The journey towards 100 miles takes an unexpected turn

My journey towards  miles takes an unexpected turn.....

Being injured as a runner is very frustrating; especially when you are training for races. Not just races though, but ultra races with distances ranging from 30 miles-100 miles. The fact of the matter is that injuries do happen. Generally we try to minimize them through proper technique, rest, hydration, stretching, foam rolling, proper shoes, etc. Unfortunately, injuries still happen even with doing all the right things. 

Sunday during the Trail Madness 32K trail run, my ankle began to feel fatigued and I knew that my past tendon issue was trying to come alive, but didn't really cause me any real issues. 

Over the course of 19.88 miles I jumped, lunged, stepped and climbed over rocks, trees and through snow and mud. Never once did I twist or roll my ankle. The constant pounding that took place in addition to the beating and strain I put on my body; especially my feet during the 55 miles at Oklahoma Outlaw seemed to have been the trigger for this injury. 

After my race, I was not experiencing any pain or discomfort that appeared in the form of an injury, but mainly was dealing with normal fatigue. Later that afternoon after resting it became evident that my ankle had suffered some form of injury due to it becoming stiff and sore to the point of not being able to walk without struggle.

This ankle injury seems to be associated to an ankle injury I suffered in November of 2012 along with numerous basketball and running injuries over the years. So I have been resting, soaking it, stretching, and doing all the things I know to do for ankle issues. It's feeling better, but I still have some challenges ahead. 

The hard part is not being able to run. I enjoy it and it's therapeutic for me. I'll keep you all updated as things progress. The good news is that I can walk with very little discomfort now.  I have a feeling that this injury is just one way that my body is telling me to rest for a while and take some time off because I know my schedule later this year will ramp up once again.

Until next time keep your feet moving forward....

Scarecrow Runner 

Trail Madness 2015

Have you ever waited till the last minute to decide on a race? Yeah, I have a few times and more often than not, because I wait till the last minute the registration the race gets sold out and I miss out on a cool race. Of course, I would rather wait till the last minute and not be out the money from registering too far in advance. I have made that mistake before as well. It's no fun to fork up hard end money to a race and not be able to run in it. While it is understandable if you get an injury that prevents you from participation, but is a slap in the face when you fail to realize a race that you registered for falls on an important weekend that you cannot miss and of course by then it is too late. You are not going to be able to transfer to another race in the future and you are not going to be able to run in it at all.

This past weekend was my son's 8th birthday and like many other weekends that I have scheduled throughout the year, there was also a race I seriously was considering. Last year I ran the Tulsa Run on the same morning as my daughter's birthday and it fortunately worked out for me schedule wise. I was already scheduled to run with my training group on Saturday morning and go 9 miles in all, but a winter storm rolled in on Friday and lasted throughout the day on Saturday. This cancelled my plans of running with the training group due to icy road conditions and also prevented family from coming into town for the birthday. Since there was no family coming into town and the weather cleared enough on Sunday morning due to warming temperatures, I pulled the trigger and was able to register for a race at the last minute. Fortunately for me, they had a few spots left in the race.

I had to arrive for registration early enough to ensure my spot and thus had to wait an hour and a half before the race began. The race started at 1:00 pm. Most races I participate in are early morning and thus this was outside of my normal race preparations. It fell right during lunch time and thus my body was not in any mood to run mid-day. I can generally swing a race early morning because my body is still 'fasting' and half asleep, but a mid-day run meant I had to eat something for breakfast, but not too much and that food was already burning off by the time this race started.

The Trail Madness was hosted by Fleet Feet at Turkey Mountain in Tulsa. Turkey Mountain is one area that I have grown to really enjoy running. It is an urban wilderness area that is full of trees, hills, trails and just oozes of God's beauty right in the middle of a city. I have run many races out there; including one where the trail was totally frozen from cold temperatures, extreme heat and humidity and torrential downpours with flooded trails. I have never run at Turkey Mountain when it had fresh snow on the trails. The thought of running on snow-covered trails really excited me and I couldn't wait to run.

Much to my dismay, my legs were totally fatigued from sledding on our street the day before with my boys and thus this race would be one where I would have to grind it out and just do what I could do. The first 5 miles of the race were the most challenging for me as the snow, hills and fatigue wore me down. I was happy with just grinding through those miles. Then over half way through my run the majority of the runners were behind me or finishing up the shorter distances and I was alone with God as I weaved through the snowy trails; crunch, crunch, crunch. It was beautiful and enjoyable to see the snow blanketed all over the trails and trees. The sights and smells were what I needed to just detox from the daily grind and feel apart of His creation.

