2/14/16 to 2/20/16: Keeping an Injury at Bay

My shin is still an issue, but I've been able to keep it at say....80%...and it's not drastically impacting my training.  I would probably be pushing myself a little further on some of my marathon-focused workouts, but perhaps the shin is forcing me to take recovery runs a bit easier and helping me with overall recovery.  It's still frustrating.

Since I've dealt with a very similar injury in the past, I'd like to think I'm doing a better job of avoiding stupid mistakes this time around.  I'm taking no more than 1 ibuprofen, I'm icing throughout the day, and I'm taking calcium+vitD supplements.  I'm also re-introducing more XT and rolling.  Hopefully I'm able to continue to keep this injury at bay and avoid any time off.  We'll see, but in the meantime...

The stuff:

14-Feb		Long Run		2:05:58		16.2		AM:  Very layered up for the long run.  16+ at around 7:47, with 2 quick miles to finish up.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Rest
15-Feb		10 Mile Progression		1:12:18		11.02		AM: 10m progression from 7:10 down to 6:09 averaging 6:26 for the duration.  1m cool down.
		Easy		0:39:11		5.03		PM: 5+ at about 7:45min per.
16-Feb		Easy		0:58:14		7.05		AM: 7+ very slushy & icy commute.  Bad footing meant for a slower run, but that's alright.  Legs could use easier running.
		Easy		1:05:48		8.15		PM: 8+ commute home at around 8 per.  Crazy downpours, and I was going through puddles almost up to my knees.  By the end of the run, there was no rain and it was a calm evening.
17-Feb		Easy		0:54:55		7.1		AM: 7+ at around 7:45/mile.  Right shin and calf felt meh.  Still not quite 100%.
		BU Track		1:51:17		15.8		PM: ~10m total before track.  (1000/400)x4 at 5k/mile pace with 60s rest between reps and 2min rest between sets.  Workout went really well.  Felt challenging at the midway point, but pacing was pretty good.  Finished hard with a 67s final quarter.
18-Feb		Easy		0:55:20		7.1		AM: 7+ commute at 7:50ish per.
		Easy		0:45:05		5.48		PM: 5+ home at a little over 8 per.  Right shin was pretty uncomfortable so I cut the run short.
19-Feb		Easy		0:57:17		7.1		AM: 7+ commute at a little over 8 per.  Shin was not an issue at all.  Good recovery run.
		Easy		0:49:39		6.2		PM: 6+ at a little over 8 per.  Shin felt good again.  Nice and easy.
20-Feb		8m at MP		0:58:58		9.4		AM: 1+ warm up, Fresh Pond (3+ laps) totaling 8+ at about 6:05/mile.  I could've gotten to 10 pretty easily, but I was in a good spot and didn't want to push the shin.
		Easy		0:00:00		0		PM: Did a little bit of rolling.

Splits:

1000-3:16.77

400-1:11.88

1000-3:17.54

400-1:11.75

1000-3:15.78

400-1:10.39

1000-3:14.92

400-1:07.77

Total: 105.63

BU Valentine 1-Mile Race Report

Nothing like putting in a seed time of 4:47 and being in heat 25 out of 26.  There certainly were a lot of fast runners in Boston this past weekend...

With the first heat of the mile at the BU Valentine Invitational scheduled to go off at 3:35, I had plenty of time in the day to recover.  Yes, recover...not from any particular workout, but to recover from taco night.  Because the only thing better than tacos, is tacos + homemade margaritas.  Am I an idiot or what?  Good work with the self sabotage the night before a race.

Anyways, I wasn't feeling that bad, but I was certainly sluggish throughout the morning.  When I arrived, BU was packed and I had a limited warm up, limited drills, limited everything.  And so I walked to the starting line with very limited pop in my legs and a slight fog remaining in my head.

The race started quickly.  I got to the line without much of an announcement, and the gun went off.  My hope was that the race would start out at a too-quick of a pace, and I could be mid pack.  Instead, only one runner took it out hard, and unfortunately, I was in lane two for the first two laps.

Heading into the third lap I found a spot on the rail.  As the lead runner who took it out too hard was fading badly, I was stuck on the rail boxed in at a dawdling pace.  As we came through 1k, I could feel the pace slowing even more, so I made my way into lane two once again.  After seeing one runner give a slight push to another runner (for seemingly no reason), I accelerated with elbows ready and made my way to the front.

