The Aftermath

Last night some serious storms ravaged Kentucky, along with nearly every other Southern state. I had heard that Tennessee got hit really hard about the time I was going to bed, but as much as I love a good storm, I told myself "I'll just go to sleep, if the storm is worth watching, it'll wake me up!"

Was I right? Yes. Very yes!

Around 2am I woke up to one hell of a storm. Lightning was closer than I'd like (especially since my bed is by the window), it was raining like I've never seen, and the wind was blowing about 50 MPH with gusts around 70.

The power was out when I woke up, but came back on shortly. When it did, I fired up my computer to see what sort of warnings we had. Flood warning. Tornado watch. Tornado warning.

Wait. What? In February? A tornado warning? Yep. A tornado was spotted 15 miles north west of Richmond, which is a roundabout way of saying "right outside of Lexington." Luckily it stayed outside of Lexington, and I haven't heard anything much about it. But just because the tornado didn't hit us, doesn't mean there wasn't damage.

During my run this morning I took a little tour of the area to see what went on. The first thing I noticed was the tree just down the road (100 feet away) was uprooted and laying on its side. Then I head around town.. most of the stop lights weren't working. The wind tore them apart, I guess? They all had crews working on them, with police guiding the traffic.

Throughout the run there were branches all over the sidewalk to avoid, the wind really demolished a lot of trees. It also started to rain again during the last few miles of my run, really, really hard. It just added to it all, really, since a few of the roads were flooding during the last couple miles of my run; I'm sure the drainage systems were still backed up from last night.


On campus I ran past several trees that took a direct hit from lightning, huge trees split in half; these were just a few hundred feet from where I go to class. Towards the end of my run there were a few roads blocked due to trees laying straight across them; all with workers trying to cut them apart as soon as they could to open the roads back up. All of this just a couple blocks from home.


Despite all of the damage around town, it was a very enjoyable run. Nobody (that I know of) was hurt during the storm, and it was a great display of what mother nature can do when she means business! Also, running in the rain is always a plus, right?


On my way to teaching tonight I may take pictures of some of the trees that were hit, since words can't even come close to describing what it all looks like! Update: Pictures added!

Rainy Tempo Run

My alarm went off this morning and my brain sounded like an excuse machine.

"Bed warm. Outside cold."
"Bed dry. Outside wet."
"Sun sleeping. You should too."
"Yesterday ride hard. Today run easy."

But I got my feet on the floor, grabbed Nancy's club, got some food in me, and headed out the door. My legs were tired from yesterday, and I was expecting a bad run, but that didn't stop me from pounding out a hard tempo run. Here's the numbers:

7:56 (warmup)
6:24
6:02
6:15
0:34 (0.1 miles)
7:35 (cooldown)
2:25 (0.32 miles)

Tempo pace: 6:12
5K time: 19:15
Tempo HR: 181

After having every excuse in the book, this turned out to be one great run. I cut 30 seconds off my time from two weeks ago, and its also worth noting my 5K split was faster than a 5K race I ran this time a year ago. Lets get this party started.

"Easy" Five

I woke up this morning around 9am ready to run. My legs felt fresh after a few days completely off, it was raining, and I was just feeling it. So I went out for what was to be a nice easy 5 1/2 miles; my longest run since October 7th.

The run started and I clocked off the first mile in 7:24, and I decided that was acceptably easy so I stopped paying attention to my Garmin. Then what? Well, here's the splits:

7:24
7:08
7:06
6:52
6:53
3:38 (thats 7:11 pace for 0.51 miles)

Going quick felt amazing and surprisingly effortless. My legs feel the quicker pace a little bit tonight, but not my hip! Its feeling good as new!

After my run I went out to the bike shop to get the death traps for my feet. By that, of course, I mean the clipless pedals for my bike:

The new pedals

The contraption on my shoe that attaches to the pedal

Supposedly, these new gadgets are going to make me able to bike significantly faster. However, they're also going to cause me to fall on my face at some point. I've been practicing getting out of the pedals all night, but I know I'm probably going to topple over when I stop tomorrow! Don't worry, I'll be posting picture of my inevitable injuries!

