Post run diagnostics

48 Hour Post Run Diagnostic:  optimistic

No major aches or pains, and certainly no “bad” pain.  That’s a good thing!

There is a minor issue on the left foot (again), the extensor tendon is a little bit tender.  That’s the one on TOP of the foot that lifts the toes when you’re stretching out your calf.  There’s a little bit of tendonitis there, and maybe a touch on the heel.  But a little bit of ice and a nice wrap at night should take care of that. It’s not a sharp pain, it’s more like an ache.  Like …  like a bruise. Or the way a muscle feels after a REALLY bad cramp.  I should be good to go in a day or so and then I’ll be right back out there. Over the next month I’m going to focus on short runs of about a mile and punctuate them with 2 or 3 mile long runs on the weekends. This should count as “not overdoing it” while still putting in enough miles to qualify as “taking it seriously”.  Eh, whatever.  I’ll do fine for the next 10k in Galveston.  The one I’m really worried about is the La Porte Half marathon.

 

Time target for Galveston:  1:14:00

That will put me at 2:45 total for the first 2 runs and leave me with 2:22 to run the half marathon.  I should be able to pull that off.  Maybe.

 

Oh yea, about that.

 

In 2014 I attempted the Texas Bridge Series (Kemah 10k, Galveston 10k, La Port Half Marathon) which crosses 3 iconic bridges in the Houston area—the Kemah causeway bridge which is roughly 1 mile long, the Galveston causeway bridge which is roughly 2 miles long, and the Fred G Hartman bridge, roughly 3 miles long.  After the Kemah run I had a bit of acute Achilles tendonitis that took about a week to get right before I could comfortably walk.  Then after Galveston that pain was just as sharp and took 2 weeks before I could walk.  So, after that I backed out of the La Porte run.  Well, my brother ran all 3.  In 2015 I decided to have a hurt knee and didn’t run any significant distance.  Finally in 2016 I got my knee cut on and going in to 2017 I’m FINALLY feeling right enough to attempt to do dumb things (like running over 3 bridges) again.  When considering this series my brother said “bet you a dollar you can’t beat my cumulative time”.  That time was 5:07.  I can totally beat that.  Probably. And besides, I’m not motivated by his stupid taunting and childish challenge to beat his time.  I’m a fucking grown up.

 

Anyway, I totally took the bet (and the bait) and signed up for the entire series having run a cumulative total of 7.5 miles prior to the Kemah 10k over the course of 2 years.

So, there.  Take that.