12/29 - PM 45 minutes

Longfellow loop. Looking forward to this all day despite abysmal wind chill conditions. Left hip once again more of an issue than the right one, in that it was getting fatigued after the half hour mark and wasn't going to last much longer.

12/28 - PM 47 minutes

to and from 10 Spencer via the most direct route possible. Taking a risk extending the length of the run but I figured a break in the middle would mitigate any muscle fatigue in either hip. Black ice in places made for tricky footing, this ended up being the only real concern as everything held together otherwise.

12/23-27 25-35 minutes a day

Back in the great outdoors, treadmill already starting to get stale after four short runs. Unable to stick to the EOD protocol, but it appears I'm not suffering for it. Pace very easy on the whole. Left hip the sore one now after the release of the SI joint on the 22nd. I'm not surprised by this at all, it's moving differently now than it has for months if not years. Stretching continues.

12/16-22 20-25 minutes every other day

all on the treadmill. Dusted off the orthotics for the first time in four years thinking they might help attenuate the soreness where the gracilis attaches near the knee. The 22nd was also marked by a visit to PT who found my left SI joint locked up. Released it and it felt different right away. No idea how long it had been stuck, probably since the injury in March but possibly for a lot longer.

11/24-12/15 off

x-rays negative, although there was an area of the hip joint that looked like it might be the beginnings of something arthritic

MRI negative for torn labrum

more stretching and PT

Mon 11/23 - PM 50 minutes

Levittown. Right leg felt quite good all day at work, gracilis attachment near the knee hasn't bothered me at all since Friday so I had irrationally high hopes for this run. The tightness in both hip flexors that I felt running over the weekend no longer a factor which really got my hopes up. Reality set in after 15 minutes or so with stubborn soreness in hip flexor/adductor area. Locus of discomfort moved around a bit, until the last 15 minutes when the TFL and vastus lateralis were dragged into it. Finished in a foul mood went straight into doing compressions with the massage stick and stretching.

Sun 11/22 - AM 70 minutes easy

Area 51. Gracilis attachment that was quite sore and tender Friday surprisingly pain-free on waking up this morning, I'll chalk it up to stretching. Instead the hip flexors on both sides picked up where they left off yesterday, stiff and sore. Never really loosened up either, stride got shorter and shorter as the pace tailed off. Left with some adhesions in the upper sartorius area after the run. Could be worse could be better. Still light years away from being able to run fast without aggravating things.

Sat 11/21 - PM 55 minutes easy

Area 51. Leg recovered somewhat from where it was yesterday, although the gracilis attachment was sore at the start. Hip flexor on both sides were sore by the end of the run.

Fri 11/20 - off

gracilis attachment inflamed and sore all day, more so than it has been all week. Paying for that 10 minutes of faster running yesterday. Not back by a long shot, alas.

Thu 11/19 - PM 50 minutes

Longfellow loop. General soreness in both legs has diminished somewhat. Leg felt pretty good during the day at work. Did myself no favors by picking up the pace from 30-40 minutes. Felt awkward, TFL twinging, adductors started to feel sore as well. Despite the positive signs the right leg still not right, I harbor no illusions that it is, but I have found it encouraging that the iliacus hasn't been bothering me since starting back up with attempted comeback #4. Still wouldn't surprise me in the least if I were back to walking soon.

Wed 11/18 - 50 minutes easy

Coolidge to the river and back. Bit off more than I could chew in terms of a route, run went a little longer than planned. Kept it as flat as possible of course. Once again, everything held together well enough until the 45 minute mark when the right hip clearly had had enough. Not nearly as much of a pace change as yesterday though, both legs too sore for that. This general soreness is definitely from resuming running and wearing the funny shoes at work though. I can live with that kind of soreness as it's temporary.

Tue 11/17 - PM 50 minutes easy

Lake Waban via Brook Path, back on 135 and Washington St. Woke up to a sore and inflamed gracilis attachment which was certainly discouraging, but surprisingly little else. Still the sore point was acute enough to have me wondering if I was back to taking long walks. If I had more common sense I probably would have taken the day off but after a day of walking around on it my sense was it wouldn't blow up on me. As it was, most of the run felt pretty good, I was even able to pick up the pace a bit from 30 to 45 minutes. Felt some muscle groups in the hip and thigh start to check out at that point, jogged it in. Flat route was key, smooth pavement desirable over anything uneven. Legs generally sore and borderline wobbly, as much from the earth shoes I'm wearing during the day now as the recent resumption of running.

Mon 11/16 - PM 35 minutes easy

Levittown. Felt a bit better than yesterday, likely attributable to picking a flat route. More stretching and medial quad compressions afterwards, felt pretty good after doing all that.

Sun 11/15 - PM 30 minutes

Seemingly a spur of the moment thing, although the idea of getting back on the horse had been drumming around the subconscious for a few days now. Pace very easy of course w/minimal knee lift and extension. Felt okay not great while flat, downhills still quite problematic though. Sore spot afterwards in the medial quad high up, responded fairly well to compressions. Vigorous stretching continues, using the rope makes a big difference.

10/23 to 11/14 - off

Reality finally asserted itself. Three massages along with lots of stretching having some effect on the entrenched knot in my thigh. The hip inflammation is related to some extent but may be its own problem to a greater degree than I had thought. Iliacus a particularly sore spot for a long time, finally simmering down though. The daily ration of ginger helps. Plenty of ambling walks in the woods to keep myself occupied. Better than the June layoff when it was so dismal I stayed inside nearly the entire month.

10/22 - PM 30 minutes easy

Felt surprisingly good the first five minutes then more of the same vis a vis the hip and adductor. It's a mess, needless to say. Last of the warm days, possibly for the year.

Wed 10/21 - PM 45 minutes

Area 51. Similar to yesterday, although a little less hurt I suppose. More similar to yesterday than I would like though. Sufficiently motivated by the aggravated soreness to revisit my dog-eared copy of "Beating Muscle Injuries for Runners." In need of a refresher on stress points and the protocol for how to deal with them. I've been merely pressing and rubbing on whatever spot feels bad for too long. Another nice day to be outside, qualifying as unseasonably warm.

Tue 10/20 - PM 45 minutes

Walden woods. The scenic surroundings couldn't make up for the obnoxious level of soreness in the right hip. A real bummer as a result. The crazy mountain goat course on Sunday appears to have left more of a mark than I had originally thought. Locus of pain more on the hip flexor/iliac attachment end of things, although the adductor is still not right of course. Finished up feeling thoroughly in the dumps, being hurt sucks.

Mon 10/19 - 50 minutes easy

Area 51. Expecting to feel like hell after the craziness of yesterday's course, got about a five minute grace period at the start of the run and then reality set in. Although everything besides the chronically inflamed and sore adductor/flexor region was actually surprisingly ache-free. However, the stiffness in the right hip made anything faster than a putter impossible and things got dreary quite quickly. Did a fair amount of compressions and direct pressure afterward, felt better after that but that's been the case in the past as well with no real improvement seen in the long term. The weekend's nasty weather cleared out entirely, temps seasonable for a change.

Sun 10/18 - AM 80 minutes incl. 4m trail race

Another in the "picking the scab" racing tour. Also the third and final race of my personal series of Gloucester events. This one stood out for having the most difficult and generally insane course of any event I've ever done. I should have known better as the course description mentioned stretches of technical single track. Most of the course certainly fit that bill. I thought it would be like having a race on trails similar to Great Hill but these trails are far twistier and rockier than GH's. After doing the last 3 miles or so as a warmup I downgraded my goals from trying to win to trying not to break an ankle. Terrain and footing I wouldn't even run on under normal conditions, much less race. Unending rollercoaster of ups and downs, the billygoat trails seemed to have the steepest sharpest of these. Multiple boardwalk crossings in the first mile as well, which were dangerously slippery with the rain that was falling all morning. I was forced to slow down to a jog because I didn't want to fall off, which was a genuine possibility. Inability to handle the steep rocky descents had me in second place the first half of the race and feeling like I was falling further and further back despite the fact I wasn't breathing that hard. Found myself in the lead after that guy took a wrong turn. Thought he would catch me in short order on the worst descent on the course which came soon after but that didn't happen. Had a moment on that descent where I more or less slid across the top of a rock which doesn't sound bad, except the rock wasn't flat-topped and I had the distinct sense I had dodged a major bullet. Celebrated this by screaming an f-bomb for no one but the guy behind me to hear. Course went steadily uphill most of the way after that and I ended up pulling away. I had no idea of this until the last 400m or so but when I saw that I was in the clear I jogged it in the rest of the way. Certainly the most uninspiring looking finish ever for the dozen or so hardy souls waiting at the line. Snuck in under the 30 minute barrier, time was 2-4 minutes slower than previous winning efforts. Even with decent fitness I can't imagine running this course in 26 minutes due to the "technical" (i.e. batshit crazy) nature of it. Hip held up reasonably well during the race considering the abuse it was getting, as expected it started stiffening up within 3 minutes of finishing. Cooldown was a 25 minute superslow crawl around nearby soccer fields utterly exposed to the gales coming in off the ocean. I could literally walk faster than the speed of this cooldown, but at least I was able to keep going. Unable to do much in the way of stretching directly afterwards, but did do some hands-on work with much more planned for later on.

Sat 10/17 - double, 90 minutes total

AM - 60 minutes easy, Area 51. Easy morning shakeout, pace was quite relaxed the first half of the run. Right hip still bothersome although maybe not so much as the past two days. Not that it matters of course, the whole thing remains a mess. Nor'easter took a break, woke up to mostly sunny skies. Still chilly with an ill wind blowing briskly. Odd to have NE winds and mostly clear conditions at the same time, we're not done with the weather yet.

PM - 30 minutes, Levittown. Mostly frustrating, as the leg was bothersome to some degree throughout. Did two half-assed strides on the way in to see how much more sore it would get, not really that much but the underlying discomfort was a constant unwelcome companion throughout. Got the rolling pin stick out after the run and went to work on the medial aspect of my thigh from hip to knee. That helped somewhat. Overcast rolled back in by mid-afternoon, wind never stopped going all day.

Fri 10/16 - PM 40 minutes

to and from the supermarket. In need of a lighter day after the past few. Hip flexor, TFL have felt better, twinging and distractingly sore through most of the run. Recurrent theme since last Saturday. Continued cold and breezy, but at least the precipitation had stopped by mid-morning. Nor'easter not living up to its billing so far.

Thu 10/15 - PM 85 minutes

Walden woods. An exasperating experience, as the leg was sore pretty much the entire way. Tried working out the kinks ahead of time but it didn't really take. Found a very tender spot afterwards, right near the ilium, which I missed beforehand. Had I gotten to this things might have gone a little better. Plenty of leaves on the trail as well, made things a bit slippery but it was worth it to revisit these trails which I haven't been on lately. Feeling some nostalgia for the lazy hazy days of summer, bugs and humidity notwithstanding, when I could jump in the pond. Grass is always greener of course. Continued cold and blustery conditions, at least 15 degrees cooler than the average for this time of year and things are only going to get worse this weekend according to the forecast.

Wed 10/14 - PM 80 minutes

Area 51. Leg feeling a bit better than yesterday, in all likelihood because I took the time to do some direct pressure on the sorest spot before starting. Still, took over half the run to feel like I could open up the stride at all. Multiple short breaks the first 40 minutes as well. Weather getting to be downright cold, at least for this time of year.

