Back in the Saddle Again

With all due apologies to Gene Autrey, after being bucked off by the bronchitis bug, I’m back in the running saddle again. After a three-day dose of antibiotics I am at least back on my feet, if not back one hundred percent. My breathing was excellent in the early morning before the run, but I wasn’t sure how strong I was. My coughing was largely over but I think a few women in the group were a little disgusted by the fact that my sinuses were dripping like a leaky faucet. I did my best to keep the snot rockets well clear of the group. But it’s endurance running, folks, ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

The marathon clinic schedule called for 16K today. I led my 3:45 group out at a good pace, if perhaps a little fast. At the end, a group of five of us did an optional 6K. On the optional mileage I drop from doing 10 and 1’s to 5 and 1’s and go from 15-20% slower than marathon pace to 30% slower than marathon pace. As I tell my group, on Sundays it’s all about time and distance. According to my Nike Triax, we logged 22.6K in two hours and twenty minutes on the nose. It feels great knowing that we’ve banged off two half-marathons in the past two weeks and everybody has been very strong.

I felt great right up until about the last two K and then I felt a little leg-weary. Interestingly, my heart rate was a rock solid 140 for most of the run, and during recovery it was dropping under 120 to as low as 116. I had to keep myself in check going over the Burrard Street Bridge because I had a lot of bounce and spring and I wanted to let the horses out to run. Save it for hill training, Hemingson, save it for the hills!

And, for better or for worse, my appetite has returned. Now, if the running Gods are willing, I’ll be able to get in a solid four or five days of running in the next week and a few days of cross-training. But I’ll heed Dr. Boris’ words of caution and be sure to monitor my recovery so that I don’t try to do too much too soon. Ohhh, it’s good to back on board again!