out on a trail again!
• Before dinner: I was supposed to have a tennis match, but it got rained out.
  • Boxing workout: 10 Rounds
  • 45-min walk on treadmill

Sunday

• Before lunch:
  • Boxing workout: 10 Rounds
  • 45-min walk on treadmill
• Before dinner:
  • 60 min easy on trail
    • T+D 107, 0.5% effect
    • time: 1:00:01
    • distance: 4.67 mi
    • average pace: 12:52
    • splits: 12:42, 12:42, 12:43, 13:12, 13:06 (I didn't realize how consistent my first three miles were until I typed this in!)
    • ave HR: 140 BPM - at the top of my target range
    • elevation gain: 322 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Perimeter Trail, Greenbelt Park
    • comments: This was a new-to-me trail. The condition was fine and it was wonderfully empty of people. But the park is bordered by busy roads on most sides and so you never really get away from the road noise.

Health

I got my 14th covid test this past week, and it was negative.

I am continuing with the PT for my headaches. I do think that I'm getting few really bad headaches, but they are still there all the time at a sort of medium level.

 

[avondale]

Week of May 10 - 16, 2021

I was really busy with the end of the semester at work, so I am behind on posting updates.

This was the second week of my next training plan. This plan includes the following races:

• Crow Vineyard 5k, July 30, "C" race
  • Planning to run this very easy as part of my taper
• Allegheny Front Trail Race (I am doing the 14-miler), August 7, "A" race
• Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run (I deferred my 2020 entry to 2021, and then the April 2021 race got postponed to September!), September 12, "C" race
  • Planning to run this in about 2 hours as an easy long run
• Virtual Boston Marathon, October 8/9/10, "B" race

I tried to add in 1 - 2 short walks per day this week as described previously.

Monday

• Before breakfast: foam rolling and stretching
• After work: 90-min walk around the neighborhood

Tuesday

• Before breakfast: legs and pull-ups workout
  • 2 x 13 weighted glute bridge (30 lb)
  • 2 x 8 pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 23 dumbbell swings (25 lb)
  • 2 x 8 chin-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 13 ea one-leg squat
  • 2 x 8 close-grip pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 1 x 13 goblet squats (30 lb)
  • 1 x 18 superman/banana X
  • 0 single-leg step-ups - ran out of time
• After work:
  • 50 min easy
    • T+D 105, 0.5% effect; T 64 F
    • time: 50:09
    • distance: 4.18 mi
    • average pace: 12:01
    • splits: 12:17, 12:13, 11:32, 11:50, 13:10
    • ave HR: 137 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 102 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Sligo Creek Trail

Wednesday

• Before breakfast: 10 Rounds boxing workout
• After work:
  • Hill repeats: 10 min WU + 10 x (1 min hard uphill + 2 min walk downhill) + 10 min CD
    • T+D 95, T 66 F
    • time: 50:06
    • distance: 3.74 mi
    • sprint split paces: 9:01, 10:08, 9:26, 10:20, 9:15, 8:52, 9:23, 9:06, 9:05, 9:14 - these are over a short enough distance that I don't know how much I trust them
    • elevation gain: 305 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Forest Glen Annex

Thursday

• Before breakfast: upper body workout
  • 2 x 15 decline push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 10 pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 9 shoulder presses (25 lb each arm)
  • 2 x 15 military push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 10 chin-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 13 triceps dips, both feet on Swiss ball
  • 2 x 15 wide push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 10 close-grip pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 9 shoulder front raises (12 lb each arm)
  • 2 x 8 push-ups on medicine balls to side plank
  • 2 x 9 ea lawnmowers (30 lb)
  • 2 x 9 shoulder side raises (12 lb each arm
• After work:
  • 50 min easy
    • T+D 105, 0.5% effect; T 68 F
    • time: 50:01
    • distance: 4.19 mi
    • average pace: 11:56
    • splits: 11:54, 12:11, 11:44, 11:51, 12:24
    • ave HR: 139 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 62 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Rock Creek Trail

Friday after work:

• 50 min easy on trail
  • T+D 101, 0.5% effect; T 72 F
  • time: 50:01
  • distance: 3.72 mi
  • average pace: 13:26
  • splits: 13:14, 13:28, 13:16, 13:53
  • ave HR: 143 BPM - above my target range
  • elevation gain: 259 ft (uncorrected)
  • route: Rachel Carson Greenway Trail

Saturday

• Before lunch: 2-hr tennis doubles round-robin
• Before dinner: 2-hr tennis doubles match - my partner and I won 7-6, 4-2 in a timed match, and our team won overall, too!

Sunday

• Before lunch: 10 Rounds boxing workout
• Before dinner:
  • 70 min easy on trail
    • T+D 110, 0.5% effect; T 64 F; light rain on the return leg
    • time: 1:10:02
    • distance: 5.6 mi
    • average pace: 12:31
    • splits: 12:32, 12:37, 13:33, 12:16, 12:06, 11:41
    • ave HR: 139 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 302 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Valley Trail, Rock Creek National Park

Health

The headache continues, but I think the PT is helping.

I had my 15th covid test this week, and it was negative. (I am fully vaccinated.)

 

[avondale]

Week of May 17 - 23, 2021

I was really busy with the end of the semester at work, so I am behind on posting updates.

This was the third week of my next training plan. This plan includes the following races:

• Crow Vineyard 5k, July 30, "C" race
  • Planning to run this very easy as part of my taper
• Allegheny Front Trail Race (I am doing the 14-miler), August 7, "A" race
• Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run (I deferred my 2020 entry to 2021, and then the April 2021 race got postponed to September!), September 12, "C" race
  • Planning to run this in about 2 hours as an easy long run
• Virtual Boston Marathon, October 8/9/10, "B" race

I tried to add in 1 - 2 short walks per day this week as described previously.