Shaun Dever, my friendly rival from the Turkey Day 5k, was the announcer on Flotrack, and as I pushed the pace from ~1100 to ~1400, he did a fantastic job of announcing my presence:

"And coming there on the outside is PATRICK BUGBEE, wearing hip number 13.  We didn't see him on the start list there.  Patrick Bugbee of the Cambridge Sports Union.  Bugbee now going to take control of this race.  3:34 through three quarters.  Bugbee in the black kit, the purple shoes.  A staple at the Saturday morning Fresh Pond races here in Boston..."

On the bell lap, I was passed by four runners who made an immediate hard push, and I dropped back to 5th place.  And I was hurting..."we'll see if Bugbee can answer."  I could, sort of.  I did a good job of regrouping and fighting for 3rd place in a time of 4:44.28.

The time meant I successfully hit my 'B' goal.  After setting a recent PR of 4:48+ on January 2nd, I came back a month and a half later to take 4 seconds off.  I'm certainly happy with that.  I'm also glad to know that all the time in lane two means that in the right race, I can do even better.  However, that is going to have to wait as this was the last mile race on my calendar.  From here on out, my primary focus will be on marathon training.

http://www.lancertiming.com/results/winter16/buvalentinem.htm

2/7/16 to 2/13/16: Cautious Mileage & a New Mile PR

Another solid week of running, though I'm in a bit of a holding pattern regarding a second or third weekly workout.  My stupid shins are showing signs of becoming an issue, and instead of continuing to do workouts, like I have in the past, I'm very cautiously continuing to run.  

On Saturday, I was entered to run the mile at the BU Valentine Invitational...I'll do a separate race report for that.

Here's the stuff:

7-Feb		Long Run		2:28:54		19.1		AM: 19+ at around 7:50.  Was in the mid to low 7s by the end.  Right shin held up for the run, but I felt like I was running on egg shells the whole time.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Another full session on the foam roller.
8-Feb		Easy		0:56:12		7.2		AM: 7+ commute at just under 8per, right shin OK, but not great.
		Easy		1:30:00		10.15		PM: 10.15 at something in the 8s or 9s.  Snow storm, slippery, stopped at TJs.  Shin was tender, but not as worrisome.
9-Feb		Easy		0:58:24		7.2		AM: 7+ commute at around 8/per.  Watch a bit off I think, but slippery out there.  Shins felt absolutely fine.  Not sure about a workout tonight though.
		Moderate		0:56:45		7.23		PM: 7+ commute home with 2 moderate miles, 2 up/down Appleton repeats, and a few strides.  Shin was fine, but I don't want to push it with a full blown workout.
10-Feb		Easy		0:56:59		7.2		AM: Another somewhat slippery commute. 7+ at around 8 per.
		Easy		1:04:51		8.15		PM: 8+ at just under 8min per commute home.
11-Feb		Easy		0:56:02		7.2		AM: 7+ commute at 7:50per.  Felt tired.
		BU Track		1:52:00		14.09		PM: 800x3/600.  800s pacing Amory at about 5min pace.  600 was my goal mile pace.  I went out a bit quick, but settled in and hit 1:44.8.  Exactly where I wanted to be.  After the three 800s it was tough, but a good primer for Saturday.  Did some strides and a 200 to finish up.
12-Feb		Easy		0:41:52		5.15		AM: Easy run into work in some frigid temps.  5+ at 8+.
		Easy		0:34:28		5.03		PM: Commute home 5+ at whatever.
13-Feb		Easy		0:00:00		0		AM: Recovering from taco night & homemade margaritas.
		Valentine Invitational		0:15:00		2.5		PM: BU Valentine Invitational.  4:44 for the mile.  Happy with the result, and I think I left some time on the track.

Thursday Splits:

800-2:31.5

800-2:30.4

800-2:29.6

600-1:44.8

100-13.9

100-13.7

200-30.2

Total: 100.20

1/31/16 to 2/6/16: More Mileage & Great Quality

This week's long run was fantastic.  I did a few miles prior to the full group going out and once we hit the roads, we made our way towards Weston and ran on some great rolling hills.  I was content hanging back and chatting up whoever.  The group long runs are always an amazing way to make 2+ hours go by in a blink.

