Tuesday Two-a-Day

Ran the treadmill at lunch for about 40 minutes before playing a pair of games of racquetball with Robert.   Then, after work, hit the gym again for a triple route through my upper body circuit routine, with elliptical, rower and skip rope intervals.  Not a bad workout day, though I chose to substitute the circuit training I missed yesterday for the spin class I was "supposed" to do today.  Actually, the racquetball session supplanted the spin class.  Racquetball is more fun.

I finished out the day watching UNC vs. William & Mary in the first round of the NIT while walking/jogging, back on the treadmill.  I'd really like to have a treadmill at home.  It was rather fun to maintain a steady walk and occasionally do some strides while watching the TV.  I felt like I could have gone forever.  It's kind of cool to keep the heart rate a little elevated for an hour or more, but not so strenuous that it gets fatiguing.  I logged an hour at an average 13-minute/mile.  The calorie burn and the barely aerobic activity seems a better way to pass the TV than sitting on the couch. 

The ankle watch: I'm probably just going to have to accept the fact that my ankles are going to get stiff and will require warmup care and after-workout massage and stretching since, even with the rather light running on the bouncy treadmill surface, I'm still feeling the aches...though not as badly.  The racquetball game really accentuates how my ankles are a weak link now.  Used to be I could really cut and turn on a dime.  Now, I feel like I'm just a misstep away from another turned ankle.  I'm being very cautious and not trying to extend myself and risk injury. 

I'm running okay.  I've grooved a pretty good stride, I think, concentrating on running from the hips and working a midfoot, ball-heel strike.  I think my form has improved because I feel more comfortable and efficient at quicker speeds than I did just recently.  I credit some of the improvement to the slack off in mileage last week and allowing for more rest between runs. Psychologically, it feels like you're giving up training grown when you take a day off, but the proof is in the pudding when, after a rest day, the running feels fresh and strong.  I'm got to bottle that data point somehow so I can later remind myself of that as I build toward a race event or a significant running challenge.

My first crossing into 20-mile territory will be on Saturday.  I'm reserving Sunday for a possible trip to Disneyland with the family, to meet up with Kathy and her family.  Even if Kathy can't make it, it looks like we'll be going anyway.  Joan and I are keeping the plans from the kids, with the intention of surprising them on Saturday.  But back to the Saturday morning run: I'm going to rely on Lake Miramar again, as boring and repetitive as that may be.  I'll do 4 loops around the 5-mile circuit.  The fact that it's a loop makes the logistics easier.  I won't have to stash or carry water, and I can make a pit stop at the lap seam if necessary.  I'm going to try to discipline myself to run a very modest 8.5 to 9-minute mile pace, with a 30 second walk break at each 9 minute interval.  In my last 2 or 3 runs, I've found things get difficult starting around the 15th or 16th mile.  I want to do all I can to see if I can delay the onset of that fatigue.  If I'm going to work my way up to 26 miles, I'd like that "wall" (not the real Wall) pushed out to around mile 20 or more.  I've got 10 weeks to make that happen.