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

[GollyGadget]

I want to like morning runs, especially in the summer, but I just don't have the energy for them.

I feel this. Morning run is practically required in the summer but I'm always still half asleep. It's odd because I am a morning person in general, just not a morning runner.

 

[avondale]

Week of May 5 - 11, 2025
This was the second week of ~13 weeks of training for a 5k in early August (yes, overkill). This is mostly to keep me running during the summer heat and humidity and I think a focus on speed will be good. In the interest of helping my knees, I'm only planning 4 runs/week during this period with the plan of a long hike on the weekend with my husband (instead of a fifth run).

Monday before breakfast: walk on treadmill

• time: 44:19
• distance: 2.28 mi
• ave pace: 19:26
• incline: 0%
• comments: Another evening where I had a work event, so I needed to get my steps in early.

Tuesday

• Before breakfast: core workout
  • 0-sec plank with 20-lb vest
  • 20 starfish
  • 20 dead bugs
  • 20 bird dogs
  • 20 each side flutter kicks
  • 20 bicycle crunches with hold
  • 5 10-sec hollow-body holds
  • 2 30-sec side planks
  • 20 double leg lift/lowers
• After work:
  • 40 min easy on trail
    • T+D 119, 1% effect, T 68 F
    • time: 40:01
    • distance: 3.02 mi
    • average pace: 13:16 (GAP ave pace: 13:12)
    • splits: 13:30, 13:09, 13:10
    • ave HR: 131 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 190 ft (corrected)
    • route: Northwest Branch Trail

Wednesday

• Before breakfast:
  • Strength endurance workout
    • 2 x 15 each leg - reverse lunges
    • 2 x 15 each leg - Romanian single-leg deadlifts with kickstand and 10 lb
    • 2 x 15 each leg - single-leg hip thrusts with 10 lb
    • 2 x 15 - heels-elevated squats with 10 lb
    • 2 x 15 each leg - hip airplanes
    • comments: PT for my knees
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • 50 min easy
    • T+D 124, 1.5% effect, T 70 F
    • time: 50:01
    • distance: 4.27 mi
    • average pace: 11:43 (GAP ave pace 11:44)
    • splits: 11:42, 11:56, 11:32, 11:36, 12:15
    • ave HR: 137 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 148 ft (corrected)
    • route: Sligo Creek Trail
    • comments: This route is paved.

Thursday

• Before breakfast:
  • P90X2 X2 Ab Ripper
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • Hill repeat HIIT -- 13min easy + 3 x [7 x (20sec sprint uphill + 20sec walk downhill) + 4min walk downhill]
    • T+D 130, 2% effect, T 68 F
    • time: 40:00
    • distance: 2.9 mi
    • repeat splits: 9:04, 9:11, 9:28, 8:31, 8:37, 9:04, 9:32, 8:36, 9:48, 9:37, 8:34, 10:01, 9:11, 9:37, 8:34, 8:59, 9:00, 8:46, 8:56, 9:26, 9:36
    • elevation gain: 205 ft (corrected)
    • route: neighborhood loop 1
    • comments: Not enthusiastic about this.

Friday

• Before breakfast: Workout 1
  • 3 x 5 - suitcase squats with 57.5 lb + 20-lb vest
  • superset
    • 3 x 1 - unassisted chin-ups
    • 3 x 5 - last pull-downs with 49-lb bands
    • 3 x 5 - bench presses with 57.5 lb
  • 3 x 5 - Romanian deadlifts with 57.5 lb
  • superset
    • 3 x 5 - shoulder presses with 45 lb
    • 3 x 5 - band pull-aparts with 13-lb band
• In evening: walk on treadmill
  • time: 1:26:30
  • distance: 4.59 mi
  • ave pace: 18:51
  • incline: 0%

Saturday before dinner:

• 60 min LR on trail
  • T+D 107, 0.5% effect, T 70 F
  • time: 1:00:01
  • distance: 4.7 mi
  • average pace: 12:46 (GAP ave pace: 12:35)
  • splits: 12:48, 12:48, 12:39, 13:04, 12:26
  • ave HR: 138 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 243 ft (corrected)
  • route: Valley Trail, Rock Creek National Park
  • comments: This was a nice pace for this trail at easy effort.