D-O-N-E

Thats right. The semester is over. Completely. Holy crap!

Grading, check
Finals, check
Sanity, check

Now I just need to wait for grades to come in. Oh the waiting!


I made it out for a run this morning, but I feel like going out again. Its how I like to wrap up every semester. I ran 15 miles right after graduating college; it was great! I guess I kind of blew it by running this morning, huh? Oh well. I'm not gonna go out again, can't risk the hip! I'll get business taken care of at the pool tonight; my ankle better behave itself or we're gonna have some SERIOUS problems! It never hurts when I run, though, so I'm not complaining too loudly.

The hip is holding up nicely. I made it out for about 3.5 miles this morning to shake the cob webs loose before my final final. I've adopted a strategy this semester that has worked pretty well for me. None of that sleep deprived, studying till the last minute crap that everybody else does. I've been getting a solid 10 hours of sleep, a nice lunch, and exercising before my exams. While everybody else crammed in last minute stuff, I was reading the excerpt from "Again To Carthage" in December's Runner's World.

Splits this morning were:

7:35
7:14
7:08
3:10 (7:25 pace)

Great run, hip didn't hurt at all. Doesn't hurt now.

Tomorrow I drive back home and am stopping at Eastern Illinois on the way to see some old friends and a few professors that nudged me to go to school at University of Kentucky. Then I get to surprise my parents who aren't expecting me until Sunday night!


Nic - You have yourself a deal, my friend. Chicago '08 the barrier will be broken side by side!

Marcy - According to my Garmin, it wasn't THAT fast. Not as fast as Bill anyways; that speed demon!

Bill - Yeah, I'm getting pretty close to muttering those sacred words myself. Maybe next week sometime... I can't get ahead of myself! Soon, very soon!

Inhuman?

After yesterday's ride, I swore up and down walking was going to be a monumental feat today. It wasn't. I'm not even sore. Mostly just hungry (I've eaten most of the food in my apartment by now). I feel like I must not be human to feel so bad at the end of the ride, and not even be feeling it today!

This morning I swam for an hour, just working on drills. I'm really getting all of them down now, both with and without the flippers. Sometime in the next week I think my coach should have me doing some normal swimming.

I ran this afternoon too. Nice and easy 2.31 miles averaging 8:17 pace. It was raining and was all in all a pretty good run. My hip is behaving itself pretty nicely still. Sometimes theres a little discomfort down the side of my leg, but its no where close (either in proximity or intensity) to where it was before, so its not making me too nervous.

I've run 2 and change a couple times now and my hip is still behaving itself! So... Tuesday I'm going to push it to three miles and keep my fingers crossed. This makes it look increasingly likely that I'll be able to show Bill the real way to do an easy run when I visit family for Christmas!

And... because I have nothing else to babble about, heres some responses to recent comments:

Bill - Yeah, these guys were pretty experienced. Most of them have ridden about 5000 miles a year for the last several years. Once I get some clip in pedals and some miles under my belt, I think I'll be riding with the big dogs in no time.

Marcy - Oh, I'm sticking with the running. Don't you worry! This week was actually my highest mileage week in the past six weeks! Progress! As long as Ms. Helen keeps her yap shut, I'm hoping to get in some good workouts over my Christmas break in all three areas, because I'll definitely have the time!

Nancy - Well said with how running spills over to life, it really does. Its the #1 example, in my opinion, of how much hard work pays off! No name for the bike just yet. I know I'm breaking the rule, I've ridden 'er twice and don't even know her name yet...

Rainy Run!

Woooo! Best run in ages! I just ran a rockin' 1.28 miles in the rain. No, a complete downpour. I was smiling the entire way. I got some pretty weird looks, but it was amazing!