Tue 10/13 - PM 70 minutes

Area 51. Leg feeling somewhat better than yesterday which isn't saying much. Not as inflamed as yesterday thankfully. Adductor would have benefited greatly from some work before the run, instead I was left with an annoying twinge. Got some relief afterwards with plenty of direct pressure and cff work. Weather continues to be unusually cool, rain showers in the morning which were over with by the time I headed out.

Mon 10/12 - AM 85 minutes very easy

round trip to TJ's. Painfully slow, and just plain painful starting out. Right leg stiff and quite inflamed heading out the door, VMO attachment particularly. Paying for the curtailed cooldown yesterday. Took a good 20 minutes for things to loosen up a bit, from there it was just a slog. Gave serious thought to cutting the round trip short but saw it through anyway, I needed the groceries. Sunny and cool morning, needed gloves. Had planned a PM shakeout as well, but thought better of it when the PM actually rolled around.

Sun 10/11 - AM 55 minutes incl. 5k road race

In hindsight, a bit ambitious to follow up yesterday's long run with a road race this morning. Fitful night's sleep al fresco as the chill descended. Breaking camp in the morning meant getting cold dew all over my hands which ended up being a bone-chilling experience. As such felt like death warmed over upon arrival, hands cold all morning. Very low energy levels while running the course as a warmup. Took a while, but felt better by the time the race started. Better enough at least. Course went gradually downhill the first mile, flat second mile, than a short somewhat steep hill just after the 2m mark leading back to the finish. Didn't bother to check the mile split, 2 went by in just over 10:40, there was no 3 mile mark. Surprisingly found myself in the lead at the mile, forced the issue to the extent possible the second mile, spent the rest of the race playing keep-away. The course was probably (hopefully?) a little long, otherwise that last mile was quite pokey. Not too concerned about it however. A low-key race to be sure. Leg a bit stiff warming up, worked on a very tender spot near the ilium between warmup and race which left it feeling much better temporarily. Held together for 2 miles, felt it starting to tighten up after that, and then got very stiff post-race. So stiff I was unable to do more than a 10 minute cooldown and that was an extremely slow hobble. More work on the same tender spot followed. All the downhill pounding on the descents yesterday not the best thing for the right leg. Underlying tiredness from not sleeping enough all week incl. last night came to the fore soon after the cooldown.

Sat 10/10 - AM 125 minutes

Back to the sticks for one last hurrah on the billygoat route in Northfield/Winchester before the flakes fly. Started with the climb up and across the ridge to the E Nfld reservoir, then over to Burt Hill and Schofield Mtn. before the final obligatory ascent to the TV tower. This loop or one very similar to it took me longer back in August, although the cooler temps today have a lot to do with that. No need to cool off in the Ashuelot today. In fact the breaks were kept to a bare minimum. Leg has been worse, still not able to run downill worth a damn. The final descent off Schofield Mtn. was particularly awkward, quads pretty much pulverized by that point.

Fri 10/9 - Pm 65 minutes easy

Dull and uninspired run on a dull and uninspiring route from Coolidge over to the river and back. Tired and dragging ass all afternoon, energy levels too low to muster anything beyond a modest jog. Made the decision early on to cut the length of the run as a result, a no-brainer. Silver lining is that I never went fast enough to put any kind of strain on the adductor so it stayed quiet by and large. Gray and gloomy all day, showers at times although not while I was out there.

Thu 10/8 - PM 80 minutes

Track Road to Area 51. Right leg felt like garbage all day at work, medial/lateral, front/back, you name it. A continuation of some tightness that developed late in yesterday's run apparently. The root of the issue was, as ever, the adductor being stuck. Some work on it before heading out the door helped a bit, but the first half hour was still a teeth-gritting experience and gave rise to all sorts of unpleasant thoughts. A break at the halfway point was much more productive. Released two different adhesions which were annoying to no end. Cool conditions, pleasant enough day.

Wed 10/7 - PM 70 minutes

another 10 Spencer round trip, 40 minutes out via Pratt's Brook and Great Hill, 30 back on rt. 27 with the requisite half hour break. Soreness migrating back up towards the hip flexor today as compared to yesterday. Less stiffness overall though, esp. at the start. Rainy morning, gave way to sunny conditions with big winds pushing the humid air out.

Tue 10/6 - PM 80 minutes

round trip to 10 Spencer again, 50 minutes on the way out (via Levittown and Mt. Hope) and 30 back along the rail bed. Not quite as long a break between legs of the trip but still pretty substantial. Right hip stiff and awkward on most of the trip out, but felt much better on the way back. Hip flexor much less of an issue today, back to the adductor being the problematic spot. Definitely recovering from the insults I heaped on it last Suturday, still light years from being back to normal.

Mon 10/5 - PM 80 minutes

Walden woods. DOMS in full force today, thrown for something of a loop by the fact that the adductor wasn't the locus of soreness, but the hip flexor attachment was instead. Just as bad anyway, made the first 30 minutes of the run a hobbling chore until I did some direct pressure and cff on it. That took care of the worst of it although some stiffness returned near the end as well. Relatively warm day, nice to be outside, although I do miss using the pond. It was empty even of the wetsuit crowd.

Sun 10/4 - double, 1:55 total

AM - 60 minutes easy, Area 51. About what I expected after yesterday, i.e. stiff and sore. Moving a little better by the end though which was comforting. Warmer than yesterday, just as humid.

PM - 55 minutes to and from 10 Spencer. Half hour trip there, then an hour break, then ran back. Right hip flexor appears to have borne the brunt of the aftermath, it's more sore than the adductor. Especially stiff when starting the return leg. Still sticky conditions.

Sat 10/3 - AM 75 minutes incl. 5m in 30:20

Back to Gloucester for the second time in a month for what appeared to be an ill-advised attempt at running another road race. Unlike other events I've entered this fall this one wasn't committed to many months ago, more like one month ago after the Magnolia race. Basically wanted to visit Good Harbor Beach again. Since then the leg has not gotten notably better, in fact it may well be in worse shape in some ways. I was seriously considering staying home, went anyway on the odd chance the leg wouldn't feel terrible in the morning and no one would show up for the race. Leg did hold up well enough, fine during a 30 minute warmup and held together during the race itself although started twinging at about halfway and was never anything resembling comfortable. The big factor today though was the weather, SE gales blowing in off the ocean, with half the race running into a standup wind. Spectacular and ridiculous weather, had it been 10 degrees colder it would have been pure misery but thankfully it wasn't. Didn't bother with the watch, don't know that I would have in good weather as I was strictly focused on place not pace. Spent the entire race in third which was all I could have hoped for. Hip flexor/adductor started tightening up immediately after finishing, but not as severely as it has recently after other races. Cooldown was 15 minutes barefoot on the beach, as the tide came in and waves were being whipped along. Great fun.

Fri 10/2 - PM 65 minutes

Area 51. Leg held up better than yesterday although it took a fair amount of massaging both before setting out and halfway through. Pace varied, overall felt a little forced. Feeling quite tired again by late afternoon, getting home from work in need of a nap. Not a great pattern to be stuck in. Gloomy overcast continues, although five degrees warmer and little wind today which was enough to ditch the long sleeves and pants.

Thu 10/1 - PM 65 minutes

Pratt's Brook to Mt. Hope, back via railbed. Adductor stuck pretty much the whole time, no fun. Loosened up a bit after the requisite massage break at 40 minutes or so, but only some serious post-run compressions on the area gave any real relief. Square zero starting to look better and better, to be honest. Continued overcast and cool, fairly gloomy conditions in fact. Long sleeves and pants again.

Wed 9/30 - PM 85 minutes

Track Road to Area 51 via Sudbury Road. Tired by the time afternoon rolled around, that pattern continues. Adductor inflamed and sore from yesterday, not pleasant for the first 45 minutes. Took a massage break at that point, the rest of the run was better after that. Much cooler and overcast today, first run in long sleeves and pants.

Tue 9/29 - PM 50 minutes

Area 51 to Old Marlboro. Got a very late start thanks to waiting all afternoon while the car was getting fixed. And then getting hit over the head with an enormous bill for it. Ugh. Ended up running in the dark, felt quite smooth at first but an increase in pace brought out some stiffness in the adductor and hip. Did a few strides towards the end, not the best idea in all likelihood. Spent some quality time afterwards putting direct pressure on the highest attachment of the adductor magnus, where it was most knotted up. The beat goes on. Somewhat humid, neither warm nor cold.

Mon 9/28 - PM 90 minutes

Walden woods. Started out feeling pretty good, both with the leg and overall energy levels. As a result, the pace was quicker than it has been at the outset of runs of this length. As things went along though, the difference between a run in Area 51 and running on these trails became readily apparent. Nothing I didn't know before, the footing is more uneven and the terrain more rolling, but it was enough to cause a noticeable wilting just before the hour mark. The footing in particular made it hard on the adductor. Dragging at times the last 30 minutes, but rallied somewhat once I got back on pavement for the final stretch. Need to go easier tomorrow. Mild and sunny all day at work, clouds rolled in by late afternoon though and it was faintly sticky out by the time I got started.

Sun 9/27 - double, 1:45 total

AM - 60 minutes, Area 51. After yesterday, I thought seriously about going back to square zero and taking two (or more) weeks completely off from running. In the end I'm not sure it would definitively resolve the lingering leg issues. Also consulted the trusty self-massage for runners manual and got a better handle on what spots I should be focusing on with direct pressure. Found one of them for sure last night, released a particularly tight and tender spot left over from the attempt to race. The run this morning started slowly and stiffly but within five minutes I was feeling the same as the runs mid-week, only mild soreness. Picked up the pace until becoming too tired to maintain it, which happened around 40 minutes. Finished up feeling almost as good as the end of Wednesday's run. Damp and cool, just missed the rain showers before and after the run.

PM - 45 minutes incl. 8 low key strides on the track. Picked up where the morning run ended, little stiffness at the start of the run. Adductor no more or less inflamed and tight than it has been lately. Strides a bit awkward at first but not as heavy-legged as I was expecting.

Sat 9/26 - AM 35 minutes incl. DNF

Repeat performance at Applefest not to be. I thought I could at least get through the race but the adductor wasn't having any of it. Warmup was carefully timed and planned to work out the inevitable morning kinks, and the leg felt decent enough on the line. However once we started, on the first of many downhill stretches, it was painful and awkward right away. Not much better on flats. The layout of the course forced an early decision on whether to stick it out or not, but it was a no-brainer. Already going backwards through the field, no reason to continue. Adductor inflamed and sore afterwards. Disappointing to say the least as it really did feel like the leg was getting better this week. Feels better when jogging is more like it, running relatively fast is something else entirely. Even if the leg had held up, feeling flat and low on energy. I had figured this might occur having not slept enough during the week leading up to today. All this on top of not being fit would have made for an unhappy time, I'm simply not able to run a long race right now. Long being more than 4 miles or so.

Fri 9/25 - PM 45 minutes

Area 51, shorter version of yesterday's run in most respects. Right thigh feels like it's improved somewhat over the past week, remains to be seen how it holds up tomorrow. Still takes a while to loosen up but once that's happened it feels close to normal. Clear, cool day with NW winds pushing out the humidity of the past few days.

Thu 9/24 - PM 60 minutes

Area 51. Dead tired by the time I got home from work. Took a nap which nearly stretched out too long, still feeling groggy when I started the run. Leg took the usual 30+ minutes to loosen up but eventually didn't feel half bad, better than yesterday certainly. Not going blazing fast but not plodding either. Last day of warmer sticky weather if forecasts are to be believed.

