The following workouts are for May 25, 27 and 28
Thursday's 4.92 Mile Bike Ride to Track
Thursday's 2.15 Mile LEVEL 4 Workout at Track
Thursday's 4.94 Mile Bike Ride Home
Saturday's 2.04 Mile Walk with Concord Group
Saturday's 0.53 Mile Walk in Ayer
Saturday's 0.96 Mile LEVEL 1 Workout at Track
Sunday's 1 Mile Warmup Walk at Track
Sunday's 0.95 LEVEL 1 Workout at Track
Sunday's 1 Mile Cooldown Walk at Track
Some pictures taken on these days
After rereading the comments at the bottom of the following chart, I am beginning to think I've returned to running at too strenuous a LEVEL.
I'd forgotten it is important NOT to run at a particular level if pain at that level exceeds 2/10
Well, it was almost imperceptible -- the improvement. I experimented again with a 1 mile run, again splitting it up into 4 parts - each with a 1/4 mile walk between. The pain rose to a "manageable" level 6 without any "stabbing" pains. The pace improved on its own with each 1/4 segment. Today's first quarter clocked at a 12:44 ave pace. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarter were each slightly better than the previous one. It appears, at least for now that I am able to safely run with the pain at a 12:09 ave mile pace -- which actually feels like a good thing -- meaning it will possibly work itself out over the long haul. It hurts, but being able to get the run(s) in for 4-5 days a week may translate into increased distances and maybe even a slightly improved pace
I rode my bike 5 miles to the track to do the run, then 5 miles back home afterword. 5 + 5 = 10 miles. There was a soccer game going on and Lane 1 had sound-recording equipment in it, so I ran in lane 4. The lap distances were slightly greater than 0.25 miles due to the "wider" lane circles.
Here is a picture of the soccer game at the McCurdy Track as well as an updated picture of my long-awaited Oriental Poppy flower -- still in its "caged" bud phase.
Today's 3.32 mile walk was in Concord. Four of us split off to go on some scenic, sometimes steep, woodland trails where the footing was so uncertain we had to follow each other less closely and -- if we had them -- use walking sticks for support. The route we took began from the Monuments in Concord Center and followed Lexington Road past Louisa May Alcott's House (Where 'Little Women' was penned). We also took Revolutionary Road and visited a fellow runner's [previous] house. These pictures do not capture the sleep and sometimes slippery grades, although in one picture, there is evidence of "micro-burst damage" a year or two ago. Many trees were uprooted in the forest. There had been extensive damage to one particular home I had heard about back then when it happened.
It was 3 1/2 weeks ago when I ran a mile. Today, I felt ready enough to give it another try to see how the left hamstring would hold up. It was an interesting workout -- revealing to me there's been some improvements during the PT exercises -- which still continue.
I drove to the Harvard track and began by walking a mile on it. Pain level was hardly detectable -- maybe at about 2/10. Then, I experimented with four 1/4 mile runs. each followed by a 1/4 mile walk. The following "negative splits" for the runs told me I am able to continue a slow but steady run while hanging in there with some expected pain (level 6/10)
This 1 mile run (paused 4 times with each 440 for walking) had the following split times:
lap 1 = 4:40 ave pace,
lap 2 = 3:42 ave pace,
lap 3 = 2:49 ave pace and
lap 4 = about 2:10 ave pace
The overall average pace was 13:22
This morning I was called into work unexpectedly to fill in for someone "if possible." I agreed and was pleased actually for a few reason$. But immediately after agreeing to come in at 9:30 am, I remembered I was without a car!! I had delivered it last night to a place in Groton for a repair of the air conditioner and a failing right-front wheel bearing. The bike ride (to work) was 8 miles. This ride (and the return trip home at 3:00 pm) were not recorded.
My Garmin (watch) has now been missing for 2 days. None of today's bike rides (or yesterday's) were recorded with my phone's MapMyRun app either.
For the record, here is an approximation of workouts for the last 3 days
Tue, 5/16 - 10 miles biking and 45 minutes of PT in Harvard.
