Return to Running

I took 2 days off after the long 20-miler.  The Saturday long run really did a number on my feet.  Sunday's trip to Disneyland was a challenge since we did a lot of walking and I felt like all the bones in my feet were brittle.  I actually did alright. Walking short distances and standing were okay.  It was walking longer distance when I'd start too feel the ache.

I felt much better on Monday but thought it wise to give my feet another day of rest, and so I swam and worked with weights instead.  I ventured back onto the treadmill today and did 70 minutes of varying pace, from a brisk walk and jogging drills to warm up to a miles worth of strides and recoveries.  I averaged about a 7mph rate and felt pretty good.  There were a few lingering twinges, but I'm finding that when I run on the forefoot to midfoot the twinges lessen.  I think what may be happening is that my body is adjusting to improved form with my tendons and muscles adapting to the ball/heel foot strike. 

I still have to watch my ankles a bit, but I'm hopeful that I'm developing them into stronger joints and maybe by the end of this phase, I'll be a much stronger runner. 

I'm not tackling the 20-mile boundary again for two weeks, so this week will concentrate more on mid-distance mileage and one or two interval sessions.  I want one of them to be hill work.  I've got the La Jolla Half Marathon coming up in about a month and I don't want to break on the Torrey Pines hill climb. 

I think that's about it, catching up from two days of skipped blogging.  Tomorrow, I'm going to plan on a double session, with a light run in the AM and then some laps in the pool and then a few "laps" around the weight circuit.  Joan and the kids are probably going to Henderson this weekend, so I'm not sure what my weekend running objective will be.  Probably just a 10-12 mile loop staying close to home.

(Need to update my training log.  I slacked off keeping track.)