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.