Around the 10 mile mark, I found myself listening to other conversations and I had made my way to the front of the group.  I was listening to Kevin ask Jon about his 10k PR, and when Jon mentioned his time, Terry said something along the lines of "that was at ____ race, right?"  And of course it was.  They bantered back and forth talking about the hill on this course, or the wind on another course on a specific day.  Jon mentioned that on the day he set his PR of just under 31 minutes, that he came in 31st place (or somewhere thereabouts).  31flat earned 3rd overall at the USATF Grand Prix 10k this year...back then though, you'd be in the 30s.  Still, listening to them go back and forth got me fired up.

I had inadvertantly picked up the pace a little bit, and once Terry, Kevin, Neil, and myself broke off to run a bit longer the pace stayed quicker.  I was feeling perfectly comfortable until we started to head up Chestnut Street, and then we decided to hammer up this never-ending hill.  I was certainly gassed, but once the road leveled out I was able to recover well and we continued back towards Neil's for the CSU post-run fun.  Those last 10 miles were run at about a 6:55/mile clip.

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UPDATE!

I completely forgot about another fantastic aspect of long runs, and, this run in particular.  As we were turning out of a loop in Weston, Kevin and I were having a conversation...about what, I couldn't tell you.  BUT, it was a very random conversation.  I felt like I had been rambling and came up with the topic out of nowhere with no real reason for bringing it up.  And I paused to think about the point of my story, but there was none.  No point, no punch line, nothing.

However, the abruptness of my ramblings brought up another topic - the fun and beauty of the nonsense-topic that comes about in the middle of a long run.  As we're musing on the subject, Jon blurts out, "homemade mayonnaise!"  He had been listening to our conversation and tried to come up with the most random subject he could think of.  We both looked at him, and guess what happened - we talked about homemade mayonnaise! In fact, we thoroughly discussed the topic! 

I'll tell ya, if you really want to explore the inner weirdness of someone, go on a long run with them.

Numbers!

31-Jan		Long Run		2:27:26		20		AM: 20 miler at the CSU long run.  Averaged 6:55/mile for the final 10 miles, with the last mile at 6:28.  These unplanned quicker long runs are great.
		Off		0:32:54		4.14		PM: Easy shakeout + stopped at TJs.
1-Feb		Easy		0:54:14		7.05		AM: Commute at 7:42/mile.  Not bad.
		Track		1:34:57		12		PM: 6+ over to Harvard then (400x4)x2.  Was supposed to cut down, but my pacing was way off.  Had to start outside due to an angry Harvard employee and the cold and wind made things haywire from the start.  12+ tot.
2-Feb		Easy		0:56:14		7.05		AM:  Easy run into work at 8/mile.  Shins tender, but didn't get worse.  No ibu.
		Easy		1:03:59		8.02		PM: Easy run again, shins are still tender, let's see how they feel tomorrow.
3-Feb		Easy		0:56:00		7.05		AM: 7+ easy. No ibu, shins weren't an issue, but I can feel points of tenderness.
		Easy		0:54:53		6.2		PM: Took an ibu at 1pm, and
4-Feb		Easy		0:57:16		7.15		AM: 7+ easy. No ibu, shins are worrisome…
		BU Track		1:57:16		15.3		PM: Took one ibu at 4pm.  6+home ok, ~4 to the track good, workout great.  600/800/1000/1200/(400/200)x3.  4min rest after the 1200, one minute rest in between all 4's and 2's.  ~5k pace for the longer stuff, mile pace for rest.  Felt fantastic.
5-Feb		Easy		0:43:05		5.2		AM: Snow/slush commute.  Took it easy.  I think the legs are good, but I do have some minor tendinitis.
		Easy		0:47:16		5.4		PM: 5+ at just under 9min per.  Trailblazing on the Charles.
6-Feb		Easy		0:43:57		5.51		AM: Very easy around Fresh Pond.  No ibu, right shin was a little tender at times.  Prior to the run, I thought it was fine - it is not quite there yet.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Full session on the foam roller.

