A total of 38 miles this week and no sign of my calf cramps! I really feel like I can start pushing the mileage now. My goal will be at least one 20 mile run before the race day.
I wore the compression socks every time I ran this week and was able to rack up the mileage. Last week I covered a total of 30 miles, ending with a 15 mile run on Sunday. This week I covered 38 miles and ended with a Sunday run of 18 miles.
I took this last monday off to recover from my 15 mile run. Tuesday, I ran 5 miles. Wednesday I ran 10 miles. I was feeling pretty good after that run. It was not so long ago that 10 miles felt like a real accomplishment to me. Not wanting to push myself too hard, I rested on Thursday. I finished my weekday runs with another 5 miler on Friday.
After resting on Saturday, I felt ready to tackle my longest run to date on Sunday. I planned a triple "out and back" on a 6 mile course. That gave me the opportunity for a couple of "pit stops" for drinks and a bathroom break as necessary. I have to tell you, though, it was really hard to turn around and go back out on the course the second time I returned. By that time, my legs were really heavy. But, no calf cramps! Halleluja!
Mostly recovered, I started this morning with an easy 3 miler. I am going to make this an easy week to let my body heal from last week's efforts.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
49 days and $2885 to go!
A real cure for my calf cramps? Two words - "compression socks".
Dave Scott, Mr. Triathlon, highly recommends them. Many long distance runners use them. Now, I too am a believer.
The reason I am feeling so optimistic about this is that I have covered 30 miles this week without any real issues with calf cramps. My current regiment, which seems to be working, is to wear the compression socks when I run and stretch my calves thoroughly after the run when my muscles have fully warmed. I'm not completely ready to declare victory yet. But, the indications are certainly encouraging.
The compression socks make sense, because the cramping can be caused by localized ischemia in the muscles of my calf during prolonged exercise. Improving the circulation with the use of compression socks should prevent the cramps from starting. That, at least, is my theory. Time will tell.
Here's how the week went. Tuesday, wearing my compression socks, I covered four miles walking one minute out of every ten. My calves were feeling good after that run. Wednesday would be the first real test of my theory. I planned to run eight miles. Again wearing the socks, I ran the first four miles without stopping and ran the second four miles walking one minute out of every ten. I stretched my calves after the run using the "stair stretch". My calves were feeling good after the run. That was an excellent sign. On Thursday, I walked to rest my calves. A three mile run on Friday ended my weekday workouts. The final, real test for the week was a 15 mile run on Sunday. I completed this run in just under two hours and 40 minutes. I am very happy to report that my calves are still feeling good. Despite a few aches from the long run, I now feel like I can begin my build-up to the marathon distance in earnest. Yes, so far the compression socks seem to be doing the trick.
Dave Scott, Mr. Triathlon, highly recommends them. Many long distance runners use them. Now, I too am a believer.
The reason I am feeling so optimistic about this is that I have covered 30 miles this week without any real issues with calf cramps. My current regiment, which seems to be working, is to wear the compression socks when I run and stretch my calves thoroughly after the run when my muscles have fully warmed. I'm not completely ready to declare victory yet. But, the indications are certainly encouraging.
The compression socks make sense, because the cramping can be caused by localized ischemia in the muscles of my calf during prolonged exercise. Improving the circulation with the use of compression socks should prevent the cramps from starting. That, at least, is my theory. Time will tell.
Here's how the week went. Tuesday, wearing my compression socks, I covered four miles walking one minute out of every ten. My calves were feeling good after that run. Wednesday would be the first real test of my theory. I planned to run eight miles. Again wearing the socks, I ran the first four miles without stopping and ran the second four miles walking one minute out of every ten. I stretched my calves after the run using the "stair stretch". My calves were feeling good after the run. That was an excellent sign. On Thursday, I walked to rest my calves. A three mile run on Friday ended my weekday workouts. The final, real test for the week was a 15 mile run on Sunday. I completed this run in just under two hours and 40 minutes. I am very happy to report that my calves are still feeling good. Despite a few aches from the long run, I now feel like I can begin my build-up to the marathon distance in earnest. Yes, so far the compression socks seem to be doing the trick.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
56 days and $2985 to go!