I traveled to Pennsylvania to visit my mom, my sister, and her son from Saturday, May 22 to Thursday, May 27.

Monday after work: 60-min walk around the neighborhood

Tuesday

• Before breakfast: legs and pull-ups workout
  • 2 x 13 weighted glute bridge (30 lb)
  • 2 x 8 pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 23 dumbbell swings (25 lb)
  • 2 x 8 chin-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 13 ea one-leg squat
  • 2 x 8 close-grip pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 0 x 13 goblet squats (30 lb)
  • 0 x 18 superman/banana X
  • 0 single-leg step-ups - ran out of time
• After work:
  • 50 min easy
    • T+D 121, 1.5% effect; T 77 F
    • time: 50:07
    • distance: 4.19 mi
    • average pace: 11:58
    • splits: 11:41, 12:09, 11:55, 12:01, 12:43
    • ave HR: 139 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 105 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Sligo Creek Trail

Wednesday after work: 2-hr doubles round-robin

Thursday

• Before breakfast: upper body workout
  • 2 x 15 decline push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 10 pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 9 shoulder presses (25 lb each arm)
  • 2 x 15 military push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 10 chin-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 13 triceps dips, both feet on Swiss ball
  • 2 x 15 wide push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 10 close-grip pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 9 shoulder front raises (12 lb each arm)
  • 2 x 8 push-ups on medicine balls to side plank
  • 2 x 9 ea lawnmowers (30 lb)
  • 2 x 9 shoulder side raises (12 lb each arm)
• After work: 70-min walk around the neighborhood

Friday

• Before breakfast:
  • Hill repeats: 10 min WU + 15 x (1 min hard uphill + 2 min walk downhill) + 5 min CD
    • T+D~100, T 52 F
    • time: 1:00:06
    • distance: 4.33 mi
    • sprint split paces: 10:26, 9:35, 9:42, 9:41, 9:53, 10:21, 10:36, 9:43, 9:57, 10:26, 9:54, 10:15, 9:07, 9:26, 10:00 - these are over a short enough distance that I don't know how much I trust them
    • elevation gain: 390 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Forest Glen Annex
• After work: 10 Rounds boxing workout and foam rolling and stretching

Saturday mid-day:

• 80 min easy on trail
  • T+D 132, 2.5% effect; T 77 F
  • time: 1:20:01
  • distance: 5.85 mi
  • average pace: 13:41
  • splits: 13:22, 14:01, 14:02, 14:00, 13:14, 13:25
  • ave HR: 143 BPM - above my target range
  • elevation gain: 308 ft (uncorrected)
  • route: Allegheny Front Trail, Black Moshannon National Forest
  • comments: This run covered part of the route for my trail HM in August. It is not too far out of the way for me to stop there on the drive to visit my family, so this seemed like a good opportunity.
  • comments: I'm not quite sure why I was so slow on this trail, because it was not particularly hilly. It was the highest T+D of the year for me, however. Also, I had just driven 3.5 hours to get there. I tried to warm up with some brisk walking, but probably it was not the best idea for my legs.
  • comments: This area is really in the middle of nowhere. I saw no other people on the trail except when I went by a couple of camping sites. Very quiet and a nice variety of scenery.

Sunday before breakfast:

• 60 min easy on trail
  • T+D ~123, 1.5% effect; T 70 F
  • time: 1:00:02
  • distance: 4.85 mi
  • average pace: 12:23
  • splits: 12:30, 12:22, 12:36, 12:15, 12:08
  • ave HR: 136 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 144 ft (uncorrected)
  • route: Clarion Highlands Trail, part of the North Country Trail
  • comments: This part of the trail was basically a dirt road previously used to check on gas line right-of-ways, etc. Not my favorite trail because you could often hear road noise.

Health

My headache does seem to be getting better. It's still there, but it seems to be at a lower level of pain than on average, and there are fewer bad pain times and they are shorter.

 

[avondale]

Week of May 24 - 30, 2021

This was the fourth week of my next training plan. This week was a cut-back week. This plan includes the following races:

• Crow Vineyard 5k, July 30, "C" race
  • Planning to run this very easy as part of my taper
• Allegheny Front Trail Race (I am doing the 14-miler), August 7, "A" race
• Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run (I deferred my 2020 entry to 2021, and then the April 2021 race got postponed to September!), September 12, "C" race
  • Planning to run this in about 2 hours as an easy long run
• Virtual Boston Marathon, October 8/9/10, "B" race

I traveled to Pennsylvania to visit my mom, my sister, and her son from Saturday, May 22 to Thursday, May 27. Because of this trip and this next week when I have three tennis matches scheduled, I shifted a few runs around between last week (May 17 - 23), this week, and the upcoming week (May 31 - June 6). Nothing was skipped.

