This was one of my longest distance weeks ever! On Saturday about ten of us got together for a dailymile meetup and 5K run. The Snook and Kunaal were there too. My foot was still taped up, and I was amazed at what a difference it made. I didn’t have any pain on the 20 minute walk through Glebe to get to the starting line, and the first 3K of the run were pain-free too. (I said to the Snook: “It feels like I got a foot transplant!”) By the 4th kilometer though, I started to feel my arch aching a bit beneath the tape. Still, it wasn’t too bad. On Sunday I did my longest run since the Half-Marathon last year: 19km (12 miles). I did 1:1 run/walk the whole way. I went to Centennial Park, did a couple big loops, then headed back. The Snook met me and ran the last few km’s with me. I felt surprisingly good and I didn’t have much trouble with recovery afterwards. My foot was sore, but I think the tape definitely made a difference. I took Monday and Tuesday off to rest. Tuesday night I did a core workout at home, then Wednesday had a killer session at Spudds. Thursday night I walked home from work carrying a big heavy backpack. And then this morning went for a slow 6km on a grey and humid morning.

Feb. 12: 5.34km
Feb. 13: 19.51km
Feb. 18: 6.02km
Total this week: 30.87km (19.3mi)
Total in 2010: 161.84km (101.1mi)

I’ve crossed the 100-mile threshold for the year! To meet my goal of running 1100km in 2011, I should be at 148km right now. Wow, my buffer is growing! Time for another cutback week though to give everything a rest.

I’ve also got a follow-up session with the podiatrist today. I’ll let you know the outcome…

Regular readers will recall that about a year ago I started having some weird tightness and aches in the arch of my right foot. I took a few weeks off and had a bone scan – and was radioactive for a day, which was fun – that didn’t show any fractures or serious inflammation. The doctor (from a local sports med clinic) thought it was just overuse from three months of forefoot running. She advocated ice and stretching. Unfortunately that injury has plagued me off and on ever since, depending on the shoes I wear and the mileage I run. Taking time off hasn’t seemed to have helped at all. So today I finally went to a proper podiatrist to find out what the hell I should do about it.

After hearing the whole saga, he flexed my big toe and poked the tendon in my arch, and I just about jumped off the table. OUCH. He said that even if it didn’t show on the scan last year, I definitely have Plantar Fasciitis. (The most common form involves heel pain, which I’ve never had. But you can have PF without it, apparently.) I’ve also got some strained ligaments along the side of my arch as well. The interesting thing he said is that the injury is such that stopping running wouldn’t help it heal. Simply walking around is enough to keep it from properly healing. I steeled myself at this point, figuring he was going to put me in a cast or something for 3 months. But to my surprise, he said that altering my running schedule would be our LAST resort with treatment. First he wanted to try taking some of the pressure off my arch with tape to see if it made an immediate difference in my pain level. So he strapped me up. He said to go ahead and do my scheduled runs this weekend. (Yay!) I’m also supposed to only wear shoes with support (as opposed to my beloved Converse). Next week I’ll see him again to discuss the outcome. It may well be that I end up getting orthotics for a while to allow me to keep running while it heals.

So it’s both bad news and good news. Now I’m just sorry I waited so long to see a specialist! I’m glad I finally have a diagnosis and I can move forward on this.

This week I bounced back from last week’s chin-up related setback. Sunday was my “long run,” but as it’s a cutback week I was only scheduled for 4 miles. The Snook and I did another mile time trial, and though I felt we were speeding along, the time was a disappointing 10:58. (I went back and cleaned up the GPS on our first time trial a month ago, and that one was 10:20.) My foot was bothering me, so I took Monday and Tuesday off to rest. Wednesday I had a morning run and then a Spudds session at lunch. (I KICKED ASS on the rower.) Yesterday I treated myself to a full-body massage in the evening, where a little Chinese man went to town on the knots and tightness in my legs. This morning I went for another run, and though my legs felt great my foot was pretty sore. I’m seeing the podiatrist at lunchtime, so hopefully he’ll be able to advise what to do.

Feb. 6: 6.81km
Feb. 9: 6.09km
Feb. 11: 6.12km
Total this week: 19.02km (11.9mi)
Total in 2011: 130.97km (81.8mi)

To meet my goal of running 1100km in 2011, I should be at 126.9km. So I’ve still got a 4km buffer. I actually have quite a lot of running scheduled this weekend. Tomorrow there’s a 5K Group Run/Meet-up with some of the Daily Mile folks. Then Sunday is my scheduled long run of 19.2km (12mi). Eek! Hope my foot is up to it.

Ups and downs. It’s been such a hot week, but I started the week with a big UP! On Sunday I did my longest run in many months, a 17.2km run-walk to Centennial Park and back. I did 1:1 run/walk the whole way and it worked great! The walk breaks really helped with my recovery the next day. On Monday I did an easy run/walk home from work in the evening and then a short core workout. On Tuesday I went to Spudds after work and then did an easy run/walk home. Wednesday was Spudds again, and that’s when I crashed. He had me trying to do chin-ups, and it was just total frustration. I spent the next two days in a total funk. Today I woke up determined to finish the week with a decent run. It started well but towards the end my right foot was aching. I definitely think I’ve strained it a little. So I walked the last ten minutes back to the house, and that’s when I noticed my chest was burning. I mean, on the outside. My skin. It was on fire, all around the collar of my shirt. I got home and pulled it off to see a huge red splotchy rash from my collarbone to my sports bra. No idea what caused it, and it’s still itching several hours later. GAHHHH.

