Day: September 26, 2005

Bile

Today – 3.5 easy. Was supposed to be a rest day, but I needed to run. Felt – well, it felt like a run.

RBF, can I be honest here? At this point, I’m completely racked with doubt that I’m going to be able to complete either marathon, let alone both. The pain I’ve had in the left foot has really taken a lot out of me, and the inability to stick to the long run schedule is frustrating me something fierce. The blister is just icing on the freakin’ cake. I’ve got a 20 miler scheduled this weekend; I HAVE to do it or else I might just have to hang it up. But right now I’m really, really feeling low; hating running. I hate the pain, hate the rut, hate the chafing, hate the hunger, hate the random stiffness, hate the restlessness on days I don’t run, and hate the self loathing into which I fall when I don’t run. Hate it hate it hate it. Bleh.

On the plus side – wow. Fall. I love being outside. And I love running in the fall. And, frankly, when I’m actually running, I still kind of like the running.

Four more weeks, Billy. Four more weeks.

I am, however, switching Sundays or Mondays to cycling.

Recovery

So, dig.

Saturday Morning I wake up, all pumped to hit the road for the 13 miler. Put on the shoes and my left ankle is killing me. Tape the ankle, and that’s OK, but as I’m walking, I’m feeling something rubbing on the blister from my sockless wonder. Hmmmmmmmm….

So I bagged the long run (again) in favor for a couple hours on the bike. In my defense, I did really, really push it. And loved it. Saw a bunch of runners – they all looked miserable. Saw a bunch of smiling cyclists, reveling in the first chill of fall. Did my first 15 miles, then swung down River Road. Was pleasantly surprised at how easy the hills on that road felt, and had a wide crap-eating grin the whole time.

Pulled back into the house about 9, just in time to make the opening at Clyde’s Cider Mill (ASME link). The boys and I snarfed down some cider (mmmm, appley), ate some tasty cinnamon sugar do-nuts while smelling the next batch cooking, and watched the first leaves start to fall. They were pressing cider – pretty darn cool, I need to take pictures of the mill next time. Cool set up – smell of steam, lots of polished wood, and a Prohibition display. Cool.

In any case, I think taking an active day off was a great thing. Sunday morning, there was very little pain the first time I put weight on my left ankle. This morning, not much at all. The blister is still healing – I rubbed it a little more raw than I had though. Cycling didn’t aggravate it, but it’s still tender. Cross training was taking the boys to Family Swim at the Y. Met Jake’s swimming teacher – she recognized Jake, realized Missy wasn’t around, and went out of her way to introduce herself to me and say how much she enjoyed Jake in class.

Hurt this morning still. Don’t they know there’s training on?

Looks like I’m going to take today easy and do 3 or so on the ‘mill this evening – give myself a chance to heal prior to adding stress again.

PS – I blew it off.