With the Urban Cow half marathon approaching (Sunday), I find myself in a bit of a bind. After last Tuesday's team practice (hill repeats in Fair Oaks), I suffered some serious soreness in the area around my achilles and ankle.
I attribute the soreness to a number of unscientific factors. First of all, I arrived to practice a little late, and didn't complete my active stretches before starting my in-and-out strides. To compound that, I hadn't completed hill repeats on this particular course in nearly two months. To compound that, I hadn't completed my new workout group's reps on that course (faster times and another repetition). The workout went really, really well, but it goes without saying that I probably pushed too hard for too long. As a result, my ankle was a bit creaky through the remaining mileage of the week.
I continued running despite the pain only because the pain didn't affect the running. On Sunday, for example, I ran a fast 18 miles in Folsom, embedding 5 miles of marathon-pace tempo miles in the middle of the long run. I was at (a previously scheduled appointment in) the physical therapist's office Monday, swollen and sore.
My mind and my style are cramped. First, I have weekly mileage goals for my marathon schedule, so I don't want to lag on the totals heading in to October. Second, I don't want to hurt myself because Sunday's half remains extremely important to me. Really, I want to break my own record. I've worked hard, and want to confirm what I know to be true--it has paid off. And yet, I don't want to jeopardize my overall health and strength for the marathon.
So, my foot is in a bucket of ice. I take Tylenol in my lunch. I run if it doesn't hurt, even if it swells. I sleep in compression socks. We'll see.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Rocktober
The descending temperatures. The enshrouding darkness. The increasing in mileage. The threat of October 2011 looms over the Zook/Petty household. The month begins and ends with two climactic races.
The first, Steph's and my third go round in the neighborhood's Urban Cow half marathon on October 2, presents an opportunity not only to set personal records, but a chance to gauge the effectiveness of my first year of training with Fleet Feet Sacramento. Back on September 11, in a bit of a ramp-up for Urban Cow, I ran a dynamite 10 miler in the Buffalo Stampede (1:02:45). If I can hold form, Sunday's half should bring with it a chance to finally break the PR I recklessly set back in 2009.
We're far less familiar with the second race, both in location and in distance. Our second attempt at marathon running comes on October 30, less than a year after finishing our first run in the California International Marathon. This year our goals lead us to Washington D.C. for the 36th annual Marine Corps Marathon through Northern Virginia.
With both races and increased training on the calendar, we've taken to early bedtimes (usually 9ish), ungodly alarm times (typically 4:15-5:00, depending on the day), and frequent refueling. On that front, I've expanded some of the menu creativity and built in side dishes that vary our intake and allow us to experience some of the more enjoyable flavors of the region. I return this extra work by ensuring that my increased laundry needs are addressed, since running and working mean the family's wearing four outfits a day. Stephanie keeps up, but it's amazing how much of what we fold and dry is made by Nike, Asics, or Champion.
In the blog world, my goal for now is to keep adding small updates on racing, training, and reacting to all things running. As we approach the big event on the 30th, I'll work to communicate the sights and sounds of our travels, as well as provide links to the race day festivities, racing times, and mileage splits.
Stephanie and I hope to see you out there as we continue training. We wish you the best that Rocktober has to offer (even if it's just a pumpkin latte and a day or two with temperatures in the low 70s).
The first, Steph's and my third go round in the neighborhood's Urban Cow half marathon on October 2, presents an opportunity not only to set personal records, but a chance to gauge the effectiveness of my first year of training with Fleet Feet Sacramento. Back on September 11, in a bit of a ramp-up for Urban Cow, I ran a dynamite 10 miler in the Buffalo Stampede (1:02:45). If I can hold form, Sunday's half should bring with it a chance to finally break the PR I recklessly set back in 2009.
We're far less familiar with the second race, both in location and in distance. Our second attempt at marathon running comes on October 30, less than a year after finishing our first run in the California International Marathon. This year our goals lead us to Washington D.C. for the 36th annual Marine Corps Marathon through Northern Virginia.
With both races and increased training on the calendar, we've taken to early bedtimes (usually 9ish), ungodly alarm times (typically 4:15-5:00, depending on the day), and frequent refueling. On that front, I've expanded some of the menu creativity and built in side dishes that vary our intake and allow us to experience some of the more enjoyable flavors of the region. I return this extra work by ensuring that my increased laundry needs are addressed, since running and working mean the family's wearing four outfits a day. Stephanie keeps up, but it's amazing how much of what we fold and dry is made by Nike, Asics, or Champion.
In the blog world, my goal for now is to keep adding small updates on racing, training, and reacting to all things running. As we approach the big event on the 30th, I'll work to communicate the sights and sounds of our travels, as well as provide links to the race day festivities, racing times, and mileage splits.
Stephanie and I hope to see you out there as we continue training. We wish you the best that Rocktober has to offer (even if it's just a pumpkin latte and a day or two with temperatures in the low 70s).