Jan. 30: 17.22km
Jan. 31: 2.98km
Feb. 1: 2.94km
Feb. 4: 6.00km
Total this week: 29.14km (18.2mi)
Total this year: 111.95km (70mi)

To meet my goal of running 1100km in 2011, I should be at 105.7km. As expected, that long run made up quite a bit of distance. I’m now about 6km ahead of pace. Hmm. Maybe that’s why my poor foot is feeling tired? These cutback weeks are a Good Thing.

I suppose it was inevitable that I’d have a “down” week after so much exercise last week. That’s okay. We’re also having a run of hot weather, so just getting out there is a big win. I started with a run of 7km on Sunday. (It’s a cutback week on my marathon training plan.) On Monday I did a Spudds class after work, where I had some good form on the rower. Tuesday I ran to work wearing my new backpack, but it was a really sucky run. I just felt flat and tired. Wednesday I did a quick core workout before the Australia Day festivities, and this morning I did an easy run before work. Huh. I guess I did more than I realised.

Jan. 23: 7.01km
Jan. 25: 5.21km
Jan. 28: 6.06km
Total this week: 18.28km (11.4mi)
Total in 2011: 82.81km (51.75mi)

To meet my goal of running 1100km in 2011, I should be at 84.6km. So I’m about 2km behind pace. That’s fine; I’ve got another long run scheduled this weekend that should put me well ahead!

This week was packed with exercise! It started on Saturday with a core workout (36 push ups, 71 sit ups, and 55 squats). Sunday was my long run. It was technically Week 9 of my Galloway marathon plan, so the scheduled LSR was 9 miles. I did it with 2:1 run/walk intervals the whole way, and I ran the middle 6K with Fiona. After resting Monday, I did an easy recovery run Tuesday morning and a Spudds circuit that night. I did another Spudds class Wednesday at lunchtime. Thursday I did another core workout (39 push ups, 79 sit ups, and 60 squats). And today I ran to work in the morning wearing a heavy backpack. PHEW!

Jan 16. 14.91km
Jan 18: 6.06km
Jan 21: 5.37km
Total this week: 26.34km (16.5mi)
Total in 2011: 64.53km (40.3mi)

To meet my goal of running 1100km in 2011, I should be at 63.46km. So I’m now 1km ahead of pace! This next week will be another cutback week, so I’m going to try to rest up before the next long one.

This is a cutback week on my marathon training schedule – GOD THAT SOUNDS WEIRD – so my distance was light. I also had a Spudds session on Wednesday and did two core workouts (pushups, situps, and squats) during the week.

Jan. 9: 5.47km
Jan. 11: 5.04km
Jan 14: 5.86km
Total this week: 16.37km (10.2mi)
Total in 2011: 38.19km (23.8mi)

To meet my goal of running 1000km in 2011, I should be at 42.3km. So I’m a couple km’s behind, but I’ve got a 14.5km run planned for Sunday so I’ll more than make it up. 🙂

I can’t believe I’m starting over again at the beginning!

Jan 3: 11.75km
Jan 5: 5.83km
Jan 7: 4.24km

Total this week: 21.82km (13.6mi)
Total in 2011: 21.82km (13.6mi)

I need to average 21km per week to meet my goal of running 1100km in 2011, so I hit that target pretty much exactly. I have a feeling that my weekly totals are going to ebb and flow a little more this year thanks to the marathon training. Galloway’s plan has me always following a long run with 1-2 weeks of cutback. I’m sure it will all average out in the end…

I have gone insane. I blame JayDub and AirForceTed. I am seriously considering training for and running the 2011 Macleay River Marathon on June 12th. It’s not far from where Ma and Pa Snook live. Ma Snook has actually been trying to get us up there for years now. (They do other distances besides the full marathon.) It’s a small marathon, and it’s meant to be relatively flat. The other big advantage is – as far as I can tell – there’s no time cut-off. That’s what’s keeping me from doing one in Sydney. Every marathon I can find here cuts you off at 5:30, and I’m guessing I’ll probably be closer to 6:00. If the Macleay lets you finish no matter what… we may have found my big race for the year!

I’ve already had a look at Galloway’s novice plan. (HELL YEAH I’ll be run/walking this thing.) It’s 30 weeks long, but conveniently I’m pretty much already up to the week 8 workouts. I think I’ve got a pretty good base built up if I can stay injury-free.

AM I REALLY DOING THIS? Can I do it? Maybe this is just residual New Year’s Resolution craziness.

I am extremely happy to report that this morning I crossed the 1000km threshold for the year. Hooray! Thanks to everyone who supported me along the way.

Dec. 25: 6.44km
Dec. 27: 8.65km
Dec. 29: 6.88km
Dec. 31: 5.04km
Total this week: 27.01km (16.88mi)
Total in 2010: 1002.41km (626.5mi)

I knew today that I needed 2.63km to hit the 1000, so the Snook came along to the park and stationed himself near that point. He shot some video as I crossed the imaginary line.