Sunday before dinner: hiking

• time: 2:22:56
• distance: 7.29 mi
• average pace: 19:36
• elevation gain: 874 ft (corrected)
• route: Western Ridge Trail, Rock Creek National Park

Health

Not much change. Feeling more knee pain since I've started running again, but not awful. I start back with PT tomorrow.

 

[avondale]

Week of May 12 - 18, 2025


This was the third week of ~13 weeks of training for a 5k in early August (yes, overkill). This is mostly to keep me running during the summer heat and humidity and I think a focus on speed will be good. In the interest of helping my knees, I'm only planning 4 runs/week during this period with the plan of a long hike on the weekend with my husband (instead of a fifth run).

On May 17, I hit 5 years of getting at least 10,000 steps per day!

Monday

• Before breakfast: core workout
  • 90-sec plank with 20-lb vest
  • 20 starfish
  • 20 dead bugs
  • 20 bird dogs
  • 20 each side flutter kicks
  • 20 bicycle crunches with hold
  • 5 10-sec hollow-body holds
  • 2 30-sec side planks
  • 20 double leg lift/lowers
• After work:
  • Hill repeat HIIT -- 13min easy + 3 x [7 x (20sec sprint uphill + 20sec walk downhill) + 4min walk downhill]
    • T+D 135, 2.5% effect, T 73 F
    • time: 40:00
    • distance: 2.94 mi
    • repeat splits: 8:33, 8:43, 9:32, 9:00, 8:43, 9:23, 9:32, 8:09, 9:27, 9:06, 8:31, 8:52, 9:40, 9:36, 8:10, 9:02, 9:06, 9:03, 8:54, 9:41, 9:28
    • elevation gain: 199 ft (corrected)
    • route: neighborhood loop 1

Tuesday

• Before breakfast:
  • Strength endurance workout
    • 2 x 15 each leg - reverse lunges
    • 2 x 15 each leg - Romanian single-leg deadlifts with kickstand and 10 lb
    • 2 x 15 each leg - single-leg hip thrusts with 10 lb
    • 2 x 15 - heels-elevated squats with 10 lb
    • 2 x 15 each leg - hip airplanes
    • comments: PT for my knees
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work: walk on treadmill
  • time: 1:26:16
  • distance: 4.59 mi
  • ave pace: 18:48
  • incline: 0%

Wednesday

• Before breakfast:
  • P90X2 X2 Ab Ripper
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • Speed intervals -- 15 min easy + 6 x (1 min fast + 1 min walk) + 15 min easy
    • T+D 133, 2.5% effect, T 69 F
    • time: 42:01
    • distance: 3.59 mi
    • repeat splits: 8:59, 8:31, 8:24, 8:08, 8:14, 8:10
    • elevation gain: 119 ft (corrected)
    • route: Sligo Creek Trail

Thursday

• Before breakfast: Workout 2
  • 3 x 5 each leg - single-leg squats on bench
  • superset
    • 3 x 5 each arm - one-arm rows on bench with 33.75 lb
    • 3 x 5 - wide push-ups with 20-lb vest
  • 3 x 5 each leg - bench step-up-and-overs with 20-lb vest
  • superset
    • 3 x 5 - parallel-bar dips
    • 3 x 5 - supermans with 10-s hold
• After work:
  • 50 min easy
    • T+D 143, 3.5% effect, T 79 F
    • time: 50:00
    • distance: 4.11 mi
    • average pace: 12:10 (GAP ave pace: 12:12)
    • splits: 12:16, 12:13, 12:13, 11:58, 12:14
    • ave HR: 136 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 133 ft (corrected)
    • route: Rock Creek Trail
    • comments: I was supposed to do this on the trails, but given we got 3 inches of rain in the last few days, it would be too muddy.

