Another week goes by

Another week in running. I missed one run this week but did pretty well overall. Here's the rundown:

Monday 12/13 (5.4mi, 48min, 8:55/mi) After Sunday's tempo run in the rain I took it easy around the Redmond streets. I practiced forefoot striking a little.

Tuesday 12/14 (cross training) My knee needed a break so I used the stationary bike, the elliptical and the weight machines at the gym instead. Now that my wrist is healed I can start using free weights and machines again. My body isn't used to it so my chest, back, and arms were pretty sore for a few days.

Wednesday 12/15 (6.2mi, 40:56, 6:36/mi) I missed running intervals on Tuesday so I went for a hard tempo run around my old standard "Pro Club Loop" starting at work instead of the Pro Club. I suffered running up the few hills along the route and almost slipped on a few muddy sections. I felt like I was running well after cross training on Tue and my time agreed. I'd put an asterisk on the performance, I had to stop for 5 lights and follow a detour going up 24th street. Still a very good tempo run that left me gassed.

Thursday 12/16 (6.0mi, 51min, 8:22/mi) At lunch I ran out to Grass Lawn Park and ran 2.5 miles barefoot around one of the baseball fields. Felt decent.

Thursday 12/16 (8.3mi, 60min, 7:13/mi) After work I had some time so I went for a night run around Redmond and through part of the Bridle Trails. I felt pretty good and kept a good pace, hitting the first 4 miles in 7:01, 7:06, 7:02, 7:02. Going through the Bridle Trails in the dark with just two small lights slowed me to an 8:14 mile. I finished up with a 7:18 mile, an uphill 7:25 mile, then a 6:56 final mile. I don't know where the night time speed came from, especially on the second run of the day. It was one of those runs where I felt like my base training was finally starting to show.

Work was too busy on Friday to get out for a run and Saturday is usually an off day for me.

Sunday 12/19 (7.6mi, 59min, 7:52/mi) I was out all day in Seattle with the family so I suited up for a run when I got home just after dark. I brought both my small and large head lights and wore a reflective vest. I wore the small light and carried the large one. I ran the same loop (out to Island View and around) that I ran last Sunday. I started out a little slow and ran a few form accelerations through out the run. I picked up the pace about half way through and started making some low 7 min mile splits interrupted by stepping off the road and waiting for cars to pass. My stomach started to gurgle with about half a mile to go and pushing the pace to try to break an hour didn't help. I got home with 8 seconds to spare, full of endorphins.

I'm loving running lately except for the pain I'm getting around the top of my left kneecap. I hope it isn't a sign of my knee getting worse. Ever since having my torn Meniscus repaired I've had some pain in my left knee. It usually hurts after a run or after sitting in a car for an hour  but it goes away in a day or two. I find that my knee will often start out a little sore on a run but warm up about 4 miles into the run and feel fine from then on. I'm not sure I want to look into what's wrong with my knee as long as I can still run and it doesn't get much worse. I really don't want to find out that I have another Meniscus tear and have to go under the knife again.