I didn't run yesterday, and that was the right decision. Today, however, I did. I got my new pair of trail running shoes, some Lafumas, so of course I had to check them out. The lacing system on these shoes is fantastic.
It's been said (by Bad Ben) that with trail running, you trade in chronic overuse injuries from road running for the occasional acute injury. That held true today. I rolled my left ankle enough that just rolling it around a little bit right now hurts. It's not a bad sprain and won't slow me down enough, but it was enough to tell me to stop with the trails for a while--at least until after Chicago. That's a smart idea too. I ran 5 miles in 39 minutes, sprinting up the hill portions and leisurely strolling down the downhills so I could give my training partners a break. I'm not sure what tomorrow holds for me. I'm thinking about a 10 miler at marathon pace. I have an appointment with my reflexologist/massage therapist afterwards, and that truly worked miracles last time, so I'm really looking forward to it.
It's interesting to look back at this summer and my training. This is about 10 times harder than I've ever trained for a marathon, and I've really enjoyed it. When I consider my mileage, I'm really not doing all that much either. Part of that has to do with the Furman FIRST training program I'm using, and part of it has to do with the fact I'm not sure my body's ready for much more. My plans for next year really hinge on how Chicago goes. Whether I run 3:10 or not, I could really see myself just concentrating on only Chicago next year, to see if I can get down to another mystical number, 3 hours. My wife would love that idea too, as she wouldn't mind a slightly less ambitious schedule. By focusing on only one marathon, but running a couple 13.1 milers and other shorter races, I could get into a faster corral, and also avoid breaking down as much as I did this spring. I could also see myself heading to the trails next fall, aiming at a 50K or 50 miler. I really think this is where I'm heading long term, as Western States has always been my ultimate running goal. Who knows...I'm not sure what I'll end up doing, but October 7th will sure help me decide!
1 comment:
Its strange how similar our goals are; I'm planning to venture into the 50k in the spring. Depending how that goes, a 50 miler might be feasible. Its fun how much I think about this when I can't run!
Take care of that ankle! I fixed mine up fairly quickly with stretches (just until it hurts at all), lots of veggies, and the usual RICE therapy.
Don't try to be a hero with 10 miles tomorrow if its still hurting, it will do more damage to your ankle than you will gain in fitness. There isn't much to be gained at this stage of the game anyways!
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