Hamstrung

Running has been compromised this week due to the ongoing saga around the hamstring I pulled last Wednesday.  I can still feel it complaining whenever I’m not running, but it comes and goes when training, usually in response to a quicker pace.  Just refer back a couple entries (So long sixties ) and you should be able to surmise from the picture that I wasn’t joyous after re-straining it during Sunday’s ten miler.

Had I been training for the half or full marathon it would be a no-brainer to sit out a few days.  But concern over endurance wins out as I figure rest days are ahead and I can mend after I’ve done everything possible to go the distance.  This plan wasn’t looking good after the four miles on Tuesday --- the hamstring bothered me terribly and I felt crappy in spite of such a brief run.  Once again, however, I feel speed and temperature are the culprits which did me in.

Because the run is so short I took off after work, and naturally started strong since you feel like you have to approach these short jaunts at a brisker pace.  So I aggravated it right away and running in the afternoon heat proved to be a one-two combination which left me reeling.  Still, I was determined to stick it out and try Wednesday’s ten miler, telling myself I would sit out Thursday if things got worse.

Fortunately, the ten miles went very well.  I got off at 5:30AM in the slow lane, with cooler temps and a slower pace effectively counter-punching yesterday’s woes.  In fact, the run went quite well and as much as I am attempting to disregard my times, I paced 9:45 miles versus 11:00 for Sunday’s ten…and felt strong when I got back home.

I usually venture quite a ways from home for ten milers, but wanted to stick to the neighborhood in case the hamstring forced me to call it quits.  Trying to kill ten miles in the ‘hood led to the latest toe painting effort:

“Monkey with a Crossbow” --- Toe Painting, by Vance

Hopefully you notice the tail, which rendered it a monkey rather than a man, and I really like the quiver he has for his arrows.  I’ve not received a single comment regarding my Toe Painting yet, so perhaps it won’t be the new rage…but I am amusing myself!  J

Thursday’s eight miler went equally well.  Off to the races at 5:30AM and maintained a slow and steady pace to dispatch the latest eight.  Hamstring was stiff at the onset, but felt okay shortly thereafter and is certainly no worse…perhaps feeling a bit better so I certainly won’t curse the decision to keep on truckin’…