My mind was a constant battlefield and I had to just quiet it with the peaceful thoughts of the scenery and I continued to trudge through the terrain. With just over 2 miles remaining on the course I began to get a second wind and saw a few additional runners ahead of me on one of the steep passes. I soon caught up with them and my adrenaline kicked in. I wasn't going to just finish the race, I was going to push myself and get ahead of these guys and kick it at the end. While I didn't have to sprint at the finish to eek a placing in the race I did push myself and finished strong.

I crossed the finish line at 1:49:59; one second better than 1:50 and less than my original goal of completing in less than 2 hours. I was pleased with my finish. Once I grabbed some water and received my finisher's medal I stayed and listened to the awards of the races and learned that I finished 14th overall in the 16K and was good enough to earn a glass goblet with the race emblem on the front of it. So all in all I was pleased with my effort. Normally I would have just ground out a 9 mile training run with the group and been done for the day, but I one-upped it and took home a shirt, medal and goblet. Not bad for a day's work on the mountain.

Here's to my continued training in 2015 and my upcoming races: Great Plains 10K, Tulsa on March 21st, Wicked 1/2 Marathon on March 28th in Wamego, KS, the Golden Driller 1/2 in Tulsa on April 25th, the Tough Mudder on May 16th in Okemah, OK and possible races of 3 Days to 100K in early May, the Volition 1/2 in Tulsa at the end of May and the Scorcher 1/2 in Stillwater the first part of June.

Until next time keep your legs moving forward.

Scarecrow Runner

2013 running year review

As one year comes to a close and another one is on the doorsteps approaching I wanted to take and recap my running adventures in 2013.

Scarecrow Runner’s Year End Review.

 

As a whole 2013 was my most accomplished and most thorough running season since I began running as a teenager. Even through all the years of high school and college cross country and track I have never had a more healthy and rewarding running year. I feel very humbled and blessed to be able to say this and look forward to building upon it in 2014.

In November of 2012, I suffered a grade 3 sprain. See previous blogs for pics and info on this injury. I didn’t know if and when I would be able to run again. I wanted to walk without any issues or pain. I was determined to get back on the roads and make a go of it and did so on January 1, 2013. After several weeks of icing and keeping my ankle elevated and slowly rehabbing it, I laced up an air cast and took off for a 2.16 mile hobbled jog. It wasn’t the most comfortable day I’ve experienced as a runner, but one of the most anticipated I’ve felt in a long time. It took the entire month of January to really begin to get back into the swing of things and overcome soreness. By the end of the month I had logged 60 miles. Not bad for someone who couldn’t walk at the beginning of December.

 

February 2013

I had already registered to run in the Oklahoma Memorial Marathon in April and so I had 2 ½ more months of training time available and I was sure to take advantage of the time I had left.

In February I logged 98 miles and really started getting back into the groove. While it may have been a little much in the eyes of others, it was much needed for me. I remained healthy and continued to push forward. The only setback I had that month was the fact I had tightened my shoes too tight one morning on an 8 mile run and ended up bruising the ligament on the top of my foot. What was initially thought of as a stress fracture turned out to feel better after some ice and bicycling for the next week.

March 2013

In March, I took some serious strides in my training for the marathon and logged the most mileage in a month since my freshman cross country season at Allen County Community College. I peaked at 126 miles that month. In March I began my Spring racing season and it all started on St Patrick’s Day in Tulsa, OK. The weather was more winter-like than spring and the temperatures were around 38 degrees and a heavy mist was falling for the majority of the morning. It made for perfect trail running weather. I ran in the 3 hour Snake Run. I completed 17.1 miles in the 3 hour time on some treacherous trails and I was hooked on trail-running. I finished 18^th overall and 6^th in my age group.

My ankles took quite a beating, but after soaking them in ice and keeping them loose on the stationary bike, I was able to bounce back quickly and compete in the Wings to Fly 15K in El Reno, Oklahoma the following Saturday. The temperatures were hovering just above freezing and were very windy with some winter precipitation that fell during the course of the run. I finished 2^nd in my age group and 19^th overall. The following Friday evening after a massive Thunderstorm rolled through the Oklahoma City metro, I competed in the OU Health Dash in downtown OKC at night. It was dark and very wet, but a very successful race for me and the end of a very solid training month. I was able to finish 1^st in my age group and 12^th place overall.

