Went out early on Saturday and after finishing some running around and checking out some potential future routes, I ended up where I always go. I just wanted to test out the legs as I have been having intemittent pain in both knees. I wore my worn out Asics and went down to Forbidden Drive. I wanted to do 30 minutes 15 out and back. I figure it would be close to 3 miles. I toed the line at the 1.5 mile marker which I understand has no relevance because the people who put the markers down did not really do so with much accuracy. I ran west to the INN and I felt incredibly good. I stopped and regrouped and then headed back. I wanted to go slower on the way back and was having a more difficult time but I ended up going faster and had to run up the hill at the end to get the 15 minutes in. In all it was a really encouraging run. The legs felt good throughout. I made sure to be conscious of every step trying to midfoot it the whole way. Yeah. On sunday I was playing football with my kids and the knee tweeked when I made a throw. Just making me aware of it's prescence.

Injury Update

this has been my year of injuries. It started off so well with two 50ks, one in march and one in April but I have been injured pretty much since then. After the physical therapy lots of advil I am still injured but it appears as though I might be coming round the bend. I haven't been running with any regularity dribs and drabs here and there. I want to do a long "race" at the end of December and I saw that the HAT run sign up is on and then there is the Foxcatcher again. While I didn't have a stellar race at either one last year the race directors of each are totally cool and professional and just excellent folk.

Right now as I sit writing this I am feeling my pretty stiff left ankle and my wonky right knee. I haven't run in over a week other than doing two laps of the baseball field barefoot on Sunday and a little romp on the way home last night in my Teva's. when I got up this morning I was halfway down the stairs before I realized that I wasn't in pain for the first time in months. so I think i am on the mend. I am planning on starting training this weekend for the December run which may be an unsupported 20-40 miler depending on how many loops I want to do. The TrailDawgs have the longest day challenge which is a 100k along the Mason Dixon line. I wanted to do a Shortest day challenge which would be the 4 corners loops in the Wissahickon seeing how many you could do while the sun was shining the weekend before Christmas. I have to see if any of the Wanderers want to join me. \]\

So that is the injury update. the ankle is feeling better the knee is still a little wonky but if I brace it it is ok and I am fat but other than that I am ready to start running anew.

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Bit of twinging in the knee again today and I don't know why. I haven't pushed it. I have to take the day off anyway b/c i am giving blood today. I like giving blood it makes me feel good. Reading that Chris McDougall book born to run again. Good writing. He took me down a couple of paths that left me no where but that's a bit like trail running. Walked to the train barefoot today. I am loving these cool mornings. Forgot to bring the paperwork for the clinical trials yet again. I dont thinkmy heart is in this.

What a difference a week makes. I am not in so much pain. A twinge every now and then. I went for a short run on Sunday. Went out to just walk and got on the trails and took off at a very slow pace. I made sure to stop periodically and when I was finished running even though I was at the furthest point from the car I finished running and just walked it in. I also ran in my Teva's which was interesting. I wanted to try something that approximated barefooting and I had the Teva's and they worked well on the rocky trails.