Wed, 5/17 - 10 miles biking after work, then at home PT for 1 hour
Thurs, 5/18 - Biked 22.2 miles to and from Littleton, Groton and Ayer while car was in the shop. Picked it up after work. AC and wheel bearing are fixed. Totally spaced my PT appointment in Harvard at 5:45 pm. Not good! Very busy day. Called to leave message about the oversight. Skipped at home PT exercise tonight to rest.
I took one picture today and several yesterday. This first one is of the large, expanding bud on the oriental Poppy plant (yesterday)
This next picture is of my peony plant. It's cream colored flowers seem to be lasting several days now!
It "came to my attention" that my wooden cage structure was probably an idea which should have been "communicated about" prior to my installation. I got wind of this yesterday from a neighbor and realized I'd probably gone too far with my "flower-protection device" telling no one what I was up to. I treat this poppy flower (to be) as a sort of scientific experiment, while I can see others here where I live see it more as a visual eye sore. So, still, admittedly not wanting to give up my desire to protect this bud from the rabbit (or the squirrel), I decided to "uplift" the cage out of the garden to spray paint the bright pine wood frame a dark shade of gray. I drove it to a nearby unpaved lot next to some woods to do it this morning. I returned to the garden about 15 minutes later to re-insert the legs back into the ground. It remains to be seen how this "remedy" will be seen relative to my attempt to be a bit more compliant here where I live! One added thing I did yesterday was to repaint the American flag -- which someone else had painted earlier on a sheet of slate. It had become quite faded. That looks much better now.
It's 2:23 AM. Yesterday was a busy day at work followed by a 10 mile bike ride and the PT exercises. On my ride (and at home after the ride) I took these pictures. MapMyRun data for the bike ride yesterday is included here:
This morning I used the app MapMyRun to record a walk with the Concord group.
We saw a blue heron (not visible in the center here).
Here is a closer view of the heron
Last year there were 3 flowers, Now there are 5. I took a few pictures before my 10 mile bike ride after a 6.5 hour work day. I seem to have misplaced my Garmin. Hopefully it's in my work locker. I relied on my bike's computer / odometer to do the 10. Following my ride -- which went well leg-pain wise -- I did my first set 6 hamstring PT exercises. That went well. P = 3 to 4 during exercise. Running is still not possible without Pain (P) going up to 8 or 9. Working (at work) seems at this point to be "safely tolerable" with P = 3 to 4 most of the time. I am getting better at not putting too much stress on the left hamstring.
Today I decided to "pick up where I left off" with my blog. It's been years since I took pictures on the run. And this is not to say I will now be running today or tomorrow with my camera! Rather, I "begin" simply to keep my running story "alive," this time walking, or doing whatever is suggested to me in my first physical therapy appointment at 1:15 pm tomorrow. About a month ago I pulled my left hamstring. I was running fairly consistently and well -- even "placing" in my 70+ age group category in a few races late last year and early this year. I think I was running 38 miles a week when it happened. Not during a run, but while at work bending just the wrong way to aggravate an old (2007) injury. It was a serious one back then. That was 16 years ago. I recall it took about 2 years for me to fully recover -- to a point where I could run fast again. Speed and/or racing is not really my priority now. It's simply to get back to some kind of "shape" to be able to enjoy the peace one gets from a good jog (or even a good walk for that matter). This is a good place for me to re-start I think. I will get more of a diagnosis tomorrow on what is going on with my leg. I'd like to make my posting (here) more regular and to include things like Garmin GPS watch maps of my daily workouts. I may add bike ride map data, too. And, since the "nature" of the rebirth of this blog is to capture the nature along the way, I'll try to throw in a snowstorm or two or maybe a crocus in the snow, or a brilliant (orange?) flower this summer. Either way, it is my hope I will one day be running again, without the pain I am now experiencing. It may take months but I'm hopeful. It may seem a bit obsessive to periodically report PAIN (p=#) LEVELS in my recovery as the weeks go by, but it may help me to see the progress. I'm working a part time job now which does have some physical stress, but I've learned which ways not to bend in the last 2 weeks! Possibly the physical therapy exercises with reduce the current P level. It's now at about 4 and sometimes gets up to 6 or 7
So, in this returning first entry for "PT Begins Tomorrow," I will include one picture. It was taken a few days ago.