Monday

• Before breakfast:
  • 50 min easy
    • T+D 121, 1.5% effect; T 63 F
    • time: 50:01
    • distance: 4.39 mi
    • average pace: 11:23
    • splits: 11:42, 11:17, 11:17, 11:15, 11:27
    • ave HR: 134 BPM - well within my target range
    • elevation gain: 7 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Allegheny River Trail
    • comments: my legs felt really heavy when I got started on this, so I was really pleased with the paces and average HR that I ended up with.
  • 1-min walk on the Allegheny River Trail
• Before dinner: 41 squats for a Garmin friend's birthday - my nephew did them with me

Tuesday

• Before breakfast:
  • 40min easy
    • T+D 123, 1.5% effect; T 63 F
    • time: 40:01
    • distance: 3.37 mi
    • average pace: 11:52
    • splits: 11:52, 11:51, 11:52, 11:57
    • ave HR: 137 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 23 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Samuel Justus Trail
    • comments: My legs felt fine, but I saw just slooow on this morning.
  • 15-min walk on the Samuel Justus Trail
• In the afternoon: 2.6-mi walk with my mother, my sister, and her son on the Sandy Creek Trail. We went through the old railroad tunnel (almost 1000 ft long), which was a novelty for my nephew.

Wednesday

• Before breakfast:
  • Hill repeats: 15 min WU + 5 x (1 min hard uphill + 2 min walk downhill) + 10 min CD
    • T+D~126, 1.5% effect, T 72 F
    • time: 40:06
    • distance: 3.12 mi
    • sprint split paces: 9:50, 8:57, 8:47, 9:15, 8:40- these are over a short enough distance that I don't know how much I trust them
    • elevation gain: 171 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Tanglewood Development
    • comments: I think that the hill I used for these sprints was significantly less steep than the one I use at home.
• Before lunch: 25-min walk around the Rockland Cemetery with my mother and nephew after planting flowers on graves for Memorial Day.

Thursday

• Before breakfast:
  • 40 min easy
    • T+D 99; T 54 F
    • time: 40:01
    • distance: 3.5 mi
    • average pace: 11:25
    • splits: 11:31, 11:23, 11:22, 11:28
    • ave HR: 136 BPM - well within my target range
    • elevation gain: 26 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Allegheny River Trail
    • comments: I don't usually run such FLAT routes. It's amazing to me how consistent the splits were for the Monday, Tuesday, and this run when I am going by HR (staying under 141 BPM) and not following a specific pace.
• Before dinner: 35-min walk around the neighborhood after I got home

Friday

• Before breakfast: foam rolling and stretching
• Before dinner:
  • 50 min easy on trail
    • T+D 131, 2.5% effect; T 72 F
    • time: 50:01
    • distance: 3.99 mi
    • average pace: 12:31
    • splits: 12:33, 12:46, 12:23, 12:23
    • ave HR: 140 BPM - at the top of my target range
    • elevation gain: 59 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Northwest Branch Trail

Saturday

• Before lunch:
  • 10 Rounds boxing workout
  • 20-min walk on treadmill
• Before dinner:
  • 60 min easy on trail
    • T+D 96; very light rain sometimes
    • time: 1:00:05
    • distance: 4.7 mi
    • average pace: 12:47
    • splits: 12:33, 12:54, 13:00, 13:14, 12:04
    • ave HR: 140 BPM - at the top of my target range
    • elevation gain: 230 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Valley Trail, Rock Creek National Park
    • comments: My feet felt so light, as if I was floating down the trail and jumping over rocks and puddles.

Sunday

• Before lunch:
  • 10 Rounds boxing workout
  • 20-min walk on treadmill
• Before dinner:
  • Hill repeats: 10 min WU + 5 x (2 min hard uphill + 4 min walk downhill) + 5 min CD
    • T+D~100, T 55 F
    • time: 50:06
    • distance: 3.69 mi
    • sprint split paces: 9:56, 9:58, 9:58, 9:59, 9:37 - these are amazingly consistent, and I didn't even try for that. I think the longer time makes any variation in the GPS and my start/stop times less important.
    • elevation gain: 394 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Forest Glen Annex

Over the last ~week while I was away, I had gained 2 points in my VO2max. However, I lost those points since I returned home this week. Oh, well. I really do feel like I am seeing my paces pick up a bit.

Health

No PT while I was away. I was able to do my assigned stretches and exercises only once per day instead of twice. Even so, my headache was at a noticeably lower level of pain while I was away. It's not clear why: no tennis? Much less working on my laptop? Less stress from work? No idea. But since I have been home, it has amped up a bit again.

 

[avondale]

Week of May 31 - June 6, 2021

This was the fifth week of my next training plan. This plan includes the following races:

• Crow Vineyard 5k, July 30, "C" race
  • Planning to run this very easy as part of my taper
• Allegheny Front Trail Race (I am doing the 14-miler), August 7, "A" race
• Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run (I deferred my 2020 entry to 2021, and then the April 2021 race got postponed to September!), September 12, "C" race
  • Planning to run this in about 2 hours as an easy long run
• Virtual Boston Marathon, October 8/9/10, "B" race

Like I mentioned last week, this week was a bit crammed because of multiple tennis matches. I did try to take 1 - 2 walks around the neighborhood on weekdays when I could.

Monday before dinner:

• 60 min easy
  • T+D 115, 1% effect; T 73 F
  • time: 1:00:07
  • distance: 4.5 mi
  • average pace: 13:22
  • splits: 13:02, 13:37, 13:36, 13:26, 12:57
  • ave HR: 142 BPM - above my target range
  • elevation gain: 236 ft (uncorrected)
  • route: Rachel Carson Greenway Trail

Tuesday

• Before breakfast: legs and pull-ups workout
  • 2 x 10 weighted glute bridge (30 lb)
  • 2 x 8 pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 10 dumbbell swings (30 lb)
  • 2 x 8 chin-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 10 ea one-leg squat
  • 2 x 8 close-grip pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 10 goblet squats (30 lb)
  • 2 x 12 superman/banana X
  • 1 x 20 single-leg step-ups
• In evening: 2-hr tennis doubles match - my partner and I won 6-3, 5-5 in a timed match, and our team won overall, too!