Here's proof of the run:

One Mile

I ran my mile. I ran it in 8:25. As usual it felt fine during the run, just a little tight in the areas which have been tight these past few days. Nothing I would call pain.

But it never hurts during the run. Its usually much later in the day it starts hurting.

Your move, hip!

27 minutes (Plus three!)

A few weeks ago Amy had a wonderful post about how 27 minutes made everything seem right in the world. After weeks and weeks of the doubt, worry, and frustration that accompany an injury, its wonderful to finally have a run that goes just right! That was today. That was me.

Once again, it rained! Not a torrential downpour by any means, just a light steady rain that was enough to really make me enjoy being out there. I ran a nice easy 3.67 miles, which took me exactly 30 minutes. I've finally got my engine to cool off enough to run a little slower, even on short runs. I've convinced myself that, no, I don't have to be dead at the end of every run. And I shouldn't be when I'm coming off an injury!

My splits today were:

8:04
8:17
8:08
5:29 (8:10 pace, for 0.67 miles)

See, I can slow down! Who woulda thunk it?!

I have to admit, though, I didn't plan on running that far. I mapped out a 3 mile run and headed out with a game plan, and somehow, I got lost on a 3 mile run! It didn't take me long to get my barrings straight, but it turned out I actually was on the right street at one point, I just thought I had to go further south! I blame it on me losing track of time, and on none of the streets in this town being at right angles to one another! Also, maybe my legs were playing hitting me with some of their trickery; since they couldn't run fast, they at least had to run a little longer.

Last night I headed out to Walmart to pick up some food, and decided to get some tennis balls to help massage out this kink in my glutes. I had been just using my hands, but this works worlds better! Also, as soon as I got back and got out a tennis ball, I remembered something from years ago: I like to juggle. There went all hope of productivity last night! Oh well, I needed the break!


I'm not getting too excited about the run yet, but I am feeling very optimistic again. I've told myself I'm not going to think the phrase "I'm back!" until I can run steady for one week. Maybe that week started today. We'll find out in the next few days!

Conversation with my legs

I woke up today, a day I'm supposed to run, and it was raining! Hallelujah! It was meant to be! I love running in the rain, but it always stops when I put my shoes on. Not today. My rain repellent finally wore off!

Once running, my brain and legs had a little conversation:

Brain: Okay, Legs, today is nice and easy. None of that fast stuff, don't even think about it.
Legs: Roger that, captain!
....
Legs: Not even a little bit? It's raining. You know how you love running in the rain.
Brain: Nope, nice and easy! None of your tricks today!
Legs: Okay okay.. but we're feeling so rested... you remember how good it feels, don't you?
Brain: I have a slight recollection, yes.
*Legs speed up for a few strides*
Brain: Ohhh...... thats the spot.... Ahem! No, no fast running today!
Legs: Are you suuure?
*Legs speed up for a few strides again*
Brain: .... .... .... okay, fine, but just for a little while!
Legs: Yesss!
*Legs speed up again*
....
....
One mile later:
Brain: Alright, thats enough. Lets slow it down a little bit.
Legs: ...
Brain: Hey! You listening?
Legs: I CAN'T HEAR YOU!
Brain: Ease off it!
Legs: ITS RAINING TOO HARD! CAN'T HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING! COME BACK LATER!
Brain: .... *gives up*
Legs: LEGS 2, BRAIN 0!


Well, thats enough personification of my body parts for the year. At least I didn't give them actual names!

I ended up running 2.3 miles, according to my trusty Garmin. Mostly around campus, getting weird looks from people huddled under umbrellas up on the way to class. I love those weird looks, and I'm not sure I can really explain why! Afterwards my hip is still feeling good. The only real discomfort is a bruised feeling the chiropractor told me to expect. Worst case scenario: a spot he didn't get to starts hurting, I take note of where it is, and have him work it out tomorrow! I feel like the road to recovery is coming to an end!

-Doug