July 19th, 2010
I had a happy weekend despite the hamstring injury. Since it was a cutback week and Saturday was a scheduled rest day, all I missed was Sunday’s run.
My internet investigation revealed the hamstring owie to be a Grade I strain that, barring any reinjury, ain’t no big thang. Under some wise Adam advisement (thanks, Coach Man!), the week has a few minor changes: a 5k pace workout on Tuesday is now an easy run and Friday’s 8x1ks @ 10k pace will morph into 8x800s, which I’ll cut short if anything feels weird.
Other than that, the homemade compression sleeve and slushy icepack continue to work their magic. I got out this morning for a reaaaally slow 7 (10:17 pace). Last time I went that slow was the first run after Boston and before then? 2008! Lol. But I could feel the hammy’s presence and was reminded further when I rushed across the street to beat a stoplight, so “leisurely” was the word.
It was actually quite an enjoyable run – you don’t heat up half as much in “Feels Like” 86 when you’re going that slow. Clothes still needed wringing out, but it could have been 70 degrees as far as comfort level.
The Running Gods Replied
Just last Monday I beseeched the Running Gods for a sign, any sign, to instill a touch of confidence back into my running. Oddly enough, I got my wish during this injured weekend…
Thanks to this summer being unusually hot and humid, I stopped wearing my heart rate strap a few weeks ago since all it was doing was making me feel inadequate. However, I still check my resting rate a few mornings each week because I like keeping tabs on the trend. The lowest it’s ever been was 45 (and that was a temporary flicker during my big improvement period last year), usually it’s 48 and in the last month or so, 49.
So imagine my shock when I put the strap on this Saturday and saw the numbers do their usual descending dance, only to hit 42. 42?! Huh? This was so unexpectedly weird that I thought my Garmin was flaking out on me. So I turned it off and on…still 42. Ever suspicious, I dug out the old Polar heart rate monitor and…well, will you look at that? 42.
But wait, there’s more.
Sunday, I again put on the strap wondering what I’m going to see and you could have knocked me down with a feather: 44, 43, 42, 41…40 beats per minute! Granted, it didn’t stay there long, but Oh. My. God.
My heart, the primary organ in all this running stuff, is giving me an unbiased indication that something good is happening. Whether it’s from more sleep (average 6.75 hrs/night for July so far and getting better) more rest days, lowered average mileage, or all of the above, I am on track!
Sure, it still remains to be seen as to how or when this will reflect in my paces. But even if they don’t drop in time for a PR in September, I’m cool with that! Because if nothing else, this says I’m getting healthier. I’m not stagnating, I’m not moving backwards. The Girl, she is in motion.
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I love your heart! LOL. Seriously, that is great news. I know you’ve been wanting/needing some good running news recently, and now you have it! Now, continue to get healed up so you can ROCK the Philly Half!
It also occurred to me that the compression sleeves that you’ve been wearing is helping to improve your blood flow, so maybe that’s helping (along with your injury-induced days off, and extra rest)? Still, 42! Wow… my lowest is 55.
I’ve always wondered about checking heart rate first thing in the morning. Do you keep your strap and monitor (and glasses?)by the bed and put them on when you wake up?
I never check first thing in the morning. The times I’ve tried, the act of wetting the strap and then rolling around the bed to put it on, then fumbling for the watch part shoots my HR right up there. I actually do it after my morning coffee when I’ve been sitting at the computer quietly for an hour or two. On these early morning summer running days, though, I check a few hours after the run.
Well heck talk about someone looking for the bright side (some folks could use your attiude).
Your hammy is just a minor set back and I am very confident you will have plenty of time to heal up and rock Philly! Of course the BEST news is that yur ticker is going sooooo strong….take that cancer sticks!
P.S. I also was thinking that for a compression sleeve you could try out those soacs they sell older folks in the first aid area. Cut the foot out of some of those and you might only need one if they are strong enough. I have heard of some runners using them for recovery socks instead of those expensive running ones.
Good tip for people needing compression socks. I must say, my little getup is working a treat! And you can’t beat the cost. :-)
Attitude is an interesting thing, it helps that I’ve been through an extended rough period which makes you look at the big picture less than the immediate surroundings. Knocking on wood for steady forward progress for me, you and everybody!
The HR thing seems to follow a more long term trend than other indicators like interval speeds. So no plateau yet, Flo. The underlying trend is continuing improvement. I like the slow recovery running, too.
“The Girl, she is in motion.”
And Newton’s law states that “A Girl in motion remains in motion.”
heal up!
- rovatti
You’re coming with me, Rovatti! Call us Plateau Busters 2010!
I am going to get the HR monitor for my Forerunner405. I think it will be a good tool to see exactly where I am at while training for Philly.
Great idea! Just be sure not to use those silly heart rate Max calculators (ie 220-whatever) because they don’t work at all!! You’ll have to do a heart rate max test so you know how to base the numbers, running a 5K is a great way to see, otherwise there are different approaches to finding it.
I’d say it’s “all of the above”, especially the extra zeds. Hope the hamstring does the right thing and you don’t have to cut any sessions short.
By the way, I have a much superior “reaaaally slow” pace. We’re often jogging at 6:30 to 6:50 ks (10:30 to 11:00 miles), so there!