Wed 9/23 - PM 75 minutes plus 24 minutes in Walden

Regrettably, right adductor didn't feel as good as yesterday. Sore/stuck spot in a different specific area today, which I've become fairly accustomed to. The right side felt inflamed and weak as a result. The area still doesn't respond well to even the most modest form of hard training stimulus. I suppose being in the pond at this point in the season has some anti-inflammatory effect. Still overcast and sticky like yesterday, SW wind blowing most of the day.

Tue 9/22 - PM 80 minutes plus 25 minutes in Walden

Noticeably less soreness and inflammation in the right hip and thigh today, in fact the end of the run felt as close to normal as I can remember. Surprising to say the least as I was expecting full-on DOMS from the past two days. Hopefully a sign of progress to come. Pace throughout the run was quicker as a result. Sticky overcast conditions moved in overnight, no longer warm enough to cause undue discomfort but annoying after the recent string of dry days.

Mon 9/21 - PM 90 minutes plus 25 minutes in Walden

Started out with a fairly substantial hitch in my stride thanks to the completely stuck adductor and sore attachment near the goosefoot as well. This got somewhat better after the usual massage break at the top of Pine Hill as I found the main adhesion easily enough, basically right on the pelvis. Fun times. The run was easy throughout, due to both the leg and just from the effort yesterday in general. Warm day, sunny and clear for summer's end.

Sun 9/20 - AM 90 minutes incl. 3.5 mile race

Another race I signed up for months ago, on the home turf to boot. Extremely ambivalent over whether to even put my leg through the wringer again after what happened last Sunday. In the end, unable to let an entry fee go to waste and impossible to resist a race I can walk to. Long warmup in Area 51 to get the adductor as loose as possible. Vastus lateralis getting tighter and tighter though. Worked out the kinks just well enough before the gun went off. The race was an exercise in holding onto second place, ran no faster than I had to in order to accomplish this. Mile splits of 5:16, 5:26, and 5:41 en route to a final time just under 20 minutes. Just a bit off previous efforts on this course. That the third mile being that slow took the same effort as the second and was that much slower than the second a depressing reminder of how unfit I am. That's what nothing but jogging (on a bum wheel) will do of course. Left wondering what the hell happened last Sunday at the Josh Billings race, had I felt like this then it wouldn't have been such a debacle. Post-race I could feel the adductor shriveling into a clenched ball, made the 40 minute cooldown something of a chore and quite slow. Overall though made it through the day in one piece. Nice day to be outside, sunny and a bit breezy.

Sat 9/19 - double, 85 minutes total

AM - 50 minutes easy, Area 51, where it takes about 40 soldiers to rig a telephone pole apparently. Extended shakeout. Sore but not as sore as expected for the relatively early hour. Sunny and cool, gusty breezes.

PM - 35 minutes, Area 51. Got a late start after doing errands all day, very tired by late afternoon. Thought about doing drills and strides but that didn't work out so well last week the evening before the Josh Billings race, so gave it a pass. I did pick it up fairly substantially the last mile or so of the run, FWIW. Pleasant evening to be outside.

Fri 9/18 - PM 85 minutes plus 24 minutes in Walden

Similar run to one earlier in the week, took just about an hour for right leg to loosen up to the degree that I felt like I wasn't hobbling along on it. Still, not as stiff as it was yesterday. Moving relatively well the last 20 minutes. Warm sunny day, gusty west wind, lots of clouds by the time I hit the trail. Pond is getting on the cool side, next week may be the final hurrah for its use.

Thu 9/17 - PM 60 minutes

Area 51. Spent the day at work feeling both incredibly tired and obnoxiously sore from knee to hip; as such I was seriously considering taking the day off. Felt better after a nap and some direct pressure on the goosefoot/VMO area. After much lolligagging finally shoved off at a very slow pace. Mostly stiff and sore for a full 45 minutes, got towards the end and decided to stretch it out a bit regardless, which ended up being five quasi-accelerations and a sustained 8 minute stretch to the end. Feeling the oblique again somewhat and I'm sure everything will be locked up tomorrow but all in all I'll take it. Certainly the last 15 minutes felt much better than the first 15. Gloomy overcast all day gave way to still cool conditions, very nice.

Wed 9/16 - PM 50 minutes easy

Putter through Area 51, right thigh locked up the entire time. Adductor stuck, vastus lateralis twinging, goosefoot sore and swollen. Other than that a great time. Finished off yesterday's run feeling pretty good, in fact both of the past two days, but today was another story. Did a good amount of compressions on the high hammie area after the run, felt somewhat better after that. Gloomy overcast much of the day, some breaks in the clouds while I was out there but alas in no mood to enjoy it.

Tue 9/15 - PM 80 minutes plus 24 minutes in Walden

Went further than I had originally wanted, as usual underestimated how long it would take to cover the route I chose. Hammie continues to be sore from the other day, the inflammation is running its course there. Adductor firmly stuck at the beginning of the run, felt better only after a break to do some direct pressure on the offending spot. Overall much less stiffness towards the end of the run. Warm and sunny again, like yesterday.

Mon 9/14 - PM 85 minutes easy plus 25 minutes in Walden

Pace relaxed throughout, started easy and if anything tailed off after an hour or so. Right leg sore of course, but the soreness settled mostly in the belly of the hammie as opposed to the usual suspect areas. Likely strained from favoring the non-functional adductor yesterday, some swelling in there now as well. It'll take a few days to settle down. Still left wondering how the condition of the leg went downhill so suddenly late last week, i.e. after the off day on Thursday. Maybe a delayed onset thing from the two hard efforts in five days last week. Warm and thankfully dry day after a weekend of the muggies. Pond feels like it's cooling off but still relatively comfortable.

Sun 9/13 - AM 75 minutes incl. 6m "race" in 37:10

Ugly, ugly effort, and not at all representative of whatever modest fitness I have at the moment. Leg stiff and sore from the get-go, flat, tired, the whole thing went poorly right from the start. Painful every single step of the way. Ran the first 2 miles at 5:50 pace, which was embarassing in itself and demoralizing because I knew it wasn't sustainable. Fell off from there, then the hills started in earnest. 3+ miles of get it over with mode stuck in no-man's land. Even within the context of diminished expectations thanks to the neverending leg problems, this was an unpleasant surprise. Based on recent results and the relatively favorable conditions--warm, not as humid as this event last year--I thought a time in the 34-35 minute range was doable. In hindsight it wouldn't have been enough to hold onto the lead anyway. Not much consolation for how crappy I felt from start to finish. Oblique started twinging quite early on, sore the rest of the day. The one semi-positive to come out of this is that the pelvic area didn't tighten up on me afterwards the way it did following the Magnolia race. But that's probably simply due to not being able to run fast enough to incur that kind of damage.

Sat 9/12 - double, 70 minutes total

AM - 45 minutes easy, Area 51. Adductor area feeling better than yesterday, although that's not saying much. Whatever caused the specific adhesions that cut things short, and I'm convinced it was from doing the plank with one leg off the ground, it's been worked out for the most part. Raining for 24 hrs straight, big puddles everywhere.

PM - 25 minutes on Tanglewood grounds incl. drills and strides on the lawn barefoot. I need of a shakeout after the drive out. Less stiffness in the legs and the strides helped in this regard.

Fri 9/11 - PM 60 minutes easy

Dismal exercise in pain tolerance, laid low by unexpected adhesions in the hip flexors and adductors. Caught totally by surprise, kept waiting for it to loosen up and it never did. Had to cut the length of the run short, way short, as a result. Different spot than what's been getting gummed up of late, I think it came as a result of trying to do the plank with one leg lifted off the ground. I hope the cause is as straightforward as that. Much laying of hands on the area afterwards, felt somewhat better but time will tell. Extremely obnoxious. Weather took a turn for the worse in the past 24 hours, cloudy and rainy with ill wind blowing.

Thu 9/10 - off

After the worn-down feeling the past two days felt that I was in need of a break, although in truth I had been eyeing a potential off day around this time for over a week now.

Wed 9/9 - PM 80 minutes easy

Ran in Area 51 for the first time in a couple of months, deer flies having vacated the place. Not much quicker than yesterday's trudge, due as much to continued low energy levels as any DOMS in the right hip. Although the adductor was stiff and awkward, took some direct pressure mid-run to break things up. Definitely some inflammation left over from the other day as well. Downright cool by the time I finished with the sun setting.

Tue 9/8 - PM 90 minutes very easy plus 20 minutes in Walden

Straight recovery today, found myself going slower as the run progressed. More wiped out than I had originally thought from the long weekend's efforts. Makes sense in hindsight though. Some residual soreness and inflammation in the right hip but I was expecting worse. The uphill nature of yesterday's race mitigated the damage of course. Not quite as warm today but vaguely sticky out. The pond seemed rather on the cool side. An overly optimistic swimmer guessed the water temp at 75-78 degrees, a level the pond has likely never seen since it formed. Felt more like 70, doubtful the pond reached its usual late summer temp. thanks to the gloomy June.

Mon 9/7 - AM 70 minutes incl. Mt. Greylock race

Felt like taking a nap both before and after the race, which kind of sums it up. This fact reflected in the rather pokey time (57:40), at least compared to previous attempts at this course. Slept well last night, al fresco wrapped in layers of blankets, but not well enough apparently. That being the case, held my own on the course although some of the steeper stretches nearly put me under. Adductor not as gummed up as it's been the last few mornings but still stiff at the start, took over half the race to loosen up. The flatter sections were more awkward for it than anything else. Happily, the core area didn't tighten up after the race the way it did on Thursday, although this had as much to do with the nature of the course as with any improvement in the area. After days of mostly clear skies the lower thicker clouds rolled in overnight and spent the second half of the race socked in. It certainly takes some of the fun out of the experience of running the auto road, to say nothing of the non-existent view at the top. Perfunctory slow warmup and even slower cooldown at the top.

Sun 9/6 - double, 1:50 total

AM - 80 minutes, Hopkins Forest. In hindsight, too hilly a route. Adductor firmly stuck at the start, hobbled along for the first 15 minutes before stopping to find the adhesion and apply direct pressure to it. Felt better after that, but all the steep downhill stretches in the woods didn't help matters any. Aside from the ongoing quasi-injury, legs feel fried in general from the past few days. I was thinking rail trail this morning but wanted to stay in the shade instead. Oh well. Nice morning, sunny breezy and cool.

PM - 30 minutes, Cole Ave to Poker Flats. Like yesterday an easy shakeout with two differences, route this evening was flatter and I did a set of drills and moderately paced strides afterwards. Adductor doing better this evening but still some soreness left over from the morning. I did the drills to get ready for the race on Thursday, first time I'd done them in months, and it helped then so I thought to try it again today. Again felt better after doing them (barefoot on grass this time) than before, I may do them more frequently still. Faint chill in the air as the sun set, sunny and dry all day.

Sat 9/5 - double, 1:45 total

AM - 75 minutes, Staddle Hill/Burt Hill/Gunn Mtn. Road. I had originally planned a 2+ hour long run this morning, but the combination of a late start and a total lack of motivation to put myself through such an effort made cutting back a no-brainer. Right leg quite stiff to start, got gradually better by the time I reached the top of Burt Hill. The descent was hardly smooth sailing but it went better than I had expected. Right calf still quite tight. Final climb felt good, very controlled in terms of effort. Warm and sunny but dry.

