Week 14

I've been so busy running that i haven't posted to this site at all. ;)

it's been an interesting trip to Week 14. I, too, have had hip issues. weak glutes, they said. i have an ass you can hide an elephant behind, so i'm not sure why it's so weak. but i felt like with every speed workout i was slogging through tapioca. and that someone was stabbing me in the butt cheeks. or in the hips. so in addition to weak glutes, i also was diagnosed with High Hamstring Tendinitis (why tendInitis and not tendOnitis? anyway). so running has really brought these issues to the forefront.

i told diane that regardless of how this training goes, i was planning on getting across that finish line, even if i have to crawl. that will probably give me knee problems as well. you just can't win when you push your body this hard.

i have found that doing PT, doing the speed workouts on Thursdays, doing the long runs on Sundays, but not much else during the week has been a good formula for me. we're ordinarily supposed to do another 40-50 run and crosstrain (weight lift, cycle, swim, etc.). but if i do all of that, my body can't do the long runs very well. this marathon thing isn't going to be a life style thing for me, so i figure as long as i can keep up with the distance and the PT then i'll be OK. i'm sure a lot of people out there would disagree, but you've got to run your own race. and i did 16 miles last week with no problems. (i'm knocking on all of the wood i can find at this moment.)

we have a cutback week this week, only 10 miles on sunday. the next sunday will be 18 miles. and then, on September 16, we all will run 20 miles. 20 freakin' miles. it will take all damn day. this is really what drive me nuts about all of this running... the time it takes. i've never been really good at training and i'm even worse at mindless shit that takes hours and hours. the 20 miler will probably take 5 hours. but then i tell myself, what else would i be doing with that time? probably sleeping. and it's not like i have a job. might as well enjoy the camaraderie while i still can.

so, recap: hip pain, hamstring tendinitis, runner's knee, lots of time on the feet. in a little over a month, this will all be over.

and don't even get me starting on the farting and bloating that comes after a run. you would think i could propel myself over the finish line.

and then Diane and I will join Winter Warriors. i guess we really hate ourselves that much. ;)