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.