In class this week I did OK, but as I was warming up for the first 3 miles the muscle at the front of my right ankle was extra tight. Generally when this happens I can either run through it or if I stop for water it’s OK when I start up afterwards. Well this week that worked, but the next day the muscle on the back of my right ankle was sore and swollen. Naturally I still went for my morning 4-mile run thinking that it would just work itself out, but it bothered me the rest of the day. I gimped around at work all day in my clunky heavy shoes – ouch. That night I “rice”ed it: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. I also took two Aleve pills to help with the inflammation. The next day, Thursday, should have been a 12-miler, but I decide to rest and take that day off. I was feeling better on Friday so I planned a 12-mile out-and-back route down Metric and out Parmer. I took it slow and easy, and did fine. So on the Saturday 20-mile long run I again took it easy (this means slow to me). I timed myself on the Trail mile 9->10: 8:44 (too fast), mile 0->1: 9:16 (a little slow), and mile 1->2: 9:13 (ditto). I didn’t care how long this would take me. I just wanted to complete it. Unfortunately I didn’t read the instructions as I ran and instead of skirting Mt. Bonnell, I ran up it again (I did it two weeks ago w/ my coach). Sheesh!. Nevertheless I made it to the turn around at Balcones/Mt Barker albeit through this circuitous route both out and up, and back and down. At the stop I had my Chocolate Clif Shot and water. Heading back I stopped at the MoPac water stop and had a Mocha Clif Shot with caffeine. Continuing I again timed myself on the Trail mile 2->1: 8:52 (approx.), mile 1->0: 8:43, mile 10->9: 8:55. I was feeling pretty good and completed strong. Afterwards I had very little muscle fatigue this time, but I had done a much slower pace most of the time. I completed 20.8 miles [0.8 over Mt Bonnell!] in 3:25:51, or 9:54 per miles (note: this includes all the water stops and stopping to select my next podcast). Afterwards I did my stretches, and bought a yummy chocolate milk on the way home. Consider how the week had gone I felt a medium level of satisfaction about how the long run went today.