Wednesday

• Before breakfast: foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • 50 min tempo ramps
    • T+D 136, 3% effect; T 77 F
    • time: 50:02
    • distance: 4.48 mi
    • average pace: 11:11
    • splits: 11:28, 11:11, 11:05, 10:56, 11:16
    • elevation gain: 335 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: new loop around the neighborhood
    • comments: I got the concept for this workout in one of my trail running training books, but I think I gave it the name. The idea is to have an incline that is less steep and longer than what would be used for hill repeats - this is a ramp. Then I run with tempo effort up the ramps and easy effort downhill on the other side. With this loop, pretty much one half is uphill and one half is downhill, so it works well. I aimed for a HR around 160 BPM to be in my tempo range. I am hopeful that this workout is going to be really helpful for my trail races.

Thursday

• Before breakfast: upper body workout
  • 2 x 15 decline push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 8 pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 9 shoulder presses (25 lb each arm)
  • 2 x 15 military push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 8 chin-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 13 triceps dips, both feet on Swiss ball
  • 2 x 15 wide push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 8 close-grip pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 9 shoulder front raises (12 lb each arm)
  • 2 x 8 push-ups on medicine balls to side plank
  • 2 x 8 ea lawnmowers (30 lb)
  • 2 x 9 shoulder side raises (12 lb each arm)
• In evening: 2-hr tennis match - my partner and I won 6-3, 1-6, 1-0, and our team won overall, too!

Friday in evening: 2-hr tennis match - my partner and I lost 6-4, 6-3, and our team lost overall, too.

Saturday

• After breakfast: 2-hr tennis doubles practice (T 79F)
• Before dinner:
  • 60 min easy on trail
    • T+D 152, 5% effect; T 91 F
    • time: 1:00:01
    • distance: 4.61 mi
    • average pace: 13:02
    • splits: 13:01, 13:25, 13:06, 12:23, 13:21
    • ave HR: 147 BPM - above my target range
    • elevation gain: 128 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Northwest Branch Trail
    • comments: This was by far the highest T+D that I have run in so far this year. Even though I felt like I was running easy, my HR was definitely higher than usual.

Sunday before dinner:

• 90 min long run on trail
  • T+D 156, 5.5% effect; T 91 F
  • time: 1:30:01
  • distance: 6.62 mi
  • average pace: 13:36
  • splits: 12:56, 14:11, 13:16, 13:47, 13:29, 14:16, 13:10
  • ave HR: 152 BPM - a little above my target range
  • elevation gain: 846 ft (uncorrected)
  • route: Western Ridge Trail, Rock Creek National Park
  • comments: An even higher T+D today, and with all of the hills, my HR was high. This was a hard run.

Health

The physical therapy continues. I still think it's helping, but the headache still has its ups and downs.

 

[avondale]

Week of June 7 - 13, 2021

This was the sixth week of my training plan. This plan includes the following races:

• Crow Vineyard 5k, July 30, "C" race
  • Planning to run this very easy as part of my taper
• Allegheny Front Trail Race (I am doing the 14-miler), August 7, "A" race
• Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run (I deferred my 2020 entry to 2021, and then the April 2021 race got postponed to September!), September 12, "C" race
  • Planning to run this in about 2 hours as an easy long run
• Virtual Boston Marathon, October 8/9/10, "B" race

I tried to take 1 - 2 walks around the neighborhood on weekdays when I could.

Monday

• Before breakfast: foam rolling and stretching
• After dinner: 90-min walk on treadmill

Tuesday

• Before breakfast: legs and pull-ups workout
  • 2 x 10 weighted glute bridge (30 lb)
  • 2 x 8 pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 10 dumbbell swings (30 lb)
  • 2 x 8 chin-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 10 ea one-leg squat
  • 2 x 8 close-grip pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 10 goblet squats (30 lb)
  • 2 x 12 superman/banana X
  • 1 x 20 single-leg step-ups
• After work:
  • Hill repeats: 10 min WU + 6 x (2 min hard uphill + 4 min walk downhill) + 10 min CD
    • T+D 156, 5.5% effect ; T 88 F
    • time: 56:06
    • distance: 4.04 mi
    • sprint split paces: 10:17, 10:27, 9:53, 10:15, 9:47, 10:15
    • elevation gain: 446 ft (uncorrected)
    • comments: These repeats are noticeably slower than the ones from the week before - maybe due to the heat?
    • route: Forest Glen Annex

Wednesday

• Before breakfast: core workout - trying to focus on transverse abdominus and obliques for running
  • 2 x 20 starfish
  • 2 x 20 dead bug
  • 2 x 20 isometric quad presses, with 3 sec hold
  • 2 x 20 bird dog crunches
  • 2 x 20 bicycle crunch with hold
  • 2 x 5 hollow-body hold, 10 sec
  • 2 x 2ea side plank, 30 sec
  • 2 x 20 double leg lift and lower
• After work:
  • 60 min easy
    • T+D 156, 5.5% effect; T 84 F
    • time: 1:00:01
    • distance: 5.03 mi
    • average pace: 11:56
    • splits: 12:05, 12:12, 11:49, 11:30, 12:06, 11:44
    • ave HR: 138 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 72 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Rock Creek Trail