PM - 30 minutes in Williamstown. Knolls-Gale-43. Shakeout, served its purpose to lead in to an extended stretching routine afterwards. Leg felt better than it did in the morning by a little. More humid than in the AM as a cloud bank rolled in. Took a walk around the old alma mater before the run, replacing entire buildings always a surefire way to annihilate nostalgia.

Fri 9/4 - PM 85 minutes very easy plus 25 minutes in Walden

Woke up surprised to feel very little of the usual stiffness and soreness but that was all Vitamin I of course. That wore off eventually, plus the usual tightening that develops from being seated most of the day at work. This made for a superslow start to the run. I had been hopeful for a smoother start but in hindsight the level of stiffness in the hip and thigh was to be expected after last night's effort. In this case the hobbling period lasted a full 45 minutes. Took a brief break to stretch at this point, at a spot that typically takes around 35 minutes to reach when not in active recovery mode. After this much less pain and better range of motion although it's all relative, still puttering along. Right calf, already sore from yesterday, took the brunt of all the favoring early on. Very tight by the end of the run. Another clear sunny day but definitely a few degrees warmer than earlier in the week. Still dry though, and a nice day to be outside.

Thu 9/3 - PM 65 minutes incl. 5k in 16:35

First attempt at a hard effort since last month's nadir at Sandown. As such I approached it with a great deal of trepidation, having to deal with the ongoing right leg issues first and then the lack of any kind of race-specific fitness. Leg felt more stiff than I would have liked during the day at work, did some work on it with the lax ball which helped somewhat but the first 10 minutes of the warmup were still awkward at best. Loosened up eventually, followed the warmup with more direct pressure and this left the area feeling as good as I could hope for leading up to the race. No idea what kind of pace I could hold, hoping for something in the 5:15 range on the rolling course. As it turned out, the field was much less competitive than last year, mostly HS kids, and even running at a slower pace I was duking it out for the win most of the way. Mile splits of 5:13 (mostly down), 5:22 (up/down/flat), and 5:28 (flat then up). Unable to close the deal on one HS kid in training shoes who gapped me in the last 800m. The way the race unfolded I'd say it was an accurate reflection of my current fitness (or lack thereof), I was happy simply to have made it to the line in one piece. The race is an enjoyable affair overall although with the condition I'm in right now I could have done without the bombs away downhill start, 200m or so that we had to cover twice due to the layout. Every downhill was an exercise in awkward jarring in fact. Soon after finishing I could feel things tightening up in the hips and core, to an alarming degree. The cooldown could barely be categorized as running, more like hobbling. Didn't feel quite as bad after 15 minutes or so, and better still after a post-cooldown advil, but at first I could barely move. Can't wait to see how the adductor/oblique/etc. feel tomorrow and the rest of the upcoming weekend. Sunny cool breezy conditions along the water, very similar to last year's race.

Wed 9/2 - PM 70 minutes plus 29 minutes in Walden

Went a little longer than originally planned. VL stiff at the beginning, took a while to loosen up some. Still focused on maintaining hips in a forward-rotated posture, not easy on uneven ground. Adductor felt pretty good by and large, oblique and various other abdominals on the right side less so. Still able to do strides on the way in which didn't feel half bad. Tenderness after the run along my ribcage where said muscles attach, a novel sensation. Overall feeling it a bit from yesterday's longer run. We'll see how tomorrow goes, entered a race months and months ago, actually participating is an 11th hour decision. Another excellent weather day, 5 more of these will even out the stretch of disgusting humidity in late August.

Tue 9/1 - Pm 90 minutes plus 24 minutes in Walden

Interesting run in that I came to the brilliant realization within the first 2-3 minutes that the key to running pain-free and not aggravating adductors and obliques lies in maintaining good posture while running. Basically this means keeping the pelvis extended/forward rotated. Easier said than done of course, but it gave me something to think about. Oblique still tender and sore from the abuse I heaped on it Sunday but all things considered it could be a lot worse. Pace started relatively easy but much of the run was then done at a decent clip. Got around Sandy Pond for the first time in a long time. Great day again, recent muggies a distant unhappy memory.

Mon 8/31 - PM 75 minutes plus 24 minutes in Walden

Spent the day at work concerned over whether I'd be able to run, or jog, or crawl come afternoon given how sore and tender the oblique attachment area was in the morning. Happily, things loosened up much more quickly than I had expected and most of the run was close to pain-free. I did take it easy esp. at first, and kept the stride length short. There was some soreness in the TFL and vastus lateralis, from favoring I'd guess. Still, by the end I was able to do some strides on the way in at 85% or so which I never would have predicted a day ago. Legs not feeling as beat up as the past two Mondays, thanks to yesterday's run being flat of course. Nice day, sunny and a bit cool, much less humid as well.

Sun 8/30 - AM 150 minutes

Out and back along the Minuteman RT. 78 minutes to the Bedford depot, 72 back, although I stopped a bit short of where I had started by the Mall parking lot. Made it through the 20+ miles but it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. As I approached the 2 hour mark I didn't think there was any chance of making it back to Alewife w/o stopping and walking at least part of the way. That ended up not happening, but still faded the last 15-20 minutes in a near-bonk situation. Warmed up the second half of the run after a pleasantly cool start, humidity a consistent presence. Most troubling though is how painfully sore my right oblique became soon after finishing the run. Unlike any of the previous longer runs I've done this summer, incl. the billygoat routes in Northfield/Winchester. Adductor a bit tight during the run, but obviously the oblique had to take over for it at some point and got overworked. Given that the length of the run wasn't that much different, and the terrain was pancake-flat, it had to be the relatively faster pace of this long run. Fast being a relative term, as I took mile splits (assuming the lines painted on the trail are accurate) on the return trip. Miles 11-13 were a sparkling 7:14 average. The next five miles were all between 7:02 and 7:03, remarkably consistent but hardly earth-shattering. Those miles took a lot of effort for being that pace on a flat surface. The ongoing effects of the adductor injury make it harder to run fast, and running fast incurs more damage. Fantastic. The fact it's the oblique that took the brunt of it also a bummer, it hadn't been bothering me for some time. Of course I hadn't tried running long and relatively hard in a long time either. Not sure how quickly I'll bounce back from this setback.

Sat 8/29 - AM 65 minutes easy

To and from 10 Spencer, there via rail bed, back via rt 27. First few minutes were not pleasant, pes ansurinus stiff and inflamed and made for a hobbling start. Once it loosened up though the rest of the run was pain-free and the pace picked up some on the return trip, felt surprisingly good in fact for the relatively early hour. Tropical storm has reached the area, much cooler temps and of course wet conditions as a result.

Fri 8/28 - PM 75 minutes plus 25 minutes in Walden

Went with the flatter terrain of GMNWR for most of the run today, felt like the legs needed the break from all the rolls and uneven surfaces. Dead tired by the end of the workday, still clearing the cobwebs for the first 10 minutes or so. Much of the run was relatively up-tempo given the Friday fatigue. TFL stuck somewhat at the start of the run but not to a debilitating degree. Did five strides on the way in, first time doing strides in about four months. Felt very awkward trying to run fast, waiting for something to go in my right leg but thankfully it didn't happen. Not sure how the leg will feel in response to this. Much cooler today, clouds blowing in from the tropical storm that appears to have arrived ahead of schedule. Rain started up as I was in the pond.

Thu 8/27 - PM 65 minutes plus 29 minutes in Walden

Not as tired or sore as expected today, so the pace wasn't as slow as I had thought it would be. The usual inflammation in the right thigh, esp. in the morning, but not to the same degree as a week ago. Delightfully dry and sunny conditions, in stark contrast to the past eight days. Pond temp. felt warmer than the air and it probably was.

Wed 8/26 - PM 100 minutes plus 20 minutes in Walden

Today's run started quite relaxed and comfortable, saving something for later on down the line, then at about the hour mark legs started getting heavy. The clunky shoes and uneven terrain don't help, although I did hit some paved sections as well. Semi-exhausted feeling persisted the rest of the way, as such held back a bit on the faster finish today. I was concerned that yesterday's pace pickup would leave the right leg a mess but it wasn't thankfully, other than some twinges late.

Tue 8/25 - PM 85 minutes plus 24 minutes in Walden

Woke up with a bit more than the usual stiffness, soreness and inflammation in the right leg, so I did some compressions and cross-fiber friction on it a bit during the day at work. It worked to a certain extent in that the first 25 minutes or so of the run were nearly pain-free and much smoother than runs recently. Then I descended off Pine Hill, and that was enough to cause my sartorius to catch and the rest of the run wasn't quite as smooth after that. Still feels like gradual improvement is being made. Also picked up the pace substantially on the last 5 minutes, running fast in earnest. Not exactly comfortable in the core area but part of that doubtless can be chalked up to overall fatigue at the end of the run. Continued warm temps, kind of humid but dewpoints may finally be on the way down.

Mon 8/24 - PM 65 minutes very easy plus 29 minutes in Walden

Obvious within the first hundred yards or so that today would be active recovery what with the pounding my legs took over the weekend, esp. yesterday. Real tired in the late afternoon as well, so taking it easy a no-brainer. No adductor issues at this kind of pace needless to say. 8th day in a row of insufferable humidity.

Sun 8/23 - AM 140 minutes

Another rollercoaster long run in the Northfield/Winchester area. Route was mostly similar to last week incl. the Burt Hill/Schofield/TV tower loop, but instead of Birnam to Winchester at the start I went up and across the ridge to the reservoir and down Louisiana. Took more fluids during the run, partly due to added length and partly due to continued high humidity. While the hills were tough as always, effort-wise the run was under control, never really tired in that sense. Legs were a different matter entirely, mainly the descents being the issue. By the time I was coming down off Schofield they felt like jelly. Doing the hilltopper route two weekends in a row is definitely pushing it, if only for psychological reasons. I'll be keeping it flatter next weekend.

Sat 8/22 - double, 1:45 total

AM - 70 minutes, Staddle Hill to Louisiana Road then across the ridge and back via Birnam. Run divided neatly in half, with the first half being a distressing exercise in pain tolerance with the right leg twinging all over the place as various muscles were being forced to pick up the slack for a non-functional adductor/extensor. Took a break and found a stuck spot in the highest part of the hamstring, with some direct pressure the whole leg felt much better the rest of the way although the descent off the ridge was awkward at best. Fairly certain the stuck hammie is what I aggravated on Wednesday at work, we'll see. Disgustingly muggy again of course, it had just rained but again no real break with the temp from it. Sat in the river a good 15 minutes afterward cooling off.

PM - 35 minutes on the Norwottuck RT. Started out quite slowly, core quite stiff after the morning. Pace gradually increased then suddenly increased a lot more the last mile or so, esp. the bridge at the end which I hammered. None of it would have been possible had I not worked out the kink this morning. Torrential rains during the afternoon before the run, once again ensuring the relative humidity was at or close to 100%.

Fri 8/21- PM 85 minutes plus 24 minutes in Walden

Humidity continues to be the bane of my existence, truly oppressive today once again. It was actually better earlier in the week when the temp was in the 90s but the dewpoint was in the 60s, I don't think the DP has dipped below 70 in the past 48 hours. Some of the same weary-legged feeling that I experienced on Wednesday crept in the last 20 minutes of the run. Right leg still stuck and more sore than I would like, I'm hoping this mild reaggravation can be ascribed to all the lifting and hauling of computers the other day, it better be.