Monday Splits:

400-1:17.96

400-1:12.78

400-1:13.19

400-1:10.06

200-36.96

400-1:13.31

400-1:15.83

400-1:10.45

400-1:11.34

Thursday Splits:

600-1:58.45

800-2:37.51

1000-3:20.22

1200-4:09.4

400-1:09.4

200-36.2

400-1:09.61

200-34.58

400-1:08.58

200-30.12

Total: 110

1/24/16 to 1/30/16: Big Mileage and GBTC Invitational Race Report

On Sunday, I made my way over to the Harvard indoor track for the GBTC Invitational for yet another 3k & mile double.  I ran there from home, and met up with Jon and Amory where we continued to warm up along the outskirts of the Harvard facilities.  Amory was the first to race and she ran her 3k (ahem...2 miler) in a very solid 10:21 to take 3rd place in the women's open section.  A strange race for her since the timers miscounted the laps, but a good result nonetheless for her debut 3k (2 mile).

Shortly after that, I made my way onto the infield to start doing drills and strides.  I lined up next to Joe Rand and another gentleman from SISU, and once the gun went off, I stuck to what seems to be my normal race strategy of going to the back of the back.  Stephen, Jon, and Amory were on the turn yelling out splits for me, which I always find helpful and I think I was clipping off steady splits of roughly 39s.  With 1000 to go, I started to push the pace just a bit, and I was able to pass a group of runners.  Two guys from that group re-passed me with maybe 600 to go, and I kept them within shouting distance as the race progressed.  My final 200, I caught back up to those two guys and re-passed them with probably a 34s final lap.  It wasn't an all out kick until maybe 50 meters left.  I felt it was a solid race, and I was ~2s faster than the 3k at BU.

I ran 4+ miles in between the 3k and the mile to stay loose, and add some mileage for the day.  On the start I felt ok, but not great.  Oddly, I wasn't as tired as I was at BU, but I also felt like I had much less bounce in my stride.  And this time around, I feel like my race strategy was stupid.  I seeded myself at 4:50, and by going to the back of the pack I ended up starting out too slow.  I'm in good enough shape to run a solid PR at the mile, and this strategy won't pay off unless I seed myself into a faster heat or go out at the front in a race like this.  Long story short, 4:52 and a meh result.

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For the week, training was really packed in there.  A GBTC double, a medium long run, hill repeats, and a track workout that was part of a BIG volume day all added up to my highest weekly total yet.

The numbers:

24-Jan		GBTC Invite		2:00:00		15.32		3k/mile double.  9:34 and 4:52.  Not bad.
		Off		0:00:00		0		A good deal of stretching.
25-Jan		Easy		0:55:49		7.05		AM: Commute at 7:55/mile.  Slippery.
		Moderate		1:40:32		13.1		PM: Ran longer tonight.  Averaged 7:40/mile, but it was a good effort with the slippery sidewalks.  Tried to be careful and ended up biffing it hard at the very end of the run.
26-Jan		Easy		1:03:47		8.02		AM: 8+ at around 7:55/mile.  Felt totally lethargic about 3 miles in, and took a tiny tiny bit of GU and was OK.
		Workout		1:19:00		10.42		PM: Commute home w/5m at ~6:35/mile.  Followed that up with 10 hill repeats on Appleton with Tom and Eli.
27-Jan		Easy		0:54:56		7.05		AM: Commute at 7:45/mile.
		Easy		1:00:53		7.64		AM: Commute home, then over to Trader Joe's to pick up stuff for homemade pizza.  7+ at 8per.
28-Jan		Easy		0:54:00		7.05		AM: Commute to work at 7:40/mile
		BU Track		2:19:23		19.74		PM: Commute home and to BU ~10m.  Workout - 800, 600, 800, 1200, 800, 600, 200x3. 1200 @ >5K, 800 @ 5K, 600@<5K, 200@ ~Mile pace. Easy 200m jog rest, 400 after the 1200.  Ran home from the track ~3.5.  Just under 27tot for the day!?!
29-Jan		Easy		0:55:48		7.05		AM: 7+ commute at 7:55/mile.  Good lord, I am tired…and hungry.
		Easy		0:38:42		5.02		PM: 6.2 at whatever
30-Jan		Workout		0:31:35		4.03		AM: Easy run with Eli and Raleigh.
		Easy		0:00:00		0		Off. Dinner with the Delaney's.

Thursday Splits:

800-2:39.64

600-1:53.09

800-2:39.95

1200-4:09.33

800-2:39.16

600-1:53.84

200-33.89

200-35.96

200-30.70 (NOTE: This was the easiest a 30.x 200 has ever felt.)

Total: 111.49