Thursday

• Before breakfast: upper body workout and foam rolling and stretching
  • 2 x 15 decline push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 8 pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 9 shoulder presses (25 lb each arm)
  • 2 x 15 military push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 8 chin-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 13 triceps dips, both feet on Swiss ball
  • 2 x 15 wide push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 8 close-grip pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 9 shoulder front raises (12 lb each arm)
  • 2 x 8 push-ups on medicine balls to side plank
  • 2 x 8 ea lawnmowers (30 lb)
  • 2 x 9 shoulder side raises (12 lb each arm)
• After work:
  • 60 min tempo ramps
    • T+D 140, 3% effect; T 72 F; light rain
    • time: 1:00:01
    • distance: 5.36 mi
    • average pace: 11:11
    • splits: 11:06, 10:47, 10:48, 11:06, 11:39, 12:36
    • elevation gain: 443 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: new loop around the neighborhood
    • comments: I got the concept for this workout in one of my trail running training books, but I think I gave it the name. The idea is to have an incline that is less steep and longer than what would be used for hill repeats - this is a ramp. Then I run with tempo effort up the ramps and easy effort downhill on the other side. With this loop, pretty much one half is uphill and one half is downhill, so it works well. I aimed for a HR around 160 BPM to be in my tempo range. I am hopeful that this workout is going to be really helpful for my trail races.

Friday

• Before breakfast: foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • 60 min easy on trail
    • T+D 127, 2% effect
    • time: 1:00:02
    • distance: 4.61 mi
    • average pace: 13:01
    • splits: 12:41, 13:26, 13:21, 12:37, 12:59
    • ave HR: 136 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 118 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Northwest Branch Trail

Saturday

• After breakfast: tennis doubles practice
• Before dinner:
  • 100 min LR on trail
    • T+D 135, 2.5% effect
    • time: 1:40:03
    • distance: 7.44 mi
    • average pace: 13:26
    • splits: 12:58, 12:06, 13:31, 14:57, 15:27, 12:51, 13:16, 11:11
    • ave HR: 149 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 574 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Valley Trail, Rock Creek National Park
    • comments: I ate 160 cal of GU Blocks. I had 1.5L of water + Nuun electrolytes, but I didn't drink it all.

Sunday before dinner: my tennis match was canceled due to rain (boohoo!), so I did a 90-min walk on the treadmill

Health

I am still going to physical therapy. I still think it is helping. I also had an appointment with my neurologist. He suggested another medicine to try to mitigate the headache pain and gave me a couple of samples. It's so hard to tell if it's really helping or if the pain would have decreased anyway. But maybe it helped.

 

[avondale]

Week of June 14 - 20, 2021

This was the seventh week of my training plan. This plan includes the following races:

• Crow Vineyard 5k, July 30, "C" race
  • Planning to run this very easy as part of my taper
• Allegheny Front Trail Race (I am doing the 14-miler), August 7, "A" race
• Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run (I deferred my 2020 entry to 2021, and then the April 2021 race got postponed to September!), September 12, "C" race
  • Planning to run this in about 2 hours as an easy long run
• Virtual Boston Marathon, October 8/9/10, "B" race

I tried to take 1 - 2 walks around the neighborhood on weekdays when I could.

Monday

• Before breakfast: core workout
  • 2 x 20 starfish
  • 2 x 20 dead bug
  • 2 x 20 isometric quad presses, with 3 sec hold
  • 2 x 20 bird dog crunches
  • 2 x 20 bicycle crunch with hold
  • 2 x 5 hollow-body hold, 10 sec
  • 2 x 2ea side plank, 30 sec
  • 2 x 20 double leg lift and lower
• Before dinner: 90-min walk on treadmill

Tuesday

• Before breakfast: foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • Hill repeats: 10 min WU + 7 x (2 min hard uphill + 4 min walk downhill) + 10 min CD
    • T+D 131, 2.5% effect; T 77 F
    • time: 1:02:06
    • distance: 4.52 mi
    • sprint split paces: 10:17, 10:27, 9:53, 10:15, 9:47, 10:1
    • sprint split paces: 9:56, 9:47, 9:31, 8:48, 9:43, 10:55, 11:22
    • elevation gain: 476 ft (uncorrected)
    • comments: I said last week, "These repeats are noticeably slower than the ones from the week before - maybe due to the heat?" Well, these splits are faster again, so, yes, probably the heat. Except the last two were so much slower - I don't remember anything in particular going on with them.
    • comments: My last hill repeats until after this training plan is over!
      
    • route: Forest Glen Annex

Wednesday after dinner: 2-hr tennis doubles match - my partner and I lost 7-5, 6-7 in a timed match, and our team lost overall, too.

Thursday

• Before breakfast: legs & pull-ups workout
  • 2 x 11 weighted glute bridge (30 lb)
  • 2 x 8 pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 11 dumbbell swings (30 lb)
  • 2 x 8 chin-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 11 ea one-leg squat
  • 2 x 8 close-grip pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 11 goblet squats (30 lb)
  • 2 x 14 superman/banana X
  • 1 x 22 single-leg step-ups
• After work:
  • 70 min tempo ramps
    • T+D 114, 1% effect; T 77 F
    • time: 1:10:01
    • distance: 6.35 mi
    • average pace: 11:01
    • splits: 11:08, 10:55, 11:04, 11:05, 10:46, 10:53, 11:48
    • elevation gain: 459 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: new loop around the neighborhood
    • comments: I got the concept for this workout in one of my trail running training books, but I think I gave it the name. The idea is to have an incline that is less steep and longer than what would be used for hill repeats - this is a ramp. Then I run with tempo effort up the ramps and easy effort downhill on the other side. With this loop, pretty much one half is uphill and one half is downhill, so it works well. I aimed for a HR around 160 BPM to be in my tempo range. I am hopeful that this workout is going to be really helpful for my trail races.

