With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams...

Hiked 6.15 miles.  My knee was still sore from the hill runs.  Didn't want to screw around with it and make it worse.  I wore a big knee brace, and we went hiking on the sandy trails.  We found a scary, trashy little back yard area with 3 or 4 sofas strung out along the trail, a door, some columns, and enough tires for all the school busses in the county.  What a ghetto trash dive.  I woudn't want to go there alone!!  I'm surprised we didn't hear the banjos playing.

On the way back, we got stuck on a dead end in the middle of 2 huge horse pastures.  It was either backtrack 1/2 a mile and try to find another way out, or cross the pastures.  Luckily, there were gates that weren't electric fences :-)

Went to do PT again on base.  Ran along sidewalks, through housing, and back onto the trail.  Took walk breaks with Mike after 3 miles.  We would walk/run the rest of the way.  I think our total run was between 4 and 4.5.

Physical Therapy afterwards.

elliptical 45 min

Physical Therapy workout after

I got up early and tried the tempo run.  I need to figure out how to pace myself at the right time.  Maybe I can figure out how to use my watch to help me...I think it can beep when your pace isn't on target...if you can figure out how to tell it what your target is. Today my target was supposed to be 8:50.

worked elliptical for 45 minutes again. 

1	9:34
2	9:34
3	9:52
4	10:12
5	9:41
6	9:30
7	9:46
8	9:49

Went for my 8 mile long run today to finish my first offical week of marathon training.  Thanks to Smooth, I was able to set up my watch to alert me when I went out of my pace zone. 

I set the zone for 9 mm- 10:15 mm.  I ran the first 4 on the trails, then grabbed my hat and ran the second four on the roads.  There were hills the whole time.  The last 2 1/2 miles were a push, but rewarding.  I did a lot of stretching and some of my pt strengthening afterward.  I really felt like all the stretching helped keep the soreness at bay. 

The training plan said to run 4 miles.  I was feeling good, so I ran 5 miles.  I didn't have my knee band on, but my knee felt fine while I was running.

I went to physical therapy afterward and on the stair-master, my knee started hurting.  I'd never had any problems on the stairmaster before.  Seemed strange. 

I iced it that evening.

knee ached all night so I did an easy 30 min on the elliptical.  It didn't bother me while I was on it, or specifically afterward.  I felt some pain when I kneeled down while I was weeding, and it ached again during the night.  I iced it a few times.

Knee ached all night so I didn't run.  Went to PT and took the day off.

tempo run today that I put off from yesterday.  I decided that I needed to run to get my marathon prep schedule on track.  I strapped on my knee brace, and went off.  I was surprised at how I was able to run w/o a lot of knee pain.

10:12, 8:02, 9:57, 8:17, 10:36, 10 (last 1/2 mile).

wonderful easy run in the cool rain...I just hope my shoes will dry by tomorrow morning

9:47 average  9:48, 9:52, 9:42, 9:48 (1/3 mile)

This was supposed to be a 9 mile run.  I don't know why I ran 10.  I must have been confused by the end of the run, so I just kept running.  It was hot, and I was definitely ready to quit.

The training guide said to run a 10:26 pace.  I try to keep my pace between 9 and 10:15. 

My average was 9:48.  9:47, 9:42, 10:01, 9:42, 10:14 (uphill section), 9:49, 9:27, 9:46, 9:55, 9:28, last 1/10th was an 11:06.

I stopped at the kfc for a water refill before the last mile, and somewhere along the refill, I stopped pushing the water button hard enough and ended up with lemonade in my water bottle.  I didn't realize it till I'd ran off.  I think the extra sugar helped me finish. 

easy Monday run.  First day back to work.  Waking up early is hard.

9:33, 9:32, 9:50, 9:30 (last 2/10)

elliptical 45 min today

Tempo run.  Easier than I've ever had for a tempo run.  Felt good!  directions were 5 miles inc. warm up. 3 miles at 8:51.  cool down.

don't have split times right now, but I know I was able to keep my pace at the goal pace, and I didn't feel like I was going to puke or die.  I couldn't believe my watch when it didn't beep to tell me to speed up.  I had to stop and check my watch to make sure it was working properly.  I had to run under the garage lights, and wipe the fog off my glasses and the watch face, but I was actually keeping up and not feeling sick. 

drove to the funeral in MD today.  Had to leave at 4.  Back at midnight. 

slept in since I didn't get home till after midnight last night. 

easy week, easy run  5 miles.  Started slow, but felt amazingly good.  Surprised by the ease of the pace I found comfortable.

elliptical for 30 min

first day of school...morning comes so early

Easy week, easy run.  5 miles.  Started slow, but found a good pace after the first mile.

30 min easy elliptical

slow and easy today.

11:09, 9:37, 9:29, 9:30,

Wait too long and had to run in the heat.  Ran with Mike and tried to keep an easy pace.  Knees hurt like crazy afterward. 

Went to Fleet Feet in Raleigh to get fitted for new shoes.  I didn't realize I was rolling in on my arches.  I didn't realize my ankles were wobbly - but it makes sense.  That was always my weak spot in ballet too.

Found another Whole Foods!!!  Yummy foods.

Sooo tired.

Only did 2 miles this morning.  That's what the schedule said, and that's what I did. 

Wore my new shoes.  My knees aren't feeling too bad, and the shoe arches didn't bother me much at all.  I ran a 9:06 and an 8:38.  The pace felt a little quick for a long distance pace, but it was comfortable for a 2 mile jog.

Worked on my physical therapy stuff the rest of the morning.  It takes so much time.  But I've got to stay strong.