April 2013

April started off really solid for me as I traveled to Kansas City to run with my college buddies in the annual Brew to Brew relay from Kansas City to Lawrence, a 44.4 mile relay. This took place on Sunday, April 7^th, but prior to that run, 3 of us competed in the Ruckus Race in Grainville, Missouri. It was a 4 mile obstacle challenge and definitely pushed my limits. The next day we all got up at the crack of dawn and endured in our relay. Since I was training for the marathon I went ahead and ran 15 miles of the 44 mile relay. It felt really good to put in some good miles with some great friends. The temperatures were near perfect with overcast skies and the temperatures hovering just above 70 degrees. A far improvement from the year before when we were soaring in record 90 degree heat. On April 13^th, I drove to Lake Hefner in Oklahoma City and ran in the Race for the Dream. It was a race to help end sex trafficking. The weather was again, near perfect conditions with temps in the low 70s and nice breezes blowing off the lake. I managed to grab 1^st in my age group and 3^rd place overall and took home 2 medals. First race I have ever taken 2 medals home. The remainder of the month was low-key training and tapering to prepare for my first marathon. The Oklahoma City Memorial, on April 28^th. I had to be there by 5:30 am to deal with all the security and thousands of runners who gathered for this event. I didn’t really know what to expect from a race of this magnitude, but when I finished I realized that it was more than I had really bargained for. I experienced every possible emotion during this adventure. I went from loving running to hating running to laughing to crying to frustration to elation. When I saw the finish line, even though I was really in pain and suffering, I pushed myself and crossed the finish line. That was one of the greatest feelings ever and one of my proudest moments as a runner. Coach Barry Switzer met me at the finish line and placed my finisher’s medal around my neck. What a treat!

 

May 2013

I literally suffered from runner’s depression following the marathon and did not want to run or even want to think about running, but eventually broke out of my funk and managed to log some mileage the following week after taking a full week off to recover. My body ached and hurt for a full week and even if I had wanted to run I don’t think I would have been up to it physically.

In the middle of May, I ventured to Inola, Oklahoma (just east of Tulsa) with a friend Steve Farrell and his daughter to run in the Warrior Dash. Since I was going to be competing in the Tough Mudder in September I figured I better start getting ready for it and opted to run the Warrior Dash twice. I literally ran in near back to back heats. The course was great and even though we had to army crawl through a cow pasture with cow poop all around, it made for a challenging and rewarding day.

 

June 2013

As the temperatures began to heat up, my training begins to slow down and my desire to run outdoors decreases. Mainly because I tend to run on the warm-side and do best when the temperatures are below 80 degrees. Anything above 80 is a recipe for me to overheat and thus my competitive edge drastically drops. I can run, but I don’t run near as hard or as fast. During June I was on a business trip and wasn’t too far away from El Dorado, Kansas where I swang by El Dorado State Park and competed in the Storm the Dam Trail Half Marathon. It was another trail run that I really enjoyed competing in, but I had major allergy issues and my stomach was really upset from eating some bad Taco Bell the night before. Word of advice…don’t eat Taco Bell on the eve of a distance run…BAD IDEA! I still managed to finish in the top 25 and logged it as a solid training run and experience. The hill we had to go up at mile 6 was literally hell. The dam hill was one that is deemed that damn hill. It sucked, but I ran up the entire way. The course was beautiful and well laid out. I would recommend it and consider running again in the future.

This was the only race I did in June. As I had already accepted a position with a new company in the Tulsa area and would soon be relocating my family there. With moving and preparing to move my mileage took a massive hit in the months of June and July. I logged right at 100 miles in 2 months. Not the ideal mileage for those months, but for the amount of craziness and heat I will call it good.

 

July & August 2013

I began the month of July being able to run on stretches of trail I had run on many moons before when we lived in Tulsa previously. I had longed to be able to train on some great trails and stretches of road where I could feel free again and be around other runners. And after 13 years, it finally came to pass. My office sits less than a ½ mile away from the Tulsa RiverParks trails along Riverside Drive and those trails go on for miles. It includes several other trails that branch off and are beautiful and full of foliage. My heart was happy in the running world again. Slowly I began to adapt to the high humidity of Tulsa and began to build my mileage up again. In August I was able to ramp my mileage up considerably due to some unseasonably cooler weather during the month. What a difference 15 degrees makes in the heat of August. I managed to run in 2 races at the end of the month. The first was on August 31^st at LaFortune Park and was the Race for the House 5K. It was my first 5K in well over a year and I was definitely rusty with a faster paced race. It didn’t help that it was very humid that morning either, but none-the-less I finished 3^rd in my age group and 5^th overall.