Friday

• Before breakfast: upper body workout and foam rolling and stretching
  • I usually do pull-ups in this workout (see previous week), but since I did them the day before, I did not do them here.
  • 2 x 16 decline push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 10 shoulder presses (25 lb each arm)
  • 2 x 16 military push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 14 triceps dips, both feet on Swiss ball
  • 2 x 16 wide push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 10 shoulder front raises (12 lb each arm)
  • 2 x 9 push-ups on medicine balls to side plank
  • 2 x 10 shoulder side raises (12 lb each arm)
• After work:
  • 60 min easy
    • T+D 143, 3.5% effect; T 84 F
    • time: 1:00:03
    • distance: 5.0 mi
    • average pace: 12:01
    • splits: 11:50, 12:12, 12:04, 11:46, 12:13
    • ave HR: 139 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 177 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Sligo Creek Trail

Saturday

• After breakfast: 2-hr tennis practice
• Before dinner:
  • 60 min easy on trail
    • T+D 147, 4% effect; T 84 F
    • time: 1:00:01
    • distance: 4.64 mi
    • average pace: 12:57
    • splits: 12:46, 13:11, 13:03, 13:13, 12:15
    • ave HR: 140 BPM - at the top of my target range
    • elevation gain: 187 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Valley Trail, Rock Creek National Park

Sunday all day:

• 120 min LR on trail
  • T+D 147, 4% effect; T 79 F - very humid!
  • time: 2:00:01
  • distance: 8.0 mi
  • average pace: 15:01
  • splits: 15:35, 15:00, 13:18, 16:50, 13:46, 16:37, 13:32, 15:28
  • ave HR: 153 BPM - at about the top of my LR target range
  • elevation gain: 1078 ft (corrected)
  • route: Allegheny Front Trail from Rte 504 to the SW across Sixmile Rd
  • comments: This route is part of the race course for my August race. A number of very steep hills, but also some more gradual inclines that I think my "tempo ramps" already helped with. This section was much, much hillier than the section I ran in May.
  • comments: I ate 160 cal of GU Blocks, 100 cal of Goldfish, and 100 cal of Swedish Fish. I drank 1.5L of water + Nuun electrolytes. I seemed to tolerate all of this OK.
  • comments: This trail is about 3.5 hr away from where I live. Left home about 8:30am, stopped at a convenience store to change when I got off the highway, started the run at about 12:20pm, finished the run at about 2:50pm (a lot of pauses for breath and to double-check the route), cleaned up and changed in my car, stopped to get food at the convenience store, and then the drove home took more like 4 hr because of traffic. Grrr. Got home about 7:15pm. This was an all-day effort.

Between my run on the Allegheny Front Trail at the end of May and this one, I've run about half of the 14-mile course. About 1 mile that I haven't run will be the starting bit from the airport that is paved and then gravel. So there is about 6 miles that is single-track that I haven't seen at all. I was hoping to do one more run there, but it is not going to work out. Hopefully there isn't anything too crazy on that part of the course!


Health

The headache has overall been better. I finished up the physical therapy sessions that were on this authorizations, and I think they have been helping a lot. My neurologist and the physical therapist put in requests for more sessions and that was approved. I also started taking a new med, Nurtec, every other day to see if it helps prophylactically. I am having fewer really bad headache days and even when the headache gets bad, it is letting up sooner than it used to. But it's still always there at a low level, at least. I feel like it might be possible to completely get rid of it though, and I didn't always think that, so that's good.

 

[avondale]

Week of June 21 - 27, 2021

This was the eighth week of my training plan. This was a cut-back week. This plan includes the following races:

• Crow Vineyard 5k, July 30, "C" race
  • Planning to run this very easy as part of my taper
• Allegheny Front Trail Race (I am doing the 14-miler), August 7, "A" race
• Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run (I deferred my 2020 entry to 2021, and then the April 2021 race got postponed to September!), September 12, "C" race
  • Planning to run this in about 2 hours as an easy long run
• Virtual Boston Marathon, October 8/9/10, "B" race

I tried to take 1 - 2 walks around the neighborhood on weekdays when I could.

Monday

• Before breakfast: foam rolling and stretching
• After work: 90-min walk on treadmill

Tuesday

• Before breakfast: legs and pull-ups workout
  • 2 x 11 weighted glute bridge (30 lb)
  • 2 x 8 pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 11 dumbbell swings (30 lb)
  • 2 x 8 chin-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 11 ea one-leg squat
  • 2 x 8 close-grip pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 11 goblet squats (30 lb)
  • 2 x 14 superman/banana X
  • 1 x 22 single-leg step-ups
• After work:
  • 50 min easy
    • T+D 121, 1.5% effect; T 66 F
    • time: 50:02
    • distance: 4.25 mi
    • average pace: 11:46
    • splits: 11:32, 12:09, 11:45, 11:39, 11:46
    • ave HR: 138 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 39 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Rock Creek Trail

Wednesday after work:

• 60 min hard up, easy down
  • T+D 116, 1% effect; T 75 F
  • time: 1:00:01
  • distance: 4.65 mi
  • average pace: 12:54
  • elevation gain: 522 ft (uncorrected)
  • route: Wheaton Loop Trail
  • comments: The idea behind this work out is to "charge up" the uphills and then run easy on the downhills. This trail has a variety of inclinations and hills, so it's good for this.

