Last week, I was at 15.6 miles for the week, which doesn't sound like a lot. But, since the IT band flared up, this is the most I have run in one week. This past week, I was able to stay up in Philly with a good friend, and I got to travel the streets of South Philly for a few miles on Monday and Tuesday evenings. Running from Passyunk down Broad to the stadiums and back up. It was the first time running in South Philly, and it was an interesting view of that part of the city.

Last night was the first disgusting run of the year. IT was 83 F and humid when I went out at 6:30. I only did 4 miles, at 7:10 pace, but it felt like I did twice as much. It's the heat, and the humidity, damn it. I can't stand summer for running, and it's not even that hot yet.

Supposedly, I have a video gait analysis scheduled for this coming Wednesday. We'll have to see if I have really improved my form as much as I think I have, or if I have over corrected and am now doing something equally as awful.

So F'ing Foggy

This morning, my run was spent breathing the thick air on the streets of B'more. It was so foggy, I couldn't see the skyline from my bedroom window. It was a cool 65 F. I did a total of 3 miles, down to the Science Center and back. I stopped to take a photo of the USS Constellation and World Trade Center in the fog.

I am slowly getting my legs back under me. Foam rolling before and after the run is proving to be key. I am at about 12 miles per week, increasing by 10% each week.

Two days in a row for the first time...

Yesterday marked the first time I had run two days in a row after the IT band issues came to a head in late January. I put in 2.5 miles on Monday at 7:21 pace, and then I did 4.1 miles last night at 7:00 pace. I felt good after both runs, although I was approaching the end of my endurance limits after the 4-miler. I could feel my form slipping a bit and my stomach was starting to burn. Last night was also the first run in 80+ degree weather. The first part in the city was warm, and I had to dodge crowds around Camden Yards... someone forgot the Tigers were in town. After going through Fed Hill, and getting to the harbor, it was much cooler. Although the last half mile was dead into a stiff headwind. That really tired me out. The Duclaw Sweet Baby Jesus after my run never tasted so good.

I just have to resist the urge to push past the 10% increase per week. It's going to be tough, but I don't want to end up back at square one with another injury.

Progress is being made

I have been given the go ahead to start increasing my mileage by the standard 10% per week. I am still keeping myself to every other day running to allow things to heal. I am thinking that the key to managing this will be foam rolling both before and after a run.

This past weekend, I managed to get a nice 4.5-miler in at Heinz Wildlife Refuge up in Philly on Saturday. A really flat, gravel trail around the wetlands. It was great, because of my running partners that day, E and D. D is actually a German Shorthaired Pointer, who really seemed to be rather lackadaisical about the 8:23 pace we set. I could tell he was capable of more. Sunday, we got up to watch the elites at the 8-mile marker in the Broad Street Run. They were cruising at about 4:45 pace. It was educational to watch their forms as they went by. I would love to have that springy, shock-absorber look to my stride. After some coffee and a pastry, we watched the sweaty masses roll by somewhere between 8:30 and 11:00 paces. Still fun to watch that many people... most of whom were having fun, too.

Last night's run was a 2.7-miler at what I felt was 5k pace. That turned out to be about 6:30 in the shape I'm in. Not, too bad. I tried to meet up with the RG3 Tuesday pizza and beer run, but missed them at the finish. I checked out our usual places, but it appears that they may have gone home after the run rather than partaking of food and booze. Too bad. Maybe next week.