Thu 8/20 - PM 60 minutes plus 29 minutes in Walden

Less than enjoyable for various reasons, chief among them being that the right adductor felt stuck and sore at the start of the run. I have no doubt that it's in part due to all the lifting and moving of computers at work yesterday, something I didn't think much of at the time. Disgusting humidity continues, strong shower came through while I was running but it did nothing to cut the temp and served only to increase the dewpoint to obnoxious levels. Did finish feeling somewhat better than at the start.

Thu 8/19 - PM 95 minutes plus 20 minutes in Walden

Arduous but salubrious, as they say. Heat and humidity continue. Wilted a bit the second half of the run but in hindsight it was to be expected given the length of the run, the conditions, and the last four days of training. Feeling quite weary by the time I reached the pond, the run in from there was strictly autopilot. Right leg feeling as good as it has in the past six weeks throughout which is a good sign.

Tue 8/18 - PM 85 minutes plus 25 minutes in Walden

Spent the better part of the day obsessing over how I would deal with the apocalyptic ambient conditions, what with warnings of excessive ozone and record heat. I was seriously considering putting off the run until 7 or 8 PM which would have been a pain in the ass logistically. As it turned out, it was no hotter than yesterday and the dewpoint was the same as well, if not a bit lower. While certainly not comfortable conditions, getting the run in at the usual time was not an issue at all, felt relatively comfortable. Right hip in much better shape than it was a week ago.

Mon 8/17 - PM 60 minutes easy plus 30 minutes in Walden

Poor conditions to say the least, hazy humidity made for poor air quality which I felt with every breath. Planning on going easy today and shorter as well, even so it was a slog. Happy to put in the extra time in the pond, which has reached lukewarm temperature, finally. Right adductor not showing any undue ill effects from the weekend's efforts.

Sun 8/16 - AM 130 minutes

First run over 2 hours in a long while, encompassing the entire Burt Hill-Schofield Mtn-TV tower loop for the first time this summer. Started very slowly, legs heavy after yesterday's double and feeling kind of groggy for 15 minutes or so. Eventually got going and maintained a steady rhythm the rest of the way. Right adductor as good as I could hope, the descent off Burt Hill much less awkward than when I did it last month. Took a langorous 10 minute break at Ashuelot for a dip in the river, which was welcome relief from building heat. Air quality got worse as the morning wore on, once the early morning fog burned off the haze started forming and was quite thick by the time I was done.

Sat 8/15 - double, 1:45 total

AM - 60 minutes at Northfield Mountain. Up the 10th Mountain trail, down via Tooleybrush Turnpike. Cut across the side of the hill on the way in to make it an even hour. Expecting a lot of hobbling and stiffness this morning but it wasn't that much of a problem after the first 10 minutes. Descent in particular was less awkward than I thought it would be. The valley was shrouded in fog when I arrived but it burned off quickly and the temperature shot up as a result.

PM - 45 minutes on Norwottuck RT from Amherst College to Northampton terminus. Same route that took 50 som odd minutes a month ago. The most loose the adductor has felt on any run for weeks. Possibly a turning point but remains to be seen of course. Hot and humid all day, to a disgusting degree. Drifting in the river post-run was easily the highlight of the day.

Fri 8/14 - PM 65 minutes plus 25 minutes in Walden

Yesterday's longer effort had more of an effect on the right leg than I realized, namely in that the adductor and TFL were both locked up. It took me 10 minutes into the run to realize this, very demoralizing at the time. However, I did some much-needed cross fiber friction and the rest of the run felt gradually better after that. Finished feeling much better than at the start. Return to higher temps today, pond was surprisingly low on tourists given this fact.

Thu 8/13 - PM 90 minutes plus 25 minutes in Walden

Better than Monday's longer run, although right leg still stiff the first 30 minutes or so. Feels like progress is being made but it's a long process. Pushed the pace Still overcast and thus a little cooler.

Wed 8/12 - PM 70 minutes plus 24 minutes in Walden

Went a few minutes further than planned, but didn't suffer unduly for it. Right hip and adductor feeling somewhat better, whether it's simply being another day removed from Saturday or the core exercises having an effect remains to be seen. Continued humidity, but 15-20 degrees cooler today with the overcast.

Tue 8/11 - PM 75 minutes plus 25 minutes in Walden

Similar in most respects to yesterday's run down to the heat and humidity which were just as disgusting today. Back and calf both sore on the right side from favoring the hip. Took the first 30 minutes for things to loosen up somewhat. Expanded stretching and strengthening routine continues, such as it is.

Mon 8/10 - PM 90 minutes plus 25 minutes in Walden

Predictably dreary exercise in stultifying heat and humidity. Right adductors tight and sore, eventually the abductors gave out as well. As such, the last 30 minutes I was stumbling on every bump and pebble, always annoying. Overdid it given the weather and recent developments with the leg.

Sun 8/9 - off

perhaps not surprisingly, motivation at a low ebb. In addition the tired feeling that's been around since at least the middle of the vacation was really weighing on me. Went for a meandering bike ride in the afternoon instead. As a change of pace, left adductor was the sore one today. Keeps things interesting to be sure. Right hop not as sore or inflamed as I was expecting it to be.

Sat 8/8 - AM 60 minutes incl. 5 mile road race in 32:00

A demoralizing stink bomb. Found out much to my chagrin that no matter how much slow running I've been able to do over the past month or so, it doesn't mean I'm ready to run fast and I'm certainly not, not even close. Right adductor tight and sore from the beginning of the warmup, expecting some stiffness just because of the morning but it wasn't feeling any better even after 20+ minutes of warmup jogging. It proceeded to bother me every fucking step of the misbegotten attempt to race the hilly 5 mile course, even though I gave up on racing soon after 2 miles (reached in 11:10) and got a head start on the cool down from that point on. Looking back at the past 8 weeks of the log I was certainly kidding myself when it came to thinking that I had a chance in hell of running anything close to what I have in the past on this course. Injury issues notwithstanding there's the small matter of not being at all sharp or fit what with all the time off in May and June and the complete lack of sustained fast running since then. What was particularly appalling though was how sore both adductors felt afterwards--there's simply no strength whatsoever in my core right now, no ability at all to stand up to the rigors of more forceful contractions that come with running faster. The week leading up to the vacation I had the distinct feeling progress was being made. Certainly the vacation wasn't the best thing for what's been ailing me what with all the downhill pounding, long hikes, and lack of consistent stretching and strengthening. I had hoped getting back on the straight and narrow since returning would put things back in order but it obviously hasn't. Best case scenario is that I can keep jogging slow for simple base while putting more time and effort into strengthening the core, as such the swiss ball will be dusted off and put back into service. Of course even jogging the next few days may not be advisable after the damage done today, may need some time to cool off first. Ugh. Worst case is that I have to quit cold turkey again and take more time off for this exceedingly pernicious injury and its aftermath that just keeps lingering on and on and on and on and on. I had a feeling back in April that it would end up taking months to recover from the strained adductors, now I'm wondering if it might be years. Fall racing season is circling the drain as I write this, going going gone...

Fri 8/7 - PM 65 minutes plus 25 minutes in Walden

Shortening the run again in advance of tomorrow specifically but more generally the weekend in general, when I plan on the volume being higher. Right adductor not quite as bothersome as it has been, as has been the case of late it felt better after a half hour or so. Dry and warm conditions again today.

Thu 8/6 - PM 95 minutes plus 24 minutes in Walden

Moved the volume back up today, energy levels much better after the lighter day yesterday. Right adductor stuck and sore pretty much the entire time, which was annoying in the extreme although it did improve somewhat the last 20 minutes. The injury's aftermath continues to linger, no real end in sight. Sunny warm and dry, great day to be outside.

Wed 8/5 - PM 65 minutes plus 24 minutes in Walden

Dragging ass from the word go today, very tired throughout. Right adductor didn't help matters, continues to feel stuck and inflamed. I wondered which of these two factors was slowing me down more today and decided it was the exhaustion. Planning on scaling back the volume anyway from the past few days and it certainly came at the right time. Still humid but cooler thanks to overcast conditions, the muggies are on the way out thankfully.

Tue 8/4 - PM 90 minutes plus 24 minutes in Walden

The run-down feeling continues, energy levels on the low side. Not planning on going as far as yesterday's run but ended up doing so anyway. Right leg bothersome most of the way, adductor tight and sore with TFL flaring up afterward. Took a good long time to do stretching and strengthening afterward, something which has been missing of late and has a lot to do with the aforementioned leg issues of late. Adding to the fun today was a subtle but insistent cross-current on the pond. Continued warm and humid, about the same as yesterday.

Mon 8/3 - PM 90 minutes plus 24 minutes in Walden

Something of a slog, felt low on energy the entire run thanks to the sleep deficit I've built up over the vacation. I wanted to pick up the pace at times but it wasn't happening today. Right adductor tight and sore at the start but it eventually loosened up. Warm and fairly humid.

Sun 8/2 - double, 1:30 total plus 22 minutes in Walden

AM - 30 minutes very easy. First run back at sea level, return to thick air and of course humidity. Didn't miss it one bit. Both legs stiff, right leg sore in the usual places, took almost the entire run to feel at all smooth. A slog.

PM - 60 minutes plus 22 minutes in Walden. Had a late lunch which meant a late start which cut short the length of the run. Lunch still only partially digested. Less stiff of course although right leg acted up somewhat when I tried picking up the pace mid-run. More humid in the afternoon than the morning of course, felt especially good to get in the pond. As expected, the water went from bracing to tepid since the last time I was in it two weeks ago.

Sat 8/1 - AM 75 minutes very easy

last run in Denver, puttered around Cheesman Park and then over to the creek. Back via roads. Everything stiff and sore this morning, not surprisingly. Took most of the run to loosen up any.

Fri 7/31 - AM Longs Peak hike

8 hours from start to finish, ran for about 80 minutes at the beginning and then quite sporadically on the way down. Started just before 5:00 to avoid t-storms that never came. The mountain presented its challenges, which of course is what made it worth doing in the first place. Got increasingly ridiculous close to the summit, which was completely enveloped by clouds. A bummer as this left the summit a dimly visible collection of rime-covered rocks. The summit experience left me cold for the next 90 minutes or so as the descent went through exposed and very windy areas. Finally warmed up as I got back to the treeline. Descending the steepest parts left my legs more tired than I expected, but not overly exhausted at the end. The altitude didn't affect me the way it did hiking Mt. Elbert, certainly as acclimated to it as I'll ever be by now.

Thu 7/30 - AM 65 minutes easy

Magnolia Road, a dreary experience this time around. Lethargic after yesterday's travel, took a long time to get going in the morning. Gray overcast along the front range turned into being in the cloud deck at 8,000'. Spitting rain the entire time, got stronger near the end. To top it off, right adductor felt like garbage, took a break halfway out to try and work out the kinks which was only moderately successful. Downhill stretches were especially awkward. Lack of stretching and all the sitting around yesterday on cars and planes the cause of all this. Planned on doing an evening shakeout on the flat path but ended up biking around in search of a rental car for tomorrow instead.