Thursday

• Before breakfast: upper body workout
  • 2 x 16 decline push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 8 pull-ups, 2 unassisted
  • 2 x 10 shoulder presses, 25 lb per arm
  • 2 x 16 military push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 8 chin-ups, 2 unassisted
  • 2 x 14 triceps dips on bench, both feet on swiss ball
  • 2 x 16 wide push-ups, one leg raised
  • 2 x 8 close-grip pull-ups, 2 unassisted
  • 2 x 10 shoulder front raises, 12 lb per arm
  • 2 x 9 push-ups to side plank, both hands on medicine balls
  • 2 x 9 lawnmowers each side, 30 lb
  • 2 x 10 shoulder side raises, 12 lb per arm
• After dinner: 2-hr tennis doubles match - my partner and I won 6-2, 7-5, and our team won overall, too!

Friday

• Before breakfast: core workout
  • 2 x 20 starfish
  • 2 x 20 dead bug
  • 2 x 20 bird dog crunches
  • 2 x 20 isometric quad pushes, 3 sec hold
  • 2 x 20 bicycle crunches with pause
  • 2 x 5 hollow-body holds, 10 sec
  • 2 x 2 side planks, 30 sec
  • 2 x 20 slow double leg lift and lower
• After work:
  • 40 min easy
    • T+D 136, 3% effect; T 81 F
    • time: 40:02
    • distance: 3.34 mi
    • average pace: 11:58
    • splits: 12:08, 11:57, 11:42, 12:17
    • ave HR: 137 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 92 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Sligo Creek Trail

Saturday

• Before lunch:
  • 60 min easy on trail
    • T+D146, 4% effect; T 79 F
      
    • time: 1:00:08
    • distance: 4.66 mi
    • average pace: 12:54
    • splits: 12:26, 13:06, 13:05, 13:10, 12:41
    • ave HR: 141 BPM - just above my target range
    • elevation gain: 89 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Northwest Branch Trail
• Before dinner: 90-min walk on treadmill

Sunday before dinner:

• 90 min LR on trail
  • T+D 160, 6% effect; T 90 F
    
  • time: 1:30:01
  • distance: 6.75 mi
  • average pace: 13:19
  • splits: 12:51, 13:22, 14:58, 13:26, 13:10, 13:42, 11:18
  • ave HR: 149 BPM - within my target range for long run
  • elevation gain: 833 ft (uncorrected)
  • route: Western Ridge Trail, Rock Creek National Park
  • comments: This run went VERY well, given the T+D. I was just about to my turn-around point and I realized that I wasn't feeling as bad as I thought I would be. In fact, my VO2max went up a point after the run, although that's probably more due to my runs earlier in the week.
  • comments: I had 1.5L of water + Nuun for electrolytes. I ate 100-cal of Sport Beans.

FUELING: I realized that I have been forgetting to include my fueling in my log recently, so I'm going back to last couple of weeks to add that in.


Health

My headache continues to not be so bad. I did get approval for more physical therapy sessions. It would be nice to end the headache and PT. I've been doing PT since March at least.

 

[avondale]

Week of June 28 - July 4, 2021

This was the ninth week of my training plan. This plan includes the following races:

• Crow Vineyard 5k, July 30, "C" race
  • Planning to run this very easy as part of my taper
• Allegheny Front Trail Race (I am doing the 14-miler), August 7, "A" race
• Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run (I deferred my 2020 entry to 2021, and then the April 2021 race got postponed to September!), September 12, "C" race
  • Planning to run this in about 2 hours as an easy long run
• Virtual Boston Marathon, October 8/9/10, "B" race

I tried to take 1 - 2 walks around the neighborhood on weekdays when I could.

My husband and I traveled to visit my mother, my sister, and her son from the afternoon of July 1 - morning of July 5.

Monday

• Before breakfast: foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • 60 min tempo ramps
    • T+D 159, 6% effect ; T 91 F
    • time: 1:00:02
    • distance: 5.48 mi
    • average pace: 10:57
    • splits: 11:25, 10:45, 10:30, 10:55, 10:31, 12:17
    • elevation gain: 453 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: new loop around the neighborhood
    • comments: I got the concept for this workout in one of my trail running training books, but I think I gave it the name. The idea is to have an incline that is less steep and longer than what would be used for hill repeats - this is a ramp. Then I run with tempo effort up the ramps and easy effort downhill on the other side. With this loop, pretty much one half is uphill and one half is downhill, so it works well. I aimed for a HR around 160 BPM to be in my tempo range. I am hopeful that this workout is going to be really helpful for my trail races.
    • comments: When I finished this run, I needed about 0.2 miles to hit 100 miles for June, so I added on another really short run.

Tuesday

• Before breakfast: legs and pull-ups workout
  • 2 x 12 weighted glute bridge (30 lb)
  • 2 x 8 pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 12 dumbbell swings (30 lb)
  • 2 x 8 chin-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 12 ea one-leg squat
  • 2 x 8 close-grip pull-ups (2 unassisted)
  • 2 x 12 goblet squats (30 lb)
  • 2 x 16 superman/banana X
  • single-leg step-ups - ran out of time
• After dinner: 2-hr tennis doubles match - my partner and I lost 6-4, 6-4, and our team lost overall, too.

Wednesday

• Before breakfast: core workout and foam rolling and stretching
  • 2 x 20 starfish
  • 2 x 20 dead bug
  • 2 x 20 bird dog crunches
  • 2 x 20 isometric quad pushes, 3 sec hold
  • 2 x 20 bicycle crunches with pause
  • 2 x 5 hollow-body holds, 10 sec
  • 2 x 2 side planks, 30 sec
  • 2 x 20 slow double leg lift and lower
• After dinner: 2-hr tennis singles match - I lost 6-2, 6-4, but fortunately my team won overall!

