Running through Changes
So much changed in my world in the 13 weeks since my last post back in February when I tripped on a piece of metal near the sidewalk during a run, breaking two fingers and severely skinning my knee in the process!
I took a week off to allow the pain in my fingers to subside and the wound on my knee to scab over. Then, I tried resuming the training plan I created for the winter. I even bought a two-finger splint on Amazon and forced mittens over it to keep my hands warm during my runs. But, I just couldn’t maintain motivation when it was still unclear when racing might return. So, I allowed myself to stop training and just focus on my personal life for a while.
In January, my boyfriend and I purchased a house! There were dozens of things we needed to do and taking a training break gave me the mental space to tackle them.
And, on March 6th, we adopted a retired racing greyhound named Meraz! I started the process of adopting her back in November but for various reasons, the process took longer than anticipated. When we were finally told there was a dog available who might fit our family, we immediately went to see her.
She spent the nights whining and had severe diarrhea from hookworms she contracted at the track. We worked patiently to get her used to living with us and us with her.
On April 5th, I got my first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer) on April 5th. I got my second shot of the vaccine exactly one month later on May 5th. As I approached fully vaccinated status on May 19th, I felt that my life needed to go start getting closer to whatever my new “normal” was going to be. And, that included my running blog!
Running Schedule
February 14th – May 15th
| Dates | Miles | Time | Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 14th – February 20th 21st | 0.0 | 0:00:00 | 0:00 |
| February 21st – February 27th | 5.8 | 0:59:35 | 10:39 |
| February 28th – March 6th | 27.8 | 4:31:21 | 9:47 |
| March 7th – March 13th | 35.0 | 5:43:21 | 9:49 |
| March 14th – March 20th | 22.4 | 3:36:41 | 9:41 |
| March 21st – March 27th | 43.4 | 7:12:25 | 9:56 |
| March 28th – April 3rd | 25.1 | 4:05:03 | 9:46 |
| April 4th – April 10th | 40.4 | 6:45:22 | 10:03 |
| April 11th – April 17th | 45.1 | 7:17:28 | 9:42 |
| April 18th – April 24th | 49.3 | 8:08:14 | 9:55 |
| April 25th – May 1st | 53.9 | 8:48:19 | 9:48 |
| May 2nd – May 8th | 37.0 | 6:21:19 | 10:18 |
| May 9th – May 15th | 52.4 | 8:19:23 | 9:33 |
Workouts
Long Runs
In March, I was running “medium long” on Sundays again. I kept those runs around 10 or 11 miles but my paces were very inconsistent. Most of the runs were just under 10:00 pace but on March 21st, I turned in a disappointing 11:02 pace run for no obvious reason.
In April, the distance for my Sunday runs stretched to as much as 16 miles. The pace was still on the easy side running from upper 9:00 to mid-10:00 pace By then, the weather also started to improve and I saw more traffic on the trails.
By May, I started feeling anxious about the upcoming marathon season and felt ready to start training again. On May 2nd, I ran a 15-miler at around 11:15 pace followed by a 14-miler on May 9th at a speedy 9:34 pace.
Interval Runs
I picked up the pace every now and again during my runs.
On March 2nd, I did 5 x 1000m repeats at the track averaging just under 8:00 pace.
But, it was a full month before I ran hard again. On April 6th, I returned to the track for 5 x 100m hard just to air my legs out. The next two weeks, I did more legitimate 200m workouts. By April 27th, I felt confident enough to move up to 6 x 400m and I averaged low-7:00 pace.
In May, I opted to do intervals on the W&OD Trail as kids returned to school and the track was sometimes closed to the public by the afternoon. On May 4th, I did 15 x 200m on the trail, again averaging around 7;00 pace. The next week, I did 5 x 800m with various paces.
Strength Runs
If there was one obvious weakness in my running, it was that I didn’t do much strength work – threshold and marathon-pace runs – during this time. My only run of this type was on May 13th when I ran 4 miles at threshold pace, which I judged to be around 8:40.
Health
Injuries. At the end of March, the orthopedist took the splint off my broken fingers. Since then, both are still stiff and I can’t form a well-closed fist but I can use the hand normally. The scar on my knee has not completely healed but I can run without it aching.
So far, I haven’t felt a return of the plantar fasciitis that dogged me last summer but it’s still early.
Weight. Like many people, I also put on a few pounds from over-eating and less activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. But, my weight has actually been stable over the past year. If I shed 5-10 pounds, I’ll be back to my previous racing weight.
Routes
Trails. W&OD Trail. Now that I’ve moved a half to three-quarter miles west of where I lived last year, I had to adjust all of my running routes. These days, I run a lot of out-and-backs on the W&OD Trail. I even made it out to the new pedestrian bridge over Lee Highway!
I also use the Arlington Boulevard Trail a lot more as a connection to the Mount Vernon Trail and Custis Trail.
My Guide to Washington D.C. Area Running Routes
Clothing
Shoes. Asics Gel Nimbus Lite 2. When I started running regularly again in May, I went online to buy a new pair of Mizuno Wave Rider 24s but I didn’t like the color options. Instead, I went to my local running store and picked up a pair of these shoes. They feel good on my feet for short to medium distance runs but I’m not sure they have enough cushioning for longer runs. Price: $150
Gear
StrideBox. I continued getting boxes during my time away from training.
In March, the theme was “Fear Less Runner”. The box contained Skratch Recovery Drink Mix, Honey Stinger Energy Waffle, RunGum Energy Gum, Trail Butter (Spiced Chai), Xpand No Tie Laces, and Moroccan Magic lip balm.
In April, the them was “Worry Less, Run More” and the box had a NRG Foods Protein Snack Bar, Jelly Belly Sports Beans, Carborocket Rocket Red Pre-Race Drink, Team Zealios Betwixt Anti-Chafe, 2Toms Stink Free Detergent, and a small cold pack.
And finally, May’s “Trust the Journey” box included Skratch Energy Bar, Nuun Endurance, Gu Energy Gel (Cola), Saltstick Fastchews, Doctor Hoy’s Natural Pain Relief Gel, and a pair of sunglasses.
Racing Schedule
Future races. Even though I wasn’t running much, I kept my eye on future races.
London Marathon. The inaugural Wanda World Age Group Marathon Championships is still scheduled to occur at this year’s race on Sunday, October 3rd. Under current rules for entering the country, I would still have the quarantine despite being fully vaccinated but I am hopeful that may change by October.
Boston Marathon. Based on my time from the 2018 New York City Marathon, I got into this race on Monday, October 11th! I haven’t figured out travel logistics from London but I didn’t want to miss the return of this race.