Sept 2013

It was another very solid training month for me as I began the month with a 5 mile trail run at Turkey Mountain called ‘Escape from Turkey Mountain’. Let’s just say my legs were still tired from running a hard 5K two mornings earlier. While I didn’t achieve a great overall placing amongst the competition I still enjoyed the trail race. On Sunday, September 22^nd I competed in the Tough Mudder in Topeka and boy was that a grueling task. It was one of the most difficult challenges I have ever faced. Even though it was 11 miles worth of running, which didn’t phase me, it was the 25+ obstacles that kicked my butt. I enjoyed it so much that I registered immediately to run it again in May. Am I nuts? LOL

 

Oct 2013

This was another busy month for me as I competed in the Tulsa Zoo Run-15K on October 5^th. First time I had run it since 1999. It was a nice and cool day for a run and there were a lot of runners out for this race and thus the competition field was massive. I settled for 524^th overall. I just considered it a good, hard training run to prepare me for the ½ marathon in 2 weeks. On October 19^th, I ventured to Oklahoma City and participated in the HITS Running Festival ½ marathon and finished 10^th in my age group and 43^rd overall. It was a frigid morning as the race began at 7am and was before the sunrise. Temperatures were 30 degrees and there was ice on the bridges and overpasses that we crossed initially. I have never ran in a race that had ice on the street. It was a crazy race, but I felt like I did really well. The next weekend it was Aiden’s 4^th birthday party weekend and we had family come to town. I was running in the Tulsa Run. Again, another run I had not done since 1999. Mom, Dad and Alexis came to cheer me on in the 50 degree temperatures. My legs were still a bit taxed from the race the weekend before, but still ran hard and under my goal. I finished in under 1:15. Thousands of runners were there for the race and it was the largest race I had run in since the Memorial marathon. Tulsa runners sure show up for the big races.

 

Nov 2013

The first weekend in November was extremely cold and just about anyone who is anyone in the running community runs in the Route 66 here in Tulsa; however, I took the weekend off and rested and ran in the Jenks Half the following weekend. I really struggled in the Jenks ½ and struggled mentally and physically. I was drained and just didn’t have it in me to run a great race. Still managed to finish 2^nd in the Clydesdale division and logged under a 1:55, so not horrible, but still not great. My running season was coming to an end and it was evident that I was wearing down. What started out as a very successful spring season where I was still fresh was turning out to be an average fall season where I was worn out, but still competing. I didn’t run in any other races in November as I started to focus on putting in miles and stretching towards the 1000K mark. My brother, Austin and I put in some great workouts over the Thanksgiving break and that gave me hope and prevented me from being too lazy during the weekend.

 

Dec 2013

The last month of the year sure seemed to hit me pretty hard. I ran in the Tulsa ½ and ½ on December 15^th at Turkey Mountain. I initially was only registered for the trail ½, but wanted to qualify for the Half Fanatics and so I ventured out and ran in back to back ½’s or a full marathon technically. ½ on the trail and ½ on the road. The trail half pretty much took it out of me and I didn’t have much left for the ½ on the road. I managed to finish, but had obviously drained my body of every possible nutrient and was severely dehydrated.

While I experienced fatigue and soreness as I have in races past, 2 days later I had a severe panic attack where I thought I was dying. It was one of the scariest moments I have ever had and I continued to have major anxiety the rest of the week. It led me to the emergency room and doctor’s office where they diagnosed it as General Anxiety Disorder and gave me a prescription to help settle my nerves. I ended up taking a full week off from running and just rested and tried to get myself composed. I am doing better now, while not 100%, I have gotten back out onto the roads. I received a bunch of running stuff for Christmas that I had to try out and just couldn’t wait any longer. While I am going to come up about 40 miles shy of the 1000 mile mark, I still feel like my year was very successful and am very pleased with my overall results. I now have a very good baseline to build on for the next year. While I don’t anticipate running as many races this year, I do plan on being competitive and running in several ½ marathon’s and some other races that I spot through the course of the year. Here’s to a wonderful 2013 and looking forward to an even better 2014.