Thursday before breakfast:

• 50 min easy
  • T+D 143, 3.5% effect; T 72 F
  • time: 50:01
  • distance: 4.16 mi
  • average pace: 12:01
  • splits: 12:20, 12:09, 11:33, 11:52, 12:54
  • ave HR: 139 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 95 ft (uncorrected)
  • route: Sligo Creek Trail

Friday

• Before breakfast:
  • 80 min easy
    • T+D 115, 1% effect; T 57 F
    • distance: 6.85 mi
    • average pace: 11:41
    • splits: 11:55, 11:51, 11:48, 11:40, 11:38, 11:29, 11:27
    • ave HR: 135 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 7 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Allegheny River Trail
    • comments: This unintentionally turned into a progression run, because I just felt better and better throughout the run.
    • comments: I ate about 300 cal before this run.
    • comments: This run was supposed to be "easy up, hard down" in my training plan, but there really isn't a convenient place that I know of near my mother's house to do this sort of run.
• In afternoon: 2-mi walk with family

Saturday

• Before breakfast:
  • 70 min easy on trail
    • T+D 114, 1% effect; T 61 F
    • distance: 5.85 mi
    • average pace: 11:59
    • splits: 12:20, 12:08, 11:54, 11:48, 11:49, 11:51
    • ave HR: 126 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 89 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: North Country Trail, Clarion County PA, going north from the end of Sandy Creek Trail
    • comments: I had run this trail before, but recently the gravel on the gas line maintenance road was "scraped" and somehow loosened and was very frustrating to run on for about half the route. I just was not feeling the run on that material. On the plus side, the trail was completely empty of people.
• In afternoon: 2-mi walk with family

Sunday

• After breakfast:
  • 140 min LR on trail - aborted due to sprained ankle
    • route: North Country Trail, starting from headquarters of Cook Forest State Park, PA - going south first
    • I got 1.88 mi into the run before I rolled my left ankle (over-supinated it). So far the trail had been almost all uphill (522 ft elevation gain in 1.88 mi), but of course I rolled it on a downhill part. I had to abort the run and walk back to my car, which was very frustrating. Fortunately the ankle was weight-bearing and didn't really hurt as long as I didn't supinate too much.
    • The trail was really, really gorgeous, and I am upset for multiple reasons about having to abort the run.
• Immediately after run:
  • 2-mi walk back to car; pace 25:49

Now I have to try to figure out when I'm going to be able to get back to both running and trail running and how to adjust my training plan. Next week is my peak training week and Saturday, July 17 will be 3 weeks from my 14-mi trail race.

As I write this on July 6 (2 days after the injury), the ankle has been good with treadmill and sidewalk walking, so I am betting that I will be able to road/sidewalk run pretty much any time. I'm not sure about when I will be able to trail run (and play tennis!), since they require more ankle mobility. It may partly depend on whether I decide that I can run with an ankle wrap on (I know I can play tennis with one).

The image below was from about 30 hrs after the injury. I suspect that there was a lot of extra bruising from the fact that I had to walk back to my car and couldn't wrap the sprain immediately. As I write this 24 h after the photo, the swelling has already gone down quite a bit and the bruising is starting to "yellow".



Health

Other than the sprained ankle....I couldn't really do my PT exercises while I was away, and my headache was worse for that lack. I guess it's good to know that they do something.

 

[SheHulk]

Ack! that ankle. Can't bring myself to "like" your post. I'm glad it's improving already.

 

[avondale]

Ack! that ankle. Can't bring myself to "like" your post. I'm glad it's improving already.

Ha, I can see what you mean, and I appreciate the "get well soon" sentiment. I think the purple "layer" along the bottom of my foot is just blood the pooled a bit because I couldn't get off my feet right away. That's not sore at all.

 

[avondale]

A short history of my sprained ankles...
I figured that one of the event journals I used to keep would have a history of my sprained ankles, and I was right.

1. May 1998: This sprained ankle was a bad one from a legitimate accident. I was carrying a full basket of laundry to the basement of our apartment in the Boston area. The stairs to the basement were steep and spiral, and I missed the last stair and landed on my right ankle, over-supinating it. It hurt LIKE THE BLAZES, but I was clueless about the fact that it might be sprained. I didn't do much the rest of the night, and it continued to hurt if I turned it, but I was blissfully ignorant. The next morning, it had swollen to the size of a baseball, and I went to the emergency room to learn that it was sprained. RICE, and it healed.
2. September 2000: This was completely random. I was crossing Commonwealth Avenue (in a crosswalk) in front of my building at Boston University, and my right ankle just gave way, over-supinating again. I managed to get out of the middle of the street and to my office. This ended up being my worst sprain, with brusing all up the IT band area. It took forever to really heal up, although I wasn't that active at that time.
3. July 2001: I was visiting Lowell Observatory to do some observing for my PhD. When I stepped out of the SUV, my right ankle gave way - it's possible I stepped on the edge of the pavement or some rocks or something uneven. This sprain wasn't too bad.
4. November 2005: I didn't write down the circumstances of this sprain, and I don't remember it specifically. It was before I started playing much tennis, so that probably wasn't it.
5. April 2007: Sprained my right ankle doing step aerobics. This sprain wasn't too bad.
6. ???...I know I have a few more sprains, since I think I got about two from tennis, but I stopped writing in that event journal in 2008. I kind of suspect #3 might have been my left ankle, but I didn't have that noted. Until...
7. July 2021: Sprained left ankle during downhill section of trail running.