Friday

• Before breakfast: foam rolling and stretching
• After dinner: walk outside
  • time: 58:08
  • distance: 2.88 mi
  • ave pace: 20:12
  • elevation gain: 185 ft (corrected)

Saturday

• Before lunch:
  • 70 min LR
    • T+D 139, 3% effect, T 78 F
    • time: 1:10:01
    • distance: 5.83 mi
    • average pace: 12:01 (GAP ave pace: 12:03)
    • splits: 12:06, 11:55, 11:43, 11:47, 12:21, 12:14
    • ave HR: 141 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 161 ft (corrected)
    • route: Rock Creek Trail
    • comments: The trails would still be pretty muddy, so I opted for pavement. But this taught me why I changed to trails. The trails are not as shady overall, and the pavement in the Sun just radiates the heat - so hot and humid! After about 45 min, I had to slow down quite a bit to keep my HR manageable.
• In evening: 2-hr tennis doubles match - my partner and I lost 7-6, 6-1.

Sunday before dinner: walking outside

• time: 1:54:37
• distance: 6.11 mi
• average pace: 18:45
• elevation gain: 126 ft (corrected)
• route: C&O Canal Trail, to Great Falls and then going north and back.
• comments: With the huge amount of rain we've been getting the river is very deep and the rapids are crazy. Most of the rocks that make up the rapids are submerged right now, so the water just looks crazy and frothy. The photos below show today (first) and then from 2016 when the river level was normal.

Health

I had physical therapy appointments on Monday and Wednesday.

On Monday, it was essentially a re-evaluation. The PT also had a new dynamometer, so she measured the actual strengths of various muscle groups. My hip muscles are pretty equally strong on both sides. My left quad is weaker than my right quad, but my left hamstrings and glute are stronger than my right hamstrings and glute. We didn't do much except measurements.

Beside the knee problems, I have a problem with my left glute - I pulled it last year toward the end of June, and it's still not good. The PT says it feels like I have a bunch of trigger points in it that aren't working out. I set up a dry needling appointment for that in early June.

I'm also going to get x-rays of my knees to check for arthritis (and anything else).

On Wednesday, I did some exercises that I'm struggling to remember what they were! Some internal and external rotation of the hips with a ball between the knees and a band. One-leg Romanian deadlifts with a kickstand using the cable machine. One-leg glute bridges. I feel like there must have been more, but now I am not remembering.

I'm continuing with the "strength endurance" workouts once per week.

 

[jmasgat]

On May 17, I hit 5 years of getting at least 10,000 steps per day!

Wow...just, wow! That's quite the streak. I'm incredibly impressed.

 

[col1]

On May 17, I hit 5 years of getting at least 10,000 steps per day!

That’s next level otherworldly consistency right there.

 

[avondale]

Wow...just, wow! That's quite the streak. I'm incredibly impressed.

Thank you!

That’s next level otherworldly consistency right there.

Thanks!

 

[avondale]

Week of May 19 - 25, 2025

This was the fourth week of ~13 weeks of training for a 5k in early August (yes, overkill). This is mostly to keep me running during the summer heat and humidity and I think a focus on speed will be good. In the interest of helping my knees, I'm only planning 4 runs/week during this period with the plan of a long hike on the weekend with my husband (instead of a fifth run).

Monday

• Before breakfast: foam rolling and stretching
• After work: walking on treadmill
  • time: 41:14
  • distance: 2.32 mi
  • ave pace: 17:46
  • incline: 0%

Tuesday

• Before breakfast:
  • Core workout
    • 90-sec plank with 20-lb vest
    • 20 starfish
    • 20 dead bugs
    • 20 bird dogs
    • 20 each side flutter kicks
    • 20 bicycle crunches with hold
    • 5 10-sec hollow-body holds
    • 2 30-sec side planks
    • 20 double leg lift/lowers
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • Hill repeat HIIT -- 13min easy + 3 x [7 x (20sec sprint uphill + 20sec walk downhill) + 4min walk downhill]
    • T+D 116, 1% effect, T 67 F
    • time: 40:00
    • distance: 2.92 mi
    • repeat splits: 8:38, 8:41, 9:23, 8:53, 8:25, 9:36, 8:58, 8:07, 9:08, 9:06, 8:20, 8:37, 9:45, 9:58, 8:36, 9:19, 9:14, 9:07, 9:14, 9:11, 9:39
    • elevation gain: 204 ft (corrected)
    • route: neighborhood loop 1

Wednesday after work: walk on treadmill

• time: 1:27:33
• distance: 4.78 mi
• ave pace: 18:19
• incline: 0%
• comments: I was going to go run outside, but I went out to my car and it was chilly and rainy, and windy, and I thought, "I am not training that seriously, so screw this."

