September 20: Run/Walk 2 hours

Week 12 (long run): Run/Walk 2 hours

Sunday (6:52am)
Distance: 8.46 miles
Duration: 2:00:19
Pace: 14:13
Shoes: Nike Lunarglide
Weather: Sunny, 7-12C, 78-99% humidity

Because the run was so long the temperature climbed up 5C in that time. It was really misty this morning.

ITBS flared up!

Even at the beginning of the run, the left knee was tight. I did "run 3 minutes: walk 2 minutes." After an hour on the track, I went on the road and I tried to walk all the uphills and downhills and tried to run only on flat surfaces but my left knee was definitely slightly aching. I had to remind myself to not run through the pain, so I walked on the road a lot.

I went back to the track for the last 30 minutes trying to keep it slow. I reduced to "run 2 minutes: walk 2 minutes" but I couldn't run 2 minutes without the knee feeling real tight, so I reduced to "run 1 minute: walk 2 minutes." Even then it was achy to run 1 minute. Towards the last 10 minutes or so I got so sick and tired of slow achy running, I decided I'm going to go fast for the remainder of the time. Surprising the knee actually felt better running fast then slow. Well, I completed the 2 hours, slightly disappointed that the ITBS was still around and that I couldn't do much running on the road.

I really miss running up and down the tree-lined roads -- running wherever regardless of slope or incline or surface type. I really miss my care-free slow running!

The left knee was slightly sore and walking down the stairs produced some slight pain but otherwise I could walk with no pain.

I went to church then went to lunch with some friends. On the way to the restaurant while walking on some sloped pavement, I felt two sudden sharp pain just below the left knee on the outer lateral side. After that I had to walk slowly with no sudden jerks or I would feel more pain :(

Came home from lunch. Iced the knee, elevated it, did some stretches, took a long nap. Knee feels better now.

I don't think I'll ever recommend a friend to try to run a marathon. I never envisioned when I signed up and paid $171 that I had voluntarily placed myself in the Catch-22 marathon training/injury trap. Maybe I should plan to just walk the whole NYC marathon.

So what's in store for next week?

First run: Run/walk 45 minutes on the track...Run fast 2 minutes: walk 2 minutes.
Second run: Run/walk 1 hour on the track...Run fast 2 minutes: walk 2 minutes.
Third run: Run/walk 45 minutes on the road...Run fast 1 minute: walk 2 minutes.
Long run: Run/walk 2:30 hours on the track/road....Run fast 1 minute: walk 2 minutes.

Plus more ice, stretches and foam rolling (I'll write about this another day).