Having problems with my right calf... Again!
Two weeks ago, Easter week, I got in some pretty good training. Four miles on Tuesday, seven miles on Wednesday, and three miles on Thursday. I am still walking one minute out of every ten to make sure I pace myself properly and to try to keep my calves from tightening up too much. I then took a break on Friday and was planning to run ten miles on Saturday morning while we were in Cincinnati for Easter weekend. The evening before the run, I went to the store to look for an electrolyte replacement drink, Gatorade or something like that. The drink I found that had the highest sodium and potassium content was a V-8 fruit and vegetable drink. So, I bought that.
My brother asked if I wanted to ride with him on Saturday as well. Never one to pass up an opportunity like that, I unhesitatingly said "yes". So, we set the time for the ride to be about an hour after I finished my run. I told him not to expect much from me after the long run. The run course consisted of two five mile "out and backs". It's a little disconcerting to return to the starting point after the first "out and back" only to realize that you are half done. But, this is the best way to ensure that I can drink enough fluids during a run of more than an hour. I completed the ten miles in a little under 2 hours, rested an hour, then rode to my brother's house to start our 10 o'clock ride.
I was more than a little tired, but he lives on one of the hills ringing the downtown Cincinnati area so the ride started with a long downhill. This was a good way to loosen my muscles after the long run earlier in the day. We rode around downtown Cincinnati, had a hamburger at Findlay Market and rode back up the hill. It was a total of about 20 miles. Needless to say, I rested on Sunday. Whew!
This past week, I managed a three mile run on Monday and a seven mile run on Wednesday. That last run left me hobbled for the rest of the week. I have been recuperating and stretching since then, trying to get my calf back in shape. Only 8 weeks to go. I had better rethink my training strategy, I'm not getting the longer runs because of my calf problems. I will finish the race in San Diego, the only question is: "What kind of shape will I be in at the finish?".
Two weeks ago, Easter week, I got in some pretty good training. Four miles on Tuesday, seven miles on Wednesday, and three miles on Thursday. I am still walking one minute out of every ten to make sure I pace myself properly and to try to keep my calves from tightening up too much. I then took a break on Friday and was planning to run ten miles on Saturday morning while we were in Cincinnati for Easter weekend. The evening before the run, I went to the store to look for an electrolyte replacement drink, Gatorade or something like that. The drink I found that had the highest sodium and potassium content was a V-8 fruit and vegetable drink. So, I bought that.
My brother asked if I wanted to ride with him on Saturday as well. Never one to pass up an opportunity like that, I unhesitatingly said "yes". So, we set the time for the ride to be about an hour after I finished my run. I told him not to expect much from me after the long run. The run course consisted of two five mile "out and backs". It's a little disconcerting to return to the starting point after the first "out and back" only to realize that you are half done. But, this is the best way to ensure that I can drink enough fluids during a run of more than an hour. I completed the ten miles in a little under 2 hours, rested an hour, then rode to my brother's house to start our 10 o'clock ride.
I was more than a little tired, but he lives on one of the hills ringing the downtown Cincinnati area so the ride started with a long downhill. This was a good way to loosen my muscles after the long run earlier in the day. We rode around downtown Cincinnati, had a hamburger at Findlay Market and rode back up the hill. It was a total of about 20 miles. Needless to say, I rested on Sunday. Whew!
This past week, I managed a three mile run on Monday and a seven mile run on Wednesday. That last run left me hobbled for the rest of the week. I have been recuperating and stretching since then, trying to get my calf back in shape. Only 8 weeks to go. I had better rethink my training strategy, I'm not getting the longer runs because of my calf problems. I will finish the race in San Diego, the only question is: "What kind of shape will I be in at the finish?".
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