Wed 7/29 - AM 90 minutes

last run in FLG, over to Oldham via Buffalo Park. Very similar to last Wednesday's run but a little shorter as I went straight through the park. Definitely moving slower than last Wednesday afternoon, still not quite awake at the start of the run. Right hip better than yesterday but still fairly stiff, in fact both hips feeling creaky today, not a surprise considering this DOMS is from the GC hike the other day.

Tue 7/28 - double, 1:40 total

AM - 60 minutes easy/very easy, Sinclair Wash trail. Not surprisingly, the right adductor felt like garbage, sore and moving awkwardly. Loosened up some after 30 minutes but still had to favor it. Still worth the trip to see Ribbon Falls yesterday. For the amount of abuse I've put my legs through the last 10 days I'm actually pleased the hip/adductor area has held up as well as it has, my feeling is things will come around further when I return to sea level and take a break from long steep descents.

PM - 40 minutes, Campbell Mesa. Similar pattern to the morning run, i.e. more stiff than I would have liked at the outset, but overall less pronounced than in the AM.

Mon 7/27 - AM Grand Canyon North Rim hike

Ran/hiked the long-awaited trip to Ribbon Falls on the North Kaibab, and it came off as well as I could have expected. Started just after 6, walked down to Supai tunnel, then mixed in some running on the way down to the pumphouse. Ran the rest of the way to the falls on the gentler gradient through Cottonwood CG. Reached the falls by 8:30, after spending a little over a half an hour there headed back up. More running on the way up, able to maintain a fairly steady rhythm until after Roaring Springs when the trail got punishingly steep. Reached the top just before noon. Compared to previous GC jaunts I was better prepared this time vis a vis food and water, as such never felt in any serious distress. Worried (to put it mildly) about the rising sun and temperature as I was ascending back up past Roaring Springs, but there were still shady spots. I only needed one short break between the pumphouse and Supai tunnel stops. Right hip held up relatively well, not about to aggravate it further by attempting to run down the steepest sections. All told, I spent about 5 hours on the move and an hour or so relaxing in the shade.

Sun 7/26 - PM 80 minutes

At the north rim of the GC, out and back along the Ken Patrick trail. Not a bad trail although sandy and overgrown in places. Moving better on the return leg, felt the elevation on any kind of uphill of course. The only downer was tripping on a root while descending a downhill which caused my right foot to slam into the ground, with the force going right up the leg to the hip area of course. Felt like complete ass for a few minutes after that, gradually improved, sure to feel like hell tomorrow.

Sat 7/25 - double, 1:50 total plus Humphrey's Peak hike

AM - 60 minutes up the Humphrey's Peak trail from the TH to saddle. I think this is a bit less than 4 "FLG miles" with the TH at 9500' and the saddle at 11,500'. The rest of the way to the peak and then back down were taken at a more sedate hiking pace. Crisp morning, clouds were building as we climbed though.

PM - 50 minutes, Mars Hill trail and back down via forest road 515 and Curling Smoke Road. My legs would have been better served by a flatter route, the pounding coming down off the mesa was not good on the right adductor. Better on the flats but still awkward. Humid and spitting rain much of the afternoon today.

Fri 7/24 - double, 2:10 total

AM - 95 minutes, AZ trail from Walnut Canyon Rd. to Sinclair Wash, passing through Fisher Point. Great place to run as always, but the remoteness and length of it kicked my ass once again. Ran out of steam earlier than I had planned, forgot about the difference between regular miles and "Flagstaff miles" when looking at the length of the route on the map. Right hip tight at first, loosened up eventually. Hit my stride from 40-60 minutes or so and from then on I was in get it over with mode. Broiled in the sun as well, finished up fairly dehydtrated and quite tired.

PM - 35 minutes in Sedona, Bell Rock TH to Back of Beyond Rd. Much more of it than I had planned was on the side of rt. 179 as the trail I had planned on taking was nowhere to be found. Still kind of stiff-legged but energy levels returned for the most part after a long afternoon nap.

Thu 7/23 - double incl. Grand Canyon South Rim hike

AM - hike on Bright Angel trail, round trip from the rim to Plateau Point. Started early, not quite early enough, but the rains came as noontime approached and made the temp a moot issue. The whole thing took about 6.5 hours, with about an hour or so spent resting in the shade and gawking. Stuck with speed-hiking the whole way, moved fairly smartly on the way down, then picked up the effort on the way back up so as to get to higher cooler climes.

PM - 60 minutes easy, Campbell Mesa. Legs predictably dead, right hip twinging because it was fatigued to start with. Did a few minutes at the end on the relatively flat and smooth Walnut Canyon road just to test and see if it would act up, thankfully it didn't. The whole thing was a slog but worth it for the stretching routine afterwards, sorely missed from yesterday's run. Overcast all day and a bit cooler and more humid than previous visits to FLG, seems to be a pattern here as well.

Wed 7/22 - PM 85 minutes

First day in Flagstaff, started from the hostel over to Buffalo Park then out the back to the Oldham/Easy Oldham area. Feeling pretty good on the climb up Oldham from the pipeline. Right leg feeling better as well, still moving somewhat gingerly on downhills but returning to what it felt like last week. It would appear the effects of hiking Mt. Elbert have worn off. Felt vaguely sticky at the outset of the run, odd for this place, then big fat raindrops fell sporadically, then hail, then a t-storm of biblical intensity.

Tue 7/21- double, 90 minutes total

AM - 50 minutes very easy/easy along the Cherry Creek path. Biked over to the shopping mall so I could run a different stretch of the path further out from town. Pleasant scenery, although less shade than I was hoping for. Stuck in low gear the entire time, legs leaden esp. quads. The past two days' efforts coming due.

Pm - 40 minutes, looping around Cheesman Park. Nice spot, if a little on the small side. Took another trip into town on the bike earlier in the afternoon, feels like I rode as much as I ran today. As such, not much zip in the legs, painfully slow the first 10 minutes especially. Right adductor still feels quite stuck, had I been able to push the pace it surely would have bothered me.

Mon 7/20 - double, 1:40 total

AM - 55 minutes, loop around Wash Park. Started out very easy, picked up the pace the second half of the run. Leg felt fine while going slow, at faster speeds it became obvious that the right adductor was stuck. Annoying but no surprise after yesterday's hike. Spent a long time afte the run working on the area.

PM - 45 minutes round trip to Confluence Park. Feeling better than the morning, but took a while for the stiffness to fall away. Able to pick up the pace fairly substantially on the return trip. Quads tender and sore, no surprise there. Had a brief and somewhat terrifying attempt to ride the flume on the N. Platte.

Sun 7/19 - double including Mt. Elbert hike

AM - hike up Mt. Elbert, an 8 mile or so round trip that took the better part of 5 hours incl. a 20 minute stop at the highest point in CO. About 4,000' difference between trailhead and summit. As 14ers go, this is apparently considered one of the easier ones to hike. Even so, it was atrociously steep in places and the three false summits were not appreciated. Not especially taxing from a cardiovascular perspective but the quads took a beating on the descent.

PM - 45 minutes to and from Confluence park with a dip in the creek (which was fantastic). Felt much better than I though it would after this morning. In a bit of a rush so I even pushed the pace a bit. Right leg feeling better than it did yesterday, thankfully.

Sat 7/18 - PM 65 minutes easy

Back in the high dry air of Denver, along the creek path with a side trip to Washington park. Right leg, esp. adductor, felt like garbage pretty much the entire way, certainly worse than in the past few days. The day spent traveling had a lot to do with it of course but no less annoying. Tired as well, not surprisingly.

Fri 7/17 - PM run 70 minutes, Walden 24 minutes

Even more humid today than yesterday, disgustingly so. Made the pond that much more of a welcome relief. Legs somewhat better than yesterday, left ankle improved over yesterday.

Thu 7/16 - PM run 85 minutes, Walden 22 minutes

Stuck to the flats of GMNWR for most of today's run. Quite sore at the start, got better after that. Worried about the left ankle as it felt sore all day at work but not a problem during the run. Still feels stiff and inflamed however. Humidity up substantially over the past few days, feels more like a typical mid-July day although not brutally hot thankfully.

Wed 7/15 - PM run 85 minutes Walden 22 minutes

Not quite as spry today as I thought I would feel, but got in the planned amount of time anyway. Twisted left ankle on a rock early on, it subsequently started bothering me from the half hour mark on. Had to adjust my stride at times to compensate for it, a nuisance and hopefully that's all it will end up being. Something else to worry about. Right leg about the same as yesterday, some lingering effects of Sunday's run still apparent but able to move relatively well. Another dry day, sunny and warm.

Tue 7/14 - PM run 70 minutes, Walden 25 minutes

Log not as bothersome as it was yesterday, although I can still feel an underlying weakness on the right side as compared to the left. Especially aware of this having come from a PT appt. just prior to the run. The imbalance will take a while (at least) to remedy. That being said, felt pretty good at the tail end of the run after getting out of the water, the run down Brister's Hill wasn't nearly as awkward as it has been of late. Overcast and vaguely sticky air by the time I got to running.

Mon 7/13 - PM run 1:40 Walden 20 minutes

Went around Sandy Pond with the right leg feeling it from yesterday's descent off of Burt Hill. These factors made the run go longer than expected, although not to an unsustainable extent. Right leg tight and twinging mainly on the lateral aspect, got steadily worse to the point of being totally obnoxious until I took a break at 45 minutes and did some compressions on the area. After that it was much better although still taking any downhill stretches very gingerly. The ability to run downhill grades smoothly and quickly looks to be the last thing to be re-established coming off the injury, and it's not even close yet. Tired but not exhausted by the end, relatively slow pace had something to do with that. Another dry, warm and sunny day, albeit with a bit more of a persistent wind.

Sun 7/12 - AM 85 minutes

Rt. 63 to So. Parrish Road, then Staddle Hill to Burt Hill and the covered bridge with a final push up Gunn Mtn. road. Not a bad loop all in all. Felt very stiff and barely awake for the first half hour or so, got going a bit more on the ascent up Burt Hill, then thudded down to Ashuelot which felt particularly awkward. Took a break at the bridge to dip my legs in the river. Neither ascent felt unmanageable. I had my doubts as to how this would go after a miserable night spent trying to sleep in a tent while t-storms of biblical intensity raged. This included a 1 AM lightning strike somewhere in the campground itself. Didn't sleep much at all, and I needed the rest desperately after yesterday. As it was, the planned PM shakeout/dip in Walden went by the boards as I was feeling the exhaustion deeply. Thankfully, the rain passed through and gave way to pleasant dry sunny conditions by morning, not too hot.

Sat 7/11 - double, 1:50 total

AM - 75 minutes, boat ramp to Old Wendell. Went up Pierson and over to School and Warwick Streets which made the overall time longer than I had planned. Hung in there relatively well, the steepest stretches of OW were in typically poor condition footing-wise. Came out of the slipperiest part of the trail with the legs more sore than when I started, for sure. Sunny and warm, gusty breeze cooled things off a bit.

PM - 35 minutes very easy, Norwottuck RT. Legs quite stiff and sore from the morning, quite rickety at first. Didn't get much quicker from there.

Fri 7/10 - PM run 85 minutes, Walden 25 minutes

Felt better overall today than the past two days, both in terms of energy level and in the legs. Still not free of soreness howerver, just less pronounced and the right adductors hung in better towards the end of the run than yesterday. Downhills not as much of a problem either. Moving more quickly throughout although still not exactly up-tempo. Excellent conditions, sunny warm and dry all day. Great day to be outside.