Thursday after work: walk on treadmill

• time: 43:44
• distance: 2.19 mi
• ave pace: 19:58
• incline: 0%
• comments: Today was the commencement party in our department for our graduates, which I organize and run. Then we had commencement for our college within the university. I was one of two name readers, and I read almost 900 names in about 100 minutes. I was so totally exhausted after that!

Friday

• Before breakfast:
  • Strength endurance workout
    • 2 x 15 each leg - reverse lunges
    • 2 x 15 each leg - Romanian single-leg deadlifts with kickstand and 10 lb
    • 2 x 15 each leg - single-leg hip thrusts with 10 lb
    • 2 x 15 - heels-elevated squats with 10 lb
    • 2 x 15 each leg - hip airplanes
    • comments: PT for my knees
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• Before dinner:
  • 50 min easy on trail
    • T+D 105, 0.5% effect, T 67 F
    • time: 50:00
    • distance: 3.9 mi
    • average pace: 12:50 (GAP ave pace: 12:45)
    • splits: 12:51, 12:49, 12:40, 13:01
    • ave HR: 135 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 251 ft (corrected)
    • route: Northwest Branch Trail

Saturday before breakfast:

• Tempo - 15 min easy + 10 min tempo + 15 min easy
  • T+D 98, no effect, T 53 F
  • time: 40:01
  • distance: 3.52 mi
  • tempo split: 9:53
  • elevation gain: 108 ft (corrected)
  • route: Sligo Creek Trail

Sunday

• Morning: Hiking Allegheny Gorge Overlook and Iron Furnace in Clear Creek State Forest
  • time: 2:13:27
  • distance: 5.72 mi
  • ave pace: 23:19
  • elevation gain: 1095 ft (corrected)
  • route: various trails to make a lollipop-loop in Clear Creek State Forest
  • comments: I grew up in this area, but my family never did anything outside, and I moved away at 18 for college. Now I am back to visit and am discovering these amazing hidden gem state parks that are gorgeous. This was an amazingly beautiful hike. The overlook for the Allegheny River was fine - probably prettier in the fall. But the most beautiful part was down in the valley going along Dennison Run. We criss-crossed the creek four times on swinging bridges, and it was all just so pretty.
• 
• Afternoon: walk with my mom - 0.88 mi in almost an hour, which is her longest walk in years!

Health

I had a physical therapy appointment on Tuesday this week. We did exercises similar to those in the visit last week.

I made an appointment for x-ray imaging of my knees to look for arthritis or other issues.

 

[avondale]

Week of May 26 - June 1, 2025

This was the fifth week of ~13 weeks of training for a 5k in early August (yes, overkill). This is mostly to keep me running during the summer heat and humidity and I think a focus on speed will be good. In the interest of helping my knees, I'm only planning 4 runs/week during this period with the plan of a long hike on the weekend with my husband (instead of a fifth run).

Monday before breakfast:

• 60 min LR
  • T+D 89, no effect, T 46 F - warmed up quite a bit during the run
  • time: 1:00:01
  • distance: 5.07 mi
  • average pace: 11:51 (GAP ave pace: 11:51)
  • splits: 12:22, 12:04, 11:38, 11:41, 11:30, 11:14
  • ave HR: 125 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 94 ft (uncorrected)
  • route: Allegheny River Trail
  • comments: Still visiting my family in PA.

Tuesday before dinner:

• Trail speed intervals - 20 min easy + 6 x (1 min fast + 1 min walk) + 20 min easy
  • T+D 124, 1.5% effect, T 64 F - light rain the whole time
  • time: 52:01
  • speed interval splits: 9:35, 8:58, 9:38, 9:28, 8:27, 8:49
  • elevation gain: 225 ft (corrected)
  • route: Valley Trail, Rock Creek National Park
  • comments: This was a lot of fun, partly with the suspense of "will I trip" during the speed intervals.

