Monday, October 13, 2008

For every good run...

There is always a bad one. I was so excited after my 20 miler. Actually elated. Then it changed. I actually thought that the knee was totally healed but I think I was wrong. I will be completely honest, I didn't want to run my 8 miler this weekend. But I got out of bed, got dressed and figured that once I got out there I'd be fine. It was in the 70's, the leaves are beautiful, and for the first few steps I was actually doing alright. But then I turned my I-Pod on and it seems that every song that was playing was just annoying the crap out of me. I think I was just easily irritated and would have preferred no music but I had already started the darn thing with music. Right before midpoint, my knee started acting up. I decided to readjust my knee band by tightening it up a little. Bad idea. My knee was hurting worse. So then I stopped and loosened the thing. My knee still hurt but not as bad as it did when it was tight. I trudged on. Made it halfway, turned around, and the wind was something fierce. My pace slowed down alot. Running out there I was at about a 9:10 min/mile. Running back I was 10:10. I walked a few times, yelled at my knee and the wind, and kept going. Somehow I made it back with an average pace of 10:00 min/mil.

Anyways, my knee feels kind of icky today but not near as bad as it used to after a brutal long run. So at least I have that going for me. Today I'm doing a 4 miler with Amanda and then after that I think I just have a 3 and 2 miler...then I'm done tapering. I can't believe my marathon is already this weekend...scary!

One good thing to take out of all of this...today is my birthday. And it's warm outside, albeit rainy and gross, but warm.

10 comments:

Irish Cream said...

Happy Birthday, Rachel! I can't believe it's already time for your marathon this weekend!! Rest that knee up ;) You're going to do great--and it will be the BEST birthday present to yourself ever when you cross that finish-line :)

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday!! Well it's good that you had that bad run now and not in the big day, which is right around the corner!! You're going do great, just try to rest as much as possible!!

Have a great day!

Don said...

I've recently discovered that my knees really like a soft, foam-rubber cover, for warmth and maybe stability. I have a slight ITB problem that doesn't appear when I wear them (TCM) and does appear when I don't (Saturday's running).

This is the web page for the one I use: McDavid 401. I don't know where to get them any more, because the store where I boght my two pairs has closed. But the web is an infinite resource :-)

And happy birthday to you!

EmLit said...

Happy Belated Birthday! I have definitely had those days where every little thing about the run gets under your skin. Good luck this weekend, I can't wait to hear about how it goes!

Steve Stenzel said...

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!!

Take it easy on that knee, and GOOD LUCK this weekend!!!

Alissa said...

Good luck this weekend! You are going to do great. Just keep icing the knees and don't run much between now and then and you should be fine. And happy belated b-day!!!

*jen* said...

HAPPY (belated) BIRTHDAY RACHEL!!! I hope it was awesome. Sorry about your crappy run, but you're right, the bad comes with the good. I can't wait to read your race report. You are going to kick so much ass!!!

Emily said...

Hey Happy Birthday! It's nice to know that everyone has good runs and bad runs. But after such a good run doesn't it make you want to scream "WTF?? I just did this two days ago!" I'll send some positive thoughts your way this weekend! Good luck!!

Anonymous said...

Best of luck tomorrow!! Have an awesome race!! Cant wait to read how it was!

Topher said...

Hey, hope you had a great race yesterday! I tried looking you up in the unofficial time postings and found a couple of Rachels. Both of them blew my time away, so congrats! I don't know your last name.

I finished in 5:15, not quite what I'd hoped for, but I finished.

Can't wait to read your race report.