Yearly mileage for 2013- 950 miles

Total number of races run - 23

 

Monthly mileage for 2013.
January-     60
February - 98
March -    126
April-          82.17
May -         51.76
June -        50.42
July -          48.72
Aug -          86.93
Sep -          80.06
Oct -           88.70
Nov -          86.45
Dec -          86.82

Micah (6) and I before our winter run on Christmas break. He is wanting to start running with me. Looks like I have a future long distance runner on my hands. :)

Did someone say snow running?

Running in the elements is something I thoroughly enjoy. Many call me 'nuts' or 'crazy' and even 'addicted' and I take that as a compliment. Why? because anyone who runs as much as I have or as far as I have has to be somewhat crazy. And I would be more than happy to say I am addicted to running. I am addicted to taking care of my body and addicted to health. I use running as stress therapy and it helps me clear my mind and I have a lot of opportunity to think about things and even pray. It's my time to get away from everyone and everything.

This past week we had a massive winter storm come through the state and dump lots of ice and snow on the area. We received about a 1/2" of ice and around 6" of white powder. In most cases a novice runner would use this as an opportunity to either run on a treadmill or a reason to rest. It's definitely a great time for both of those not to mention catching some extra 'Zzz's' and eating some great food and watching some good Christmas movies/football on television. A veteran/seasoned runner is more likely to get as many miles as possible in as they can; especially when they are training for races.

I wasn't about to let some snow and ice keep me from getting in some much needed mileage to reach my goal of 1,000 miles for the running season. I was thankful to my friend Camille Herron, a seasoned marathon runner, to provide some information on how to make your own snow/ice running shoes without having to buy some. After about 15 minutes I was able to turn an older pair of shoes into a pair of ice shoes that would allow me to run on the ice/snow across the area.

Once my shoes were complete I took to the roads on Friday and Sunday to log some serious miles. I only took Saturday off to spend the afternoon sledding with my kids. I don't suggest beginning runners to try this, but those who are experienced and want to take their running to the next level I challenge you to try running in the elements. It adds a new perspective to your running and will put a new twist on things for you that will keep running interesting. I have run in the extreme heat, extreme cold, snow, ice, sleet, high wind, dirt storms, hail and torrential rain. I won't mention lightning because I don't encourage anyone to run in that. I don't run in it normally, but have been caught in some quick forming storms before.

Running in the sleet/ice

Going 5 miles on snow/ice packed roads

Rt 66 train bridge in Sapulpa, OK - caught this on my 7 mile snow run today

Reviving another passion

It has been nearly 9 months since I last blogged on here and while I have been contemplating on starting back up I haven't mustered up enough desire to push on and continue. A lot has happened in the last 9 months which hasn't helped the cause, but I have decided to put one foot in front of the other and endure.

A brief recap of what has occurred since March. In June, I accepted a new position in Tulsa, Oklahoma and started on July 8th. The family relocated to Sapulpa, OK on July 13th and we have been settled ever since. It has been quite a transition to be back in the Tulsa area, but it has been a good one. We had lived in Shawnee, OK since 2001 and so it was a challenge to uproot the family. Not only was this home, but it was where we have raised all 3 of our children and experienced all of the baby firsts and more. While we knew God had plans for us and was leading us to new horizons, we were still uncertain regarding some aspects of the move and new job. When our home sold within 6 weeks of placing it on the market and finding a church home where we discovered the pastor's wife was the sister to a good friend in Shawnee, it definitely helped us see more of the big picture.

We live day by day and trust in the Lord to guide all of our steps and direct us where He wants to lead us and listen to what He wants us to do. So we have decided to enjoy our lives to the fullest and embrace all He has for us.

Since running in the Snake Run on St Patrick's Day, I have participated in 20 different racing events ranging from 5Ks, 10Ks and 15K's to Half Marathons, The Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon to extreme challenges like the Warrior Dash, Ruckus Race and Tough Mudder. It has been a very challenging, yet rewarding year and I am closing in on 1,000 miles for the year. This is something that I look forward to accomplishing and should finish sometime during the last week of December before the new year rolls around. I look forward to blogging more in the days and weeks to come and am making it a New Year's resolution to continue strong into the new year. My desire is to share personal thoughts, family activities, running and fitness advice and experiences and anything else that comes up.

