Training notes with disturbing gifs

Yeah so, I’m still running on the treadmill 66.7% of the time. It’s…fine. Not ideal, but I’m making the most of it. I think I’m finally over the crud I’ve had for the last month so I’ve given myself medical clearance to participate in outdoor activities…uh, starting tomorrow.

I’ve been using the treadmill time to give some thought to my posture and cadence and such. I’ve been reading that Chi Running book for about three years now (I read about one page every time I take a bath), and although it bores me to tears and although I’m suspicious that it might just be a lot of hype (the first few chapters are essentially all praise and no substance), there are some tasty bits that I’ve been trying to incorporate and the treadmill is a good place to do that.

DAMN IT, you made me lose count.

But I have another problem that no amount of focusing on posture and cadence will ever fix and I need to give that some thought too. My bunions. Specifically the left one. Surgery is inevitable. If you could see metatarsal numero uno you wouldn’t argue with me, but I’m going to be polite and not show you a picture.

Because it would be like this for you.

The toe doesn’t exactly hurt, but it doesn’t feel normal. I said a while back it felt twitchy and I thought I just needed a size bigger shoe, but the new shoes didn’t help. But…well, I am running six days a week and faster than ever so it’s been easy to ignore. I just can’t shake the feeling that I’m doing irreparable harm to my feet and that I should probably see a doctor. But then I start thinking about bone saws and pins and stitches and physical therapy and not being able to run for six weeks or six months or maybe a year (SERIOUSLY, THE TIMETABLE FOR THESE THINGS IS RIDICULOUSLY VARIED AND UNPREDICTABLE) and so I just sing a little song and push it to the back of my mind.

With my ‘face’ on.

Anyway, I try to make my treadmill workouts tough so I’m not just trudging along at the same pace at a 0% incline. I do a progression, or sprints or hills or fartleks or I make up little games in my head like, I’m going to run at a 7:45 pace until Dr. Phil makes his WTF face.

I have done a couple of longish runs but if the gym is crowded, I really can’t get away with hogging the treadmill for an hour and a half. Plus with the baby (ERMAHGERD TODDLER), it’s just easier to cram in a quick morning run and another in the afternoon. But that means I’m hardly doing ANY double-digit runs.

No matter. The race this month, as I’ve mentioned, is only five miles. My goal is sub-40 and I think it’s pretty possible although I confess I’ve never even officially done a 5k at a sub-8:00 pace. I think I have possibly done three miles in 24:XX on the treadmill. BUT DREAM BIG, RIGHT?

And here’s my training log from last week, just because I like to cream all over other people’s training logs so maybe you guys do too.

Monday: 7.5 – AM 3.25 stroller jog/PM 4.25 sans stroller

Tuesday: 4.3 – AM 3.3 stroller jog/PM 1 more stroller jog + 1250 yard swim

Wednesday: 2 – treadmill + weights

Thursday: 5 – treadmill tempo, 4 @ 8:00 pace

Friday: 4 – treadmill level 10 hills @ 8:33 avg

Saturday: 7 – treadmill @ 8:29 avg

Sunday: REST

Total: 29.8.

Last, U GUYZ, I would love some ideas for new and interesting speed workouts, treadmill or otherwise. Hook me up.