Thu 7/9 - PM run 80 minutes, Walden 25 minutes

Controlled effort, started with a loop around GMNWR, i.e. the flattest spot possible to keep the strain to a minimum. Feeling the right adductors from yesterday's slip at work, most unwelcome. It took a while to develop, 45 minutes or so, after that moving gingerly on downhills and had to shorten stride as a result. Hopefully not a long-lasting thing. Still moving at a quite relaxed pace overall, but not as glacial as previous days this week. Partly cloudy afternoon, still unseasonably cool. The pond is not warming up as it usually would by this time of year, but it's tolerable.

Wed 7/8 - PM 75 minutes easy

Pratt's Brook to Mt. Hope, back via rail bed. On the positive side, the lingering soreness in both legs from all the volume over the weekend has faded; however, I'm still grossly unfit and this meant another pokey plodding run. Very tired as well, and this contributed to that. As a bonus, I very nearly reaggravated the strained adductors slipping on a wet floor while pushing a fully loaded cart at work. Extremely frustrating to say the least. Still able to run later in the day without it blowing up on me. Overcast and as cool as it gets for this time of year. "Unsummer" continues.

Tue 7/7 - PM run 70 minutes, Walden 25 minutes

Legs still somewhat sore overall from the weekend, as I figured they would be. Felt like the pace got slower as I went along, from easy to very easy. Waited out a vicious line of t-storms before getting started, relatively nice after the sky cleared.

Mon 7/6 - PM 60 minutes very easy, Walden 28 minutes

Legs still stiff and sore from the weekend's excesses, started easy and it got slower from there. Dialed back the volume, for today at least. Another nice day, warm dry and breezy. Easy to get used to.

Sun 7/5 - double, run 1:45 total, Walden 20 minutes

AM - 75 minutes, boat ramp to TV tower via School St, Winchester, Staddle Hill and Bolton Road. Legs wooden and heavy from the first step, but the problem areas on the right side weren't an issue. Muscles in shock from the past two days' pounding relative to what came prior to that. That being said, the run went better than expected esp. the final ascent up to the tower. I was half-expecting to stop and walk beforehand but kept it going smoothly and within myself. It helped that the pace leading up to the last big hill was quite slow, thanks to aforementioned stiff legs. Also helping was the dry conditions, sunny with breezes, excellent morning.

PM - 30 minutes very easy to and from the pond. Again, sore legs at the start, the aquajogging was beneficial with that, they felt much better on the return trip.

Sat 7/4 - double, 1:50 total

AM - 60 minutes, up to Birch Point and then back down and across the ridge. Woke up with right adductor feeling sore and tight, as expected after yesterday's sudden jump in volume. It didn't bother me much at all during the run however. The uphill grind and lack of fitness kept the pace slow throughout. Obnoxious rain overnight gave way to a nice morning.

PM - 50 minutes, Norwottuck rail trail. Flat and straight which is just what I wanted. Overdid it again in terms of time spent, remains to be seen how/if I recover from the weekend's efforts. As it was, right leg was okay the first 30 minutes or so as the pace stayed slow, after that I got ucked into get it over with mode and picked up the pace. Paid for this as it aggravated my already fatigued adductor. Legs rubbery overall by the the end. Breezy afternoon.

Fri 7/3 - double, 90 minutes total

AM - 30 minutes very easy. First attempt at a morning run in a long time. Expecting to feel horrendously stiff at the outset and this was the case. Most of the soreness cleared up pretty quick.

PM - 60 minutes very easy, Ferry Road and Dorsey in Northfield/Erving. Started from the Northfield Mtn. facility but no desire to try and tackle the hilly terrain. Went along the river instead, very scenic and low-key. Had a nervous moment about 15 minutes into the run when the right thigh started twinging but it resolved itself within a few minutes. Morning overcast turned into afternoon showers but it had cleared by the time I ran, nice evening. The river is noticeably higher and angrier than last year at this time.

Thu 7/2 - run 50 minutes, Walden 25 minutes

No pronounced ill effects from yesterday's longer run. The lower abs/adductors remain sore, more so on the left than the right which seems bizarre, but my thought is that it's more related to a resumption of activity after a layoff. Something I've experienced before, not fun but not permanent either. Hopefully this is the case. Rained cats and dogs in the morning, puddles and some slippery spots on the trails as a result. Misty overcast by the time I ran, not warm but humid enough to not feel that cold either.

Wed 7/1 - 60 minutes very easy

Area 51, right leg holding up as well as can be expected, although there's now soreness on the left side that continued from yesterday. Lowermost abdominals stiff and sore all day at work, felt better once I got on the road thankfully. I had planned to push it out to an hour by this weekend but a few days ahead of schedule. Cool and rainy again, took a chance that this would keep the deer flies at bay and this was more or less the case.

Tue 6/30 - run 45+ minutes, Walden 28 minutes

Extended the run a little bit further than yesterday, no problems to speak of on the right side but the left adductor felt plenty sore afterward which was unexpected and unwelcome. I'm doubtful it'll be debilitating though. Unlike yesterday's millpond conditions the pond was choppy with a persistent NE breeze, which pushed me on the return leg.

Mon 6/29 - PM run 40 minutes, Walden 30 minutes

no bike today, adductor still feeling a bit overworked from the weekend. We'll see what effect if any removing the cycling has. Stretched out the run and aquajogging a bit, the first leg of the run to the pond was more stiff and awkward than the return leg. Extending my stride beyond a short length results in problems, makes for slow going. Warmer today, pond has finally got to the point where it's not obnoxiously cold.

Sun 6/28 - run 30 minutes, bike 45 minutes, Walden 24 minutes

Yesterday's effort left more of a mark, or maybe it's just cumulative from the past two days. Still manageable. Some moments of feeling nearly whole but they typically happen on flat ground and any deviation from that brings me back to reality. Riding the bike on rt. 62 through E. Maynard has become extremely tiresome. Dreary weather conditions, threatening overcast all afternoon. Got a late start.

Sat 6/27 - run 30 minutes, bike 60 minutes, Walden 25 minutes

Back to the mini-triathlon routine, with a trip for groceries thrown in for good measure. Adductor and hip not showing any real ill effects so far but the area still feels somewhat weak and vulnerable.

fri 6/26 - run 30 minutes, Walden 24 minutes

Moving very gingerly throughout. Stiff and hobbling somewhat but it's been worse.

6/18-6/25 off

Overdid it again, stuck doing PT exercises only as a result. Taking advil in earnest, extremely dreary and tiresome.

6/17 - PM 30 minutes plus 24 minutes in Walden plus 60 minutes bike

May well have spoke too soon on this comeback being the one that sticks, as the stubborn inflammation was definitely exacerbated by the last two days of running longer than I should have. Wishful thinking I suppose to feel that it wouldn't leave a mark. Not as painful or awkward as it was a few weeks ago, something I chalk up to the various PT exercises, but the soreness definitely reasserted itself. Along with the crap feeling in my hip upon getting up after being seated for any length of time. Not entirely sure that I should be running at all but I'd like to do something needless to say. 30 minutes may be the magic number for now, time will tell. Added on the full program of cross-training activities, nice enough day for it although the wind on the pond made for an obnoxious cross-current.

Tue 6/16 - PM 50 minutes plus 20 minutes in Walden

Hip and thigh about the same as yesterday during the run, but more sore than I'd like afterward. Creeping into TMTS territory I'm afraid once again. Unlike yesterday I knew exactly where I was going but underestimated how long the loop would take at the glacial pace I was running. Sunny and warm with a breeze. Water temp has increased since the last time I tried aquajogging, thankfully enough sun got through the last fortnight's gloom to warm it up a bit.

Mon 6/15 - PM 50 minutes very easy

Stow town forest. The plan was for 30-35 minutes but I misjudged the length of the route I chose. It has been a long time, i.e. years, since I've been to this particular spot. Rode the bike over and back. Continued improvement, hobbling less. Still stiff and sore, esp. on downhills but I'll certainly take it. Not capable of anything faster than a jog at the moment but it's looking increasingly likely that this comeback will end up sticking. Mostly overcast and cool again, as it has been much of the last six weeks.

Sun 6/14 - PM 30 minutes, Area 51.

Rode the bike over to the track and started from there. Still hobbling along but felt better than yesterday overall. Hip still inflamed (of course) but not quite as sore. The various PT exercises have proven effective so far, I've noticed a difference. Crappy overcast gloom all day but it broke in the late afternoon and was quite nice by the time I ran. Deer flies establishing themselves in the woods, not yet completely unmanageable but getting there.

Sat 6/13 - 30 minutes

Only slightly less stiff and sore than the last time I tried running 10 days ago. While PT is dealing with underlying causes, I'm still left with the aftermath of the repeatedly aggravated muscle strain. Settled into the familar pattern after 10 minutes or so. How it feels tomorrow is of some importance. First sunny pleasant day in what seems like forever.

6/3 to 6/12 - off

Motivation to cross-train at an all-time low, 10 days of the sedentary life. Spent a week on advil at the doctor's behest, started PT which will hopefully deal with inflexible right ankle and misaligned pelvis, which would appear to be the root causes of all the various right leg troubles. As I suspected, there was a leg length discrepancy but it was due to pelvic alignment rather than being congenital, and as such can be corrected with relative ease.

Tue 6/2 - PM 25 minutes plus 30 minutes in Walden and 45 minutes bike

last time I'll be running for a while I'm afraid. Painfully obvious the comeback attempt is far too premature and I'm only doing further damage to the hip/thigh area, which is a weakened strained mess. PT on the horizon. Ugh.

Mon 6/1 - PM 50 minutes plus 30 minutes in Walden

No bike today, ran more as a result and I shouldn't have. Pond is no colder today than it was yesterday of course, but it was cooler and overcast and this along with spending slightly longer in the water made for a miserably cold experience esp. after getting out. Hip no better or worse than yesterday, still limping along.

Sun 5/31 - AM 35 minutes plus 24 minutes in Walden, plus 60 minutes bike

Another mixed platter of a workout, rode over to Emerson and ran to the pond from there like yesterday. The pond wasn't as bone-chilling today, probably because I planned it so the noontime sun was beating down while I was in there. At least my head and neck were warm. Hip maybe a little bit better than it was yesteray but I harbor no delusions about it at this point. Rolling along pretty well on the bike, took the scenic route back via Sudbury road and Powers.

Sat 5/30 - double, 55 minutes total plus biking plus 24 minutes in Walden

AM - 20 minutes barefoot on the grass at Bentley. Following a 45 minute hammerfest ride to get there. Hip was getting tighter and tighter, no point in prolonging things so I stopped. The ride home went by the boards when I blew out a tire upon arrival.

PM - 35 minutes to and from Walden with 24 minutes in Walden. 40+ on the bike to and from Emerson field. Didn't really want to run again but I also didn't want to walk to Walden from the field or park my bike at the pond. Hip not quite as bad as the morning but still nothing but uncomfortable. Better after the pond than before. The pond was breathtakingly chilly, emerged blue-lipped after spending as much time in there as I could stand. Interested to see how the aquajogging would treat the problem joint and found it to be doable, only mild discomfort. One of the adductor muscles quite tender afterwards though. So ends the day of multiple exercise formats. Thankfully the weather cooperated, dank period of the past few days replaced by sun and warmth.

Fri 5/29 - off

had an hour block open for a potential run but it wasn't happening due to continuing hip woes. Certainly headed the wrong direction, TMTS or no.

