Boot Camp

Well I decided to give my legs a try again today. My last run had been last Monday, a week ago today. I was resting my sore hamstring. Last Monday's run was after 5 days of rest also, but my leg needed more.

Today I joined Vicki's "Boot Camp" class. Boot camp was really just a 3 mile run with some step-ups, jumping jacks, wall sits, lunges, high knees, skipping, and a few hills sprints. Other class members were Rick, Kevin D, Milica, and Gary, 4 people that I run with frequently. There were 2 other girls there that I don't really know, Lauren & Daniella.

I really took it easy. My hamstring felt much better but not totally healed. It went from tingling, to tight, to weak. There was 1 step that gave me pain but I stopped and walked a bit and when I started running again it didn't hurt.

It does still feel weak, low in my left hamstring, right before I land / push off.

I'm not running Tuesday but I'm not taking another week off either. I haven't decided when I'll run again. I may actually try yoga for the stretching.

Tom from Runners Lounge posted that he may have some hamstring advice for me. I'm pretty open to advice from anyone at this point, if you have something to say, feel free to leave a comment! And Thanks!

Weight = 179 lbs

Frustration

I ran just over 3 miles with Rick today. We started on the homeless route through the flats but then we cut it short twice. My left hamstring is still aching even after 5 days of rest.

I'm taking Tuesday off for sure. I'll probably give it another try on Wednesday with an easy run and if it's not better then, I'll probably shut it down again for the rest of the week.

This is especially frustrating since, before this seemingly minor injury, I was running more consistently than I have in about 10 years.

Weight = 181 lbs

Friday Lunch

You may have noticed I haven't posted lately, that's because I haven't run since Tuesday night. I decided my sore left hamstring was not going to heal until I gave it several days of complete rest, so that's what I'm doing. I'll probably run again on Monday.

Meanwhile, Kevin D invited the lunchtime running group to actually have lunch today. Kevin, Peter, Blondie, and I went to Vincenza's, just a short walk from the office. The pizza is decent and the prices are cheap. I got a thick slice of sausage pizza, and 2 thin slices, 1 with pepperoni and 1 with just cheese, along with a Dr. Pepper, for $7.15.

It was an amusing choice, considering my 2nd job, but I like pizza so it's all good.

Talk focused on how dirty and dusty the fitness center is. Blondie is organizing a cleaning crew to stay late next Monday and do some cleaning. Sounds like a decent idea!

Tuesday Night Running Club - 4.5 Miles

I ran with the guys tonight. There were 8 runners plus my son Luke on his bike. Clint, who helps me coach our youth soccer team, came tonight for the first time. Brad and Ken also were there from the north / east. We all drove separately for some reason.

From the south / west, Greg and Keith and the twins (Gabrielle and Danielle) all drove together. Someone made a joke about the farmers being wiser than the city folk.

The big surprise of the night was that Clint and Brad, who had never met before tonight, both know the same person and both stayed in the same condo in Hilton Head, last week (Clint) and 2 weeks ago (Brad) respectively! Small world!

Running, my left hamstring felt good for the first couple miles but started hurting (again). I think I'm going to have to take a few days off. Greg's using a wrap for his chronic sore hamstring, if it lingers more than a week I may try something like that.

Monday 4.5 Miles

Monday is bootcamp for "the kids" as Rick affectionately calls them, so it was just Rick and I today. We ran the 4.5 mile route out along the lakeshore and back past the municipal parking lots.

The set-up for the Dew Sports Tour has come a long way since Friday morning! There are now bleachers up around the dirt piles, and there is much activity going on. Rick said he is taking his niece on Friday night. I am jealous!

Even after a day of rest, my left hamstring still hurts. If it isn't better I'll most likely take Wednesday off also.

Weight = 181 lbs

Saturday 3.5 Miles - Racing The Mail

I ran home from the Swim Meet today, the same 3 1/2 mile route as last week. My left hamstring is still achy but it seems to be getting better each day. I'm planning to take Sunday off and hope that by next week it is pretty much all better. I did notice today that the ache is very low on my hamstring, much closer to my knee than my butt.

One interesting thing today is that as I was running along a residential side-street, I ended up behind a mail truck. This truck would zip ahead and then stop at the (roadside) mailbox to deliver the mail to that house, and then zip ahead to the next house. Obviously when it was moving the truck was faster than me but then when it stopped I would gain on it.

This lasted probably about 600 yards and by the end I had pulled even with and passed the mail truck!

Victoria's friend Jennifer came in from Pittsburgh and they got up early and biked the entire length of the bike path, out and back, for a total of 26 miles. Great job girls!

Friday The 13th AM 7 Miles

I got up at 5 AM again this week to come in and run longer with Kevin D. Before work. The course we run is 7.5 miles.

I started out feeling ok, we seemed to be going slightly slower than 2 weeks ago. Kevin D. was definitely setting the pace, until we got to the Superior Bridge around 4 miles into the run, when he faded behind me and followed me across the bridge. I felt at the time that Kevin was just making me do the work for a while.

After crossing the bridge my left hamstring began to hurt a little more so I slowed up. Kevin went ahead and then suggested I cut across a side-street, and I agreed. This cut about 1/4 mile off of the route for me.

It took Kevin most of the rest of the run to catch up with me again, and his time was just over 56 minutes, about the same as 2 weeks ago. Adding in a couple minutes for the part I cut my time would have been about the same as well.

Kevin did comment to me that I carried him across the bridge. He said he had the song Stacy's Mom going through his head up until that point, when his mind started to wander to the tasks he had to accomplish this weekend!