Wednesday

• Before breakfast:
  • Workout 1
    • 3 x 5 - suitcase squats with 57.5 lb + 20-lb vest
    • superset
      • 3 x 1 - unassisted chin-ups
      • 3 x 5 - lat pull-downs with 49-lb bands
      • 3x 5 - bench presses with 57.5 lb
    • 3 x 5 - Romanian deadlifts with 57.5 lb
    • superset
      • 3 x 5 - shoulder presses with 42.5 lb
      • 3 x 5 - band pull-aparts with 13-lb band
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work: walk on treadmill
  • time: 1:28:26
  • distance: 4.85 mi
  • ave pace: 18:14
  • incline: 0%

Thursday

• Before breakfast:
  • Core workout
    • 90-sec plank with 20-lb vest
    • 20 starfish
    • 20 dead bugs
    • 20 bird dogs
    • 20 each side flutter kicks
    • 20 bicycle crunches with hold
    • 5 10-sec hollow-body holds
    • 2 30-sec side planks
    • 20 double leg lift/lowers
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• Before dinner:
  • 60 min easy
    • T+D 133, 2.5% effect, T 72
    • time: ~1:00:00
    • distance: ~5.07 mi
    • average pace: ~11:51
    • route: Rock Creek Trail
    • comments: This route was paved, so it wasn't a trail run.
    • comments: I managed to end the run when I paused at the turn-around point. I didn't realize it for several minutes after that, but because of landmarks, I had a good estimate of what I missed. That's what the totals are based on. Close enough. But really annoying!

Friday

• Before breakfast: strength endurance workout
  • 2 x 15 each leg - reverse lunges
  • 2 x 15 each leg - Romanian single-leg deadlifts with kickstand and 10 lb
  • 2 x 15 each leg - single-leg hip thrusts with 10 lb
  • 2 x 15 - heels-elevated squats with 10 lb
  • 2 x 15 each leg - hip airplanes
  • comments: PT for my knees
• Before lunch
  • 40 min easy
    • T+D 138, 3% effect, T 76 F
    • time: 40:00
    • distance: 3.33 mi
    • average pace: 12:01 (GAP ave pace: 12:00)
    • splits: 12:04, 12:01, 11:43, 12:45
    • ave HR: 135 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 110 ft (corrected)
    • route: Sligo Creek Trail
    • comments: This route was paved, so it was not a trail run.
    • comments: I was scheduled for HIIT hill repeats before dinner, but we were supposed to get bad thunderstorms that afternoon and evening, so I moved the run earlier. It didn't seem like a good idea to do "HIIT hill repeats" just a couple of hours after the strength training, so I did an easy run instead. Good idea, because my legs weren't very happy with doing the run.

Saturday

• Before lunch:
  • Agility HIIT workout - warm-up + 3 x 8 x (20 sec work + 20 sec rest) + 4 min rest). The exercises were:
    • Fast feet forward/back in ladder
    • Forward/back hop
    • Fast feet in/out in ladder
    • Sprint/backpedal
    • Fast feet forward through ladder
    • Left/right hop
    • Fast feet sideways through ladder
    • Side shuffle
    • comments: This used my agility ladder.
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• Before dinner:
  • 70 min LR on trail
    • T+D 121, 1.5% effect, T 67 F - rain at end
    • time: 1:10:01
    • distance: 5.11 mi
    • average pace: 13:42 (GAP ave pace: 13:34)
    • splits: 13:43, 13:49, 13:39, 13:50, 13:29, 13:37
    • ave HR: 132 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 435 ft (corrected)
    • route: Northwest Branch Trail
    • comments: I started this run about 15 min after a thunderstorm and pouring rain came through, so the trail was very wet, muddy, and slow. It started raining again with about 10 min left in the run.

Sunday afternoon: hiking

• time: 1:59:38
• distance: 6.11 mi
• ave pace: 19:36
• elevation gain: 235 ft (corrected)
• route: Hoyles Mill Trail
• comments: This was a new trail to my husband and I. Due to the location, we weren't expecting much (but we were hoping for something not too muddy), and this trail was neither very interesting nor scenic. It was pleasant and got us outside. It wasn't too muddy.

Health

I do think the knees are slowly improving. With travel, I didn't have any PT this week.

 

[avondale]

Week of June 2 - 8, 2025

This was the sixth week of ~13 weeks of training for a 5k in early August (yes, overkill). This is mostly to keep me running during the summer heat and humidity and I think a focus on speed will be good. In the interest of helping my kneMes, I'm only planning 4 runs/week during this period with the plan of a long hike on the weekend with my husband (instead of a fifth run).