Thursday, September 1, 2011
On the Run
Summer proved a nice time to read, crossword, and run. Despite the time to sleep in, I continue to rise at pre-dawn hours to make miles in the cool morning climate along the river and through the park near my house.
Since the start of the school year nearly one month ago, the dust has yet to settle. With typical rapidity, the Woodland Joint Unified School District continues to approve changes to educational approaches, school schedules, and district policy. As a result, the Pioneer High School teaching staff is diligently trying to navigate a schedule with seven 52-minute periods. Furthermore, these seven periods split on Wednesday and Thursday to a rotating block, with students attending periods 2, 4, and 6 one day, then 1, 3, 5, and 7 the next, for 93 minutes. I find myself struggling to make use of my prep time, and it always seems like I'm shoring up last-minute elements of the day's agenda in a frantic rush before the bell sounds.
I also stepped into the position of head cross country coach. When the position was offered, I figured the job would provide running time, and thus allow me to continue working on weekly mileage goals while coaching and supporting like-minded runners. This notion proved completely misguided, and now I find myself facilitating workouts that meet the varying needs of a variety of running types. When we run intervals on the track, I am able to jog in the opposite direction and provide encouragement and critique. However, if I send them on long/easy runs, they're strung out across town, and my attempts to join them prove either shortsighted, or just plan ignorant. I learned the hard way when, as I tried to keep two fatigued runners talking through the workout, another set of students had to hail a ride from a passing teacher to stave off an asthma attack.
With the running world unable to coexist with the coaching world, I've found myself doing something I once chastised my teammates for doing: Two and three times a week, I rise at 4:30 a.m. to put away 8 or 10 miles before work. With this decision I've had to eat crow, essentially, because in addition to finding a way to make it happen, I've started to absolutely love it. I'm sure the end of daylight savings and the onset of an autumn chill will have me humming a different tune, but for now, I'm a convert to the 5 a.m. run.
Two things to point out beyond the obvious difference in temperature and the fact that, for the rest of the day, the workout is behind you: 1.) I've seen an inordinate number of meteors; 2.) I enact my revenge on the automobile by running right down the middle of the street, which at that hour is free from obstruction.
The training has worked, and my speeds have increased along with my overall mileage. I've graduated to a higher training group on the racing team, and as a result I will face harder workouts as October--my biggest racing month this year--approaches. I'm slated to run in October 2's Urban Cow half marathon, then slated to recover and revamp for October 31's Marine Corp. Marathon in Washington D.C.
Hopefully in the interim I will have figured out how this cross country monster works...
Since the start of the school year nearly one month ago, the dust has yet to settle. With typical rapidity, the Woodland Joint Unified School District continues to approve changes to educational approaches, school schedules, and district policy. As a result, the Pioneer High School teaching staff is diligently trying to navigate a schedule with seven 52-minute periods. Furthermore, these seven periods split on Wednesday and Thursday to a rotating block, with students attending periods 2, 4, and 6 one day, then 1, 3, 5, and 7 the next, for 93 minutes. I find myself struggling to make use of my prep time, and it always seems like I'm shoring up last-minute elements of the day's agenda in a frantic rush before the bell sounds.
I also stepped into the position of head cross country coach. When the position was offered, I figured the job would provide running time, and thus allow me to continue working on weekly mileage goals while coaching and supporting like-minded runners. This notion proved completely misguided, and now I find myself facilitating workouts that meet the varying needs of a variety of running types. When we run intervals on the track, I am able to jog in the opposite direction and provide encouragement and critique. However, if I send them on long/easy runs, they're strung out across town, and my attempts to join them prove either shortsighted, or just plan ignorant. I learned the hard way when, as I tried to keep two fatigued runners talking through the workout, another set of students had to hail a ride from a passing teacher to stave off an asthma attack.
With the running world unable to coexist with the coaching world, I've found myself doing something I once chastised my teammates for doing: Two and three times a week, I rise at 4:30 a.m. to put away 8 or 10 miles before work. With this decision I've had to eat crow, essentially, because in addition to finding a way to make it happen, I've started to absolutely love it. I'm sure the end of daylight savings and the onset of an autumn chill will have me humming a different tune, but for now, I'm a convert to the 5 a.m. run.
Two things to point out beyond the obvious difference in temperature and the fact that, for the rest of the day, the workout is behind you: 1.) I've seen an inordinate number of meteors; 2.) I enact my revenge on the automobile by running right down the middle of the street, which at that hour is free from obstruction.
The training has worked, and my speeds have increased along with my overall mileage. I've graduated to a higher training group on the racing team, and as a result I will face harder workouts as October--my biggest racing month this year--approaches. I'm slated to run in October 2's Urban Cow half marathon, then slated to recover and revamp for October 31's Marine Corp. Marathon in Washington D.C.
Hopefully in the interim I will have figured out how this cross country monster works...
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