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Saturday, April 9, 2011

A Down Week in More Ways Than One

So after getting through last weekends long runs and having a sore left calf, I thought it would be a good time to have a down week (mileage wise). Thinking about the couple of high mileage weeks I had just done, I figured it was about due.
So no run on Monday or Tuesday, just some stretching and some core work etc.
Wednesday would just be an easy run with the group and I wouldn't even run from home. So getting ready on Wednesday I got this thought that maybe I'd run with the Vibrams on tonight. It was nice out, probably warm enough, so what the heck! In the back of my mind a tiny voice was saying "you may want to think this through first". I didn't and off I went. One thing I was thinking about was that forefoot striking was apt to make the calf muscle work harder, and I have a sore calf muscle. Its ok I'll be all right.
So off we went and ran up Owen to the top and I felt great, but coming down the other side, not quite so good. I started to feel my calf a bit, but it wasn't bad. So I backed off and took it slower, eventually settling in at an easy pace with Rick. We took a walk break on Penetanguishene Road before continuing on, by this time everyone else had disappeared. We finihsed on the rail trail and still managed a fairly quick 5:02/km average pace. The Vibrams felt good and other than a rather stiff calf I felt good.
Thursday again I just did stretching, yoga and exercises. I was planning on a little speed play, but thought the better of it, the only smart move of the week!
Friday I felt ok and thought that a run with the group would be ok, so we headed out and I did feel good as we bounded along Eccles and Innisfil St's. But when we turned on to Holgate a slight tightness started in the calf again. By the time we got to the end of Holgate I had to stop and walk as the pain was more acute. Roger saw me walking and turned back to walk with me, I told him to go on, but as he has also been going through some tough runs lately he was ahppy to just keep me company. We walked for a while and tried a short run, but it wasn't feeling good so I kept walking. We had to avoid all the dog crap that Brian's dog had left behind on the sidewalk on Burton. He runs with his dog and his dog is good, but he forgets to look behind him to check on what his dog is doing, sometimes draggin her while she tried to crap.
Anyway, on to the path along the lake we walked to just past the Southshore community centre and I decided to try it again and this time it was ok, tender but ok. We ended up running all the way back with out dificulty.
Still averged only a 6 min/k pace.
I learned two things from this week, 1) no vibrams while I'm hurting or recovering 2) no speed work while doing the same. Hopefully I'll be able to run a nice slow long run on Sunday, we shall see.

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