Till next time- Scarecrow Runner

3 hour Snake Run at Turkey Mountain

On Sunday, March 17th, St. Patrick's Day I ventured to Tulsa, Oklahoma where I competed in the TATUR (Tulsa Area Trail & Ultra Runners) 3 hour Snake Run that was held at the Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area. 3 hours you may ask? Yes, 3 hours. This race was like none I have ever participated in.
Most races I compete in are road races, but this was an off-road, trail run that weaved along the Snake Trail at Turkey Mountain. In most races you are running a specific distance and trying to run it as fast as you can. In the 3 hour and 6 hour Snake Run's you are running as many miles as you can within the specified time frame.

The temperature was hovering around 40 degrees with light mist falling that kept the trails moist. The trails weaved throughout the trails at Turkey Mountain and was a 4.2 loop with aide stations at each end. There was also a 1/2 mile loop to assist runners complete shorter distances towards the end of their time. If a runner were on the course when the 3 hour/6 hour time frame expired that loop and mileage would not count towards their totals thus the reason why they had the 1/2 mile loop to assist those near the 3 hour window complete smaller amounts of mileage without risk of losing out larger amounts of mileage.

168 runners of all ages embarked on this adventure at 9:00 am and weaved through the first half mile or so in single file until the group thinned out. I was quick to get out in front of the main group and avoid the bottleneck. One reason that this was advantageous was the trails were extremely rocky and full of crevices and tree roots and uneven surfaces. It is not easy to run on these type of surfaces when you can't see more than 2 feet in front of you; it really cramps your style.

Over the first hour I felt great and had settled into a nice pace, but over the next two hours my body wore down significantly. I managed to trip over several uneven obstacles due to my legs and mind being exhausted. The last time was within the last mile and I took a nice spill on my knee, but managed to collect myself and finish strong. I was able to complete 4 loops and a half mile loop totaling 17.8 miles. It was my first ever trail run and I finished 6th in my age division, 16th in the men's division and 18th overall. I am very pleased with the end result and overall experience.

It was one of the most memorable running events I have ever been apart of. Running through the trails and wilderness with several others reminded me of the good ole' cross country days of old. It was challenging and yet fun. I will do it again next year and will be much more prepared this time around.

Running Slower and Further

The last 12 days have been a bit of a roller coaster in the running world for me. On Saturday, March 2nd during my 7 mile run the top of my foot began to hurt considerably. I stopped and re-tied my shoes and continued on. I finished with some discomfort, but not as bad as during the run.

Through reading a lot of different running blogs and speaking to several runners it was looking like a stress fracture; a sure sign of over-training. Many long distance runners are affected by these due to the increase in mileage for training. I surely did not want this to be my diagnosis as I have several races that I was wanting to participate in this spring and some of those have already been 'paid' for.

I began to chat with Camille Herron a well known marathoner from Norman, Oklahoma. She provided me some great tips on things I could do to improve my running performance and perhaps help my foot situation. She is not a doctor, but she has had 7 stress fractures and definitely has some common sense and experience with the issue. I decided to cross-train a few days last week and take things easier. I changed the lacing pattern of my laces and used a combination of ice and sports cream to manage the pain I was still experiencing. I also spent several days on the stationary bike at the gym and logged many miles and still maintained some solid cardio work and as my former cross-country coach from Allen County would call it: Active Rest. I made an attempt to jog on the treadmill last Tuesday and made it through 2 miles, but with some discomfort. So I continued the biking and pain management.

On Monday, March 11th, I ventured out with one of our local running organizations and was feeling very good that day. The day before I had spent about an hour in the pool and my foot was feeling the best it had been since hurting it. I switched into a pair of my shoes from last year and took off for a very easy paced 5K. I ran around an 8:45 mile pace and didn't feel any pain. I had been running between 7:50-8:20 minute per mile paces on my runs and from what Camille told me that is too fast for slow training runs. I needed to slow down significantly to allow my body to rest and recover properly. Turns out I have been running around 80% of my race pace for every training run and that was an injury waiting to happen.

On Wednesday morning I got up and went out for a brisk, early morning jog. It was my intent to cover 3.1 miles at a slower pace. Trying to run a 10 minute per mile pace is almost painful when you are used to running close to 8 minute miles. I did settle into a trot and managed to knock out a slower paced run and didn't have any pain. So we will see how the 'Run Slower, Run Further' approach goes that Camille introduced me to. It does make sense and in college we called it LSD (Long Slow Distance). So why not slow down and save my body some pain and discomfort and allow for proper healing and help my overall running season.

Here's to running slower and running further!