On June 14 - 15, I'm doing the Yeti 24-h Challenge, sort of "with" some Garmin friends. Several of us are doing it on the same weekend. This challenge is to run 5.2 miles every 4 hours for 24 hours (6 times), which adds up to 31.2 mi = 50k. So, yes, I'm essentially running a 50k next weekend. I did this challenge back in February 2021, and I didn't find it to be super difficult, but we'll see how it is now that I'm 4 years older.

Monday

• Before breakfast:
  • Workout 2
    • 3 x 5 each leg - one-leg squats on bench
    • superset
      • 3 x 5 each arm - one-arm rows on bench with 33.75 lb
      • 3 x 5 - push-ups with 20-lb vest
    • 3 x 5 each leg - bench step-up-and-overs with 20-lb vest
      • 3 x 5 - parallel-bar dips
      • 1 x 5 - supermans with 5-sec hold - see my health section below about my back
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work: walk on treadmill
  • time: 1:27:34
  • distance: 4.39 mi
  • ave pace: 19:57
  • incline: 0%
  • comments: see my Health section below about my back

Tuesday

• Before breakfast: foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • 40 min easy
    • T+D 134, 2.5% effect, T 76 F
    • time: 40:01
    • distance: 3.25 mi
    • average pace: 12:18 (GAP ave pace: 12:09)
    • splits: 12:22, 12:12, 12:17, 12:33
    • ave HR: 136 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 193 ft (corrected)
    • route: neighborhood loop 1
    • comments: Given my back issues (see Health section), I opted to do an easy run instead of hill repeats.

Wednesday

• Before breakfast:
  • Strength endurance workout
    • 2 x 15 each leg - reverse lunges
    • 2 x 15 each leg - Romanian single-leg deadlifts with kickstand and 10 lb
    • 2 x 15 - heels-elevated squats with 10 lb
    • 2 x 15 each leg - hip airplanes
    • comments: PT for my knees
    • comments: I didn't do the hip thrusts because of back issues.
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work: walk on treadmill
  • time: 1:27:35
  • distance: 4.64 mi
  • ave pace: 18:53
  • incline: 0%

Thursday

• Before breakfast:
  • Core workout
    • 90-sec plank with 20-lb vest
    • 20 starfish
    • 20 dead bugs
    • 20 bird dogs
    • 20 each side flutter kicks
    • 20 bicycle crunches with hold
    • 5 10-sec hollow-body holds
    • 2 30-sec side planks
    • 20 double leg lift/lowers
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • Tempo on trail - 15 min easy + 16 min tempo effort + 15 min easy
    • T+D 153, 5% effect, T 86 F - hot and humid!
    • time: 46:02
    • distance: 3.82 mi
    • tempo split: 10:34
    • elevation gain: 208 ft (corrected)
    • route: Valley Trail, Rock Creek National Park
    • comments: This was a bit of an adventure because a few minutes into my tempo segment, there were a couple of big trees down across the trail (not there last week), and so I had to do some bushwhacking off trail to where there were just the trunks and not so many branches, and then climb over the trunks and back to the trail to continue. Actually kind of fun! But I was easy prey for all the biting insects.

Friday

• Before breakfast:
  • Strength endurance workout
    • 2 x 15 each leg - reverse lunges
    • 2 x 15 each leg - Romanian single-leg deadlifts with kickstand and 10 lb
    • 2 x 15 - heels-elevated squats with 10 lb
    • 2 x 15 each leg - one-leg hip thrusts with 10 lb
    • 2 x 15 each leg - hip airplanes
    • comments: PT for my knees
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work: walk on treadmill
  • time: 1:26:00
  • distance: 4.58 mi
  • ave pace: 18:47
  • incline: 0%
  • comments: I was going to do a run, but a big line of thunderstorms was almost on us. And then the storms broke up and we hardly got a drop of rain! Grrr.