Thu 5/28 - PM 60 minutes easy

Area 51. Felt relatively good for about 45 seconds and then the soreness set in. Another teeth-grinding first 20 minutes followed by a stretch/massage break. Hip not as bad the rest of the way but not good either, never got better than uncomfortable. TMTS I'm afraid. Most of my right thigh continues to feel quite inflamed. Continued dreary overcast, as dismal as this time of year can be. Unseasonably cool temps.

Wed 5/27 - PM 65 minutes very easy

Errand run to Stop+Shop via Conant Road and Pratt's Brook. Bushwhacking through the trackless woods off Knox Trail, not what I had in mind. More superslow jogging on the inflamed right hip. Regressed somewhat from yesterday because I went too far on it obviously. A dreary exercise in pain tolerance for the first 20+ minutes at which point I stopped and did some much-needed stretching and direct pressure on the iliac crest/TFL area which was sore as hell. Much better after this although still not close to being right. As has been the trend lately, the leg feels the best after doing the stretching/strengthening routine post-run, but then stiffens up overnight. Overcast today and much cooler.

Tue 5/26 - PM 75 minutes very easy

Area 51. Less stiffness at the start than any day so far since the resumption of running, although the soreness persisted pretty much throughout. Mainly centered on the TFL/ITB area, from favoring the still-weak adductors I'd guess. Very slow pace a drag but it remains the only option and better than nothing. Much cooler today than the previous few.

Mon 5/25 - AM 60 minutes very easy

Walden woods. Somewhat better than yesterday, not as stiff at the outset and took less time to loosen up from the initial stiffness. Still only able to jog slowly, but the abiding pain in adductor and oblique areas that had been plaguing me as I attempted to run through this thing earlier in the month hasn't returned. First dip in the pond of the season. Quite bracing to say the least. No time for aquajogging however as I had 35 or so miles of cycling left, into Cambridge for lunch via the bike path and then back out later on in the afternoon. The trip back out dragged on, predictably. Bit off a bit more than I should have in that regard, right patellar tendon sore afterwards.

Sun 5/24 - PM 50 minutes very easy

Walden woods. Very stiff and sore to start, limping noticeably esp. on the TFL, but improved markedly as the run progressed. Post-run stretching and core strenghening routine a necessity right now, as it would seem to be all that's keeping me from suffering a sudden regression. Sandwiched the run between two bike rides totaling an hour plus. Very warm today.

Sat 5/23 - PM 50 minutes very easy

Lincoln woods. Hip is of course still inflamed but not to a debilitating degree. Only the slowest possible gear available due to reduced range of motion in the join and continuted inflammation in the area. In the grand scheme of things though, bounced back well from yesterday. Onward and upward, hopefully.

Fri 5/22 - 10 minutes very easy

jogging around the track in the middle of an hour plus bike ride. 4 laps in lane 6, very stiff but not a catastrophe. How it feels tomorrow is of course the test.

5/10-21 off

some days of riding the bike rather aimlessly, other days completely w/o exercise. Hip feeling like garbage all the while, esp. in the mornings. Motivation to do anything about it at a low point.

Sat 5/9 - 80 minutes very easy

Lincoln woods. Inflammation started to calm down by yesterday afternoon, but it took all of three minutes for the familiar sorenesses to return. Had to stop at one point for an extended period to bypass a flooded trail and the pain was nearly unbearable upon resumption of running. It moderated somewhat but was there throughout to one degree or another. Last weekend's foolhardy attempt at a workout did further damage and spread the problem up into the lowermost abdominals, very tender spot at that attachment on the pubic bone as well as within the muscle itself. Went for an evening bike ride, an activity that was much less painful. That and a possible return to aquajogging in frigid Walden are my immediate future when it comes to exercise.

Thu 5/7, Fri 5/8 - off

the jig is up, well after I should have thrown in the towel in fact but what can you do. Taking it easy until the ongoing complications of the adductor strain of 7 weeks ago finally do sort themselves out. That being said, I'm obligated to run with the kids on Saturday, not looking forward to how the hip will feel at any point during that.

Wed 5/6 - PM 65+ minutes very easy

laps around the BC reservoir, from glacial to simply slow over time. The pattern is familiar, incredibly stiff hip to start, most pain on the TFL, gradually shifts to the adductor over time and decreases in intensity. However, since Saturday's debacle overall mobility in the joint has decreased and morning pain and stiffness have remained steadfastly intolerable. The downward spiral is unmistakable to be sure. I'll be stopping soon, possibly tomorrow, still the matter of running with the kids Sat. morning though. Despite all the hobbling, it was pleasant enough being out and about after the sun broke through the morning clouds.

Tue 5/5 - off

yet another 13 hour day thanks to HS track meet. Hip felt like garbage most all of the day, so many things going on in the area and none of them good. Especially stiff after sitting down for any length of time.

Mon 5/4 - PM 50 minutes very easy

Brookline/Boston, Coolidge Corner to the Muddy River. A dreary exercise in pain tolerance everything in and around the right hip sore, inflamed, and progressively more torqued up. I may well give up this charade sooner rather than later but we'll see.

Sun 5/3 - PM 80 minutes very easy

Area 51. A hobbling mess pretty much the entire time, yesterday's PM shakeout didn't prevent the inevitable overnight inflammation and stiffening as I had hoped it might. Within the context of the past two weeks, the feeling was quite familiar unlike yesterday morning's unexpected spryness. As ever it felt a bit better as things went along but never anything to write home about. Felt best afterwards, same familiar pattern. And so it goes. Vaguely sticky and overcast but not especially warm all day.

Sat 5/2 - double, 90 minutes total incl 4x1000

AM - 60 minutes incl. 4x1000 w/1 minute recovery. Last-minute decision to even attempt anything on the track, as recently as yesterday afternoon I never would have thought it possible but the right hip felt better than it has on any morning the past few weeks. While possible, working out was still not advisable as the discomfort level grew after each repeat until I had to stop 150m into rep #5. The pace wasn't the issue, as it was 80 sec/lap, but the effort it took to run this pace while dragging my right leg along for the ride became too much. The real fun started after this as various muscles in the affected area seized up while I was walking back and I literally couldn't move w/o debilitating pain. I ended up prone on the side of the track. In addition to the usual suspects, TFL was heavily involved. Adduction and flexion movements were so acutely painful as to be impossible. The process of regaining mobility took over half an hour and included every trick in the book. Yet I was eventually able to jog 25 superslow minutes and stretch. The acute nature of these flareups this week when I attempt to run faster than a jog have gone past frustrating and are now just bizarrely intriguing. No longer sticking to a workout schedule for any other reason than the local yokel 5k in Stow, which I'll lose anyway if anyone worth a damn decides to show up.

PM - 30 minutes very very easy on Weston HS fields and trails followed by a good stretch. No discernible cardiovascular benefit to this run, simply a matter of maintaining some range of motion in the swollen and aggravated hip so I can get out of bed tomorrow morning.

Fri 5/1 - PM 75 minutes very easy/easy

Slow trudge around Area 51 with a few breaks interspersed. About what I expected in terms of the hip being sore and inflamed, although it wasn't quite as bad as I thought it would be after feeling like holy hell all day at work. Warm day with gusty winds.

Thu 4/30 - PM 75 minutes incl. 3x10 minutes

Track Road to Area 51 with three pickups, each one about 10 minutes long, with 7 minutes or so recovery. Ill-advised to be sure as the right hip felt increasingly stiff and awkward but at this point I don't really care. The thing is sure to feel like hell tomorrow. Playing out the string until the Stow 5k road race at which point I'll likely shut it down for a while. Frustrating but it needs the rest. Had I not slipped on the ice six weeks ago none of this would be an issue to the extent it is now, oh well. Relatively warm day but with a gusty wind.

Wed 4/29 - PM 20 minutes

hobbling jog around Waltham, attempting to warm up for a workout I knew wouldn't be happening after the first 10 minutes. Hip area too sore to be able to do anything faster than an easy jog without substantial discomfort. Apparently I was more than a little deluded last week thinking that the hip flexor/adductor issue had turned a corner, because it's regressed with a vengeance since Sunday. Not completely injured but I might as well be. As usual, this is infuriating. The bright side is that I was able to get in a good amount of stretching and do some direct pressure on the problem area. I found a spot that was quite tender and in need of the work.

Tue 4/28 - off

HS meet directly to the basketball game, the only running I did was the mile or so down Congress Street from the usual parking spot to the Garden, and it felt quite awkward and stiff after standing around in the sun all afternoon.

Mon 4/27 - PM 75 minutes very easy

Area 51. About what I expected in that the right hip was quite sore at the start and very gradually improved over time. I couldn't help noticing that much of the soreness was located near the iliac crest as opposed to the adductor area where the root of the problem lies. As has been the case recently, the whole area felt much better after the run was over than it did during the day at work. Especially sore in the morning. Warm conditions and getting warmer as the day wore on.

Sun 4/26 - AM/PM - 70 minutes incl. 5k in 16:14

Less than stellar effort at Groton this year, compromised equally by the unusually warm weather and of course, continued problems with the hip. Like last year, I put my effort into the 5k and hoped to cruise the 10k at 5:45-50 pace or so and see if I could get any age group swag for it. Very windy conditions all day in addition to the warmth, made the 5k somewhat tactical but still faster than I would like. Had to press until 400 to go in order to secure the final money slot. Mile splits of 5:04 (flat), 5:06 (downhill), and 5:25 (uphill). Frustrating in that the lack of workouts of late left me unable to stay with the leaders the last mile. Right hip held together relatively well through the warmup and 5k, but the 10k was another matter. I spent most of the 50 minute break between races laid out under a shady tree sipping fluids, felt fairly sanguine about the whole thing. Then the gun went off and I realized to my dismay that the hip had tightened up so much I couldn't run any faster than a steady pace. Thought about stopping right there, decided to wait it out and while it got a little better I still was only able to manage 6:00 pace for the first two miles, at which point the heat took over and I melted down. Slowed it down to 7 minute pace from 2 to the long-awaited water stop at 4.5. Walked it in from there taking the direct route. Hip felt inflamed as well as tight and sore after what I did to it, surprising in how bad it was. The 5k left more of a mark than I thought it would. Did the usual stretching and self-massage which feels more and more like a holding action.

Sat 4/25 - double, 2 hours total

AM - 90 minutes, Lincoln woods. Mostly very easy, picked up the pace somewhat the last half hour or so. Hip felt like garbage pretty much the entire time, unlike yesterday. Very warm and getting warmer as the run progressed, but thankfully dry.

PM - 30 minutes with 4x200 on the track. Hip somewhat better than in the morning which isn't saying much. Still felt awkward and uncomfortable. Annoying as hell, continuing on with the stretching and self-massage but it's hard to see progress since Tuesday.

Fri 4/25 - PM 80 minutes

Track Road to Area 51. Hip feeling better today compared to yesterday, although still not feeling up to doing strides on the way in. Still, moving more quickly than on recent days. Finished just as the sun was setting on a warm dry day, conditions close to ideal with only a modest breeze.

Thu 4/23 - PM 60 minutes

Area 51 to the MHS track where I did 8 100m strides with the considerable (and obnoxious) wind at my back. Hip has felt better recently, but also worse. Marginally better on the last stride than the first, but still awkwardly uncomfortable. Tired and flat after spending most of the day outside at track-related functions getting raked by the spring breeze.