Sights of the run included the fencing, bleachers, and a mound of dirt set up at the North Coast Harbor for next weekend's Dew Action Sports Tour.

Thursday Hills

I ran hills in the flats today with Milica, Rick, Jason, and Chris. I've never run with Jason or Chris before. Jason knows Milica from volleyball, and Chris is an instructor at the fitness center.

The reason we ran hills in the flats, and the reason Jason came along, was because our fitness center is having a contest this summer. You get a point for every 15 minutes of exercise / activity, and each week there is a bonus activity that you can do for extra credit. You have to provide photo evidence. This week's activity was to run or walk the 4 hills in the flats.

I'm not in the contest but Milica and Jason are, so I served as cameraman for this excursion. The top photo shows (left to right) Chris, Milica, and Jason running up the northern-most hill in the flats. (At the bottom of the hill is the old Fagan's). The bottom photo is Chris and Milica running up the 4th hill at the south end of the flats.

After completing all the hills, we were about 2 1/2 miles so we did one more loop through the flats (without the extra hills) and were back at the office right around 4 miles.

In front of our office, I noticed something I've never seen before. To read about it, check out my pizza blog.

My hamstring is still a little sore. Strangely it felt better going up the hills than running on the flats.

Weight = 181 lbs

Wednesday Speedwork

I ran speedwork with Matt today. This was my 3rd speedwork session in 4 weeks, all on Wednesdays. We ran 4x800 again, in the flats. It was not nearly as warm as the past couple days, and it was a little breezy.

My left hamstring started feeling tender on the 4th repeat so I didn't push as hard, and I stretched a little extra when I got back.

• 2:56
• 2:53
• 2:54
• 3:12

Add in 1 1/2 mile warm-up, 1/4 recovery jog in between repeats, and 3/4 mile cool down, today's total distance was about 5 miles.

Weight = 181 lbs.

Tuesday 5.5 Miles

We ran the long (5.5 mile) Tremont route today. Peter, Vicki, Milica, and I started together. Peter and Vicki faded back and I think they cut out at 4 miles, while Milica and I ran the whole way.

It was another super-hot day.

Weight = 178 lbs

Monday 5 Miles

Rick and I ran 5 miles today in the flats (the homeless route). The weather was very hot, in the 90's. It's the first time I remember thinking, when I run, that a headwind was a good thing!

We got new rubber things last week that close the laundry bags. Closed they look like the top picture.

And open they look like the bottom picture, except that ours are white, not green.

I guess the old safety-pins were damaging to the driers.

As planned, I took Sunday off, so this starts a new streak.

Weight = 180 lbs

Saturday 3.5 Miles

I ran home from the kids' swim meet today. I mapped the distance to just over 3.5 miles. The route I took was a little longer than the shortest possible route, as some of the roads I would have used don't have sidewalks.

This brings my streak to 13 consecutive days, but I expect it will end on Sunday.

Friday 3.5 Miles

I ran with Rick today. Rick had run long (7) last night and had to be back to his desk early so we cut the run short. We ran into the flats, skipped the bridge part of the homeless run, ran across Canal road and up Commercial hill, then around Jacobs Field. Total distance was just over 3 1/2 miles.

Weight = 182 lbs

Thursday 4.5 Miles - With Break

I ran the lakefront route today with Milica, Peter, and Vicki. About a mile into the run I made a quick stop at a port-a-pot in a parking lot. I didn't catch the group until right after we passed the Rock Hall.

On the way back, the other 3 suddenly stopped and walked about a mile from the end, so I finished on my own. It was a very sweaty day. My 11th consecutive day of running!

Weight = 180 lbs

Independence Day - 4.5 Miles

I half expected to not be able to run today. We went to a parade in the morning and a family picnic at Keith & Tiffany's in the afternoon. Some years at the picnic there has been a spirited basketball game or even a half mile race. But this year the most activity I got was a rigorous game of cornhole.

Then we were invited to another picnic in the late afternoon, but we decided to stay home, baby George (and his mother) were still a little tired out from fireworks last night. So I had some free time in the evening and decided to go for a run.

I mapped out a new route that was slightly over 4.5 miles. Not much significant on the run. I did meet 2 other runners, a biker (twice), and ran past several neighborhood get-togethers, including one where I saw a player from my son's soccer team. I also ran through a few clouds of smoke from backyard fireworks displays.

This gives me 10 days in a row, something I haven't accomplished in years.

Tuesday 5.5 Miles

I planned to run with Rick today but Peter and Vicki were leaving at the same time so the 4 of us ran together. We ran the homeless route, the original way (the bridge is done apparently). We did encounter a homeless guy pushing a shopping cart. The bugs (from yesterday) were gone!

We had a slight delay as one of the drawbridges we cross was up when we got there, but it was about to come down. We added the Jacobs Field loop at the end, the route came to just over 5.3 miles but I count by 1/2 miles so I'm calling it 5 1/2.

That's 9 consecutive days for me. I'll likely take July 4th off from running but I may run in the late afternoon if I get a chance.

Weight = 181 lbs

Monday 5 Miles

Rick and I ran 5 miles today at lunch. We ran the modified homeless route with the extra loop around Jacobs Field. The game isn't until 7 PM but by 12:15 there were already workers lining up around the stadium, and a few autograph seekers at the players entrance.

Also, we ran through a huge swarm of bugs in the flats.

Weight = 183 lbs

Sunday Morning 6 Miles

I ran 6 miles on Sunday morning. Victoria (and George) came along on her bike. We ran the metroparks bike path. I encountered another runner (Ron) who I ran with for about a mile between 4-5 miles in my run.

This was my 7th consecutive day of running and gave me 39.5 miles for the week!