Saturday

• Before lunch:
  • 60 min easy
    • T+D 146, 4% effect, T 76 F - very humid!
    • time: 1:00:01
    • distance: 5.01 mi
    • average pace: 11:58 (GAP ave pace: 11:57)
    • splits: 12:07, 12:22, 11:48, 11:46, 11:49
    • ave HR: 139 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 179 ft (corrected)
    • route: Sligo Creek Trail
    • comments: This route is paved, so it's not a trail run.
    • comments: I started the run soon after a rain shower stopped, but then it rained again for about 15 min in the middle of the run.
• Before dinner: 2-hr tennis doubles match - my partner and I lost 6-3, 7-5.

Sunday before dinner:

• 80 min LR on trail
  • T+D 139, 3% effect, T 71 F - light rain most of the time with a heavier showers
  • time: 1:20:00
  • distance: 5.68 mi
  • average pace: 14:05 (GAP ave pace: 13:15)
  • splits: 13:58, 14:37, 14:06, 13:49, 14:28, 13:17
  • ave HR: 135 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 745 ft (corrected)
  • route: Western Ridge Trail, Rock Creek National Park
  • comments: The trail was very muddy and slow with the rain.

Health

This has been a very eventful week for me in terms of "health" stuff.
When I woke up on Monday, my lower back was really sore, especially on the right side. My lower back is often sore when I wake up, so I didn't really appreciate that this was a lot worse than usual until I started on my strength workout and ended up really aggravating it. It was...unpleasant until about Thursday. I was feeling fine when I went to bed Sunday night, so I have no idea what happened.

I had a physical therapy appointment on Tuesday. My back wasn't quite so bad by then, but it obviously didn't make sense to aggravate it with a lot of strength work, so the PT did a lot of manual work on my hamstrings (hoping that would help the back too), and I did some lighter exercises and stretching.

Wednesday was a big day for health stuff! First, I had x-rays of both knees. (I had never had x-rays on my knees before.) The orthopedist said the diagnosis was straightforward: I have osteoarthritis in both knees on the lateral side of the trochlear groove. I found an example x-ray online (this is NOT my x-ray - it is from Complete Orthopedics) as an example:
This is for the left knee. The joint space between the patella at the "lateral facet" of the femur has basically no cartilage left. It's the same for both knees.

There are good things about this diagnosis: this is not a weight-bearing part of the joint, so it shouldn't necessarily get worse rapidly, and the orthopedist doesn't think I'll need knee replacements for something like 20 years.

The bad things about this diagnosis: there's really nothing to do to "cure" it. The orthopedist suggested absolutely no squatting, lunging, and to minimize running on anything other than flat surfaces. Yeah, right.

But really, it's up to me, because if I do those things, then the pain is going to be worse, so it's a question of what I want to deal with and how I can manage the pain. In this week as I write this, I have very little knee pain, even on stairs or running. It does get worse when I am more active, and presumably the more active I am, the worse it could get. Currently, I'm not taking any pain meds. Potentially I could use more NSAIDs and potentially get cortisone shots.

So, I'm going to be working with my physical therapist to make sure any muscle imbalances are worked out (to keep the patella tracking as correctly as possible) and then discuss what's possible in PT terms for pain management. I can modify some things I do, especially for strength training, but I have absolutely no plans to stop trail running or running in general - I will just think a bit about moderation.

Also on Wednesday, after the x-rays, I had dry needling done on my left hamstring and glute. I had strained my left glute in June 2024 (!!!) and it has still been bothering me. My physical therapist (with some manual work on it) thought that the strain itself was probably basically healed, but that there were a bunch of trigger points with it that were making it continue to feel bad. So, the dry needling.

I have not had dry needling done before. I did not watch. If I watch needles being inserted, I can get faint. Some types of pain make me get faint, so that was a possible issue, too. The therapist did three separate needle insertions. It wasn't pleasant, but it wasn't the worst therapy I've ever had, either (remember way back with my headache that wouldn't go away and the two-dozen Botox injections on my face and neck - that was WAY worse). The next day, the areas of insertion were mildly worse, but not bad, and that has improved. The trigger-point area in my glute is much better! Very big improvement in that, so it seems like it worked. I'm not sure how long it will last, so we'll see.

Well, that might be it for my "health news". But important stuff this week! I have two physical therapy appointments this coming up week, so we'll see how that goes and what she wants to change now that we have a diagnosis.