Training 4/8-4/14

4/8- Unplanned rest day.  I figure the ankle is as bad as it will get upon rising this morning.  It's sore and swollen and I'm limping pretty badly but thankfully, it is not bruised and I can put weight on it.  Very unlikely that it is broken.  If it's a Grade 1, I still have a chance to be recovered by race day.  If it's Grade 2, I'm out for a month.  No chance that it's Grade 3 or I could not walk at all.  I'll know by the middle-end of this week.

4/9- Swelling has gone down and I am walking "almost normal" but I am still in no condition to run and am unlikely to be able to do so for the next few days at least.  I do believe it is only a Grade 1 sprain but I remain very iffy for Iowa in just 11 days.

4/10- Clearly improving and may be only a few days away from being able to do light jogging.  Today, I walked around the parking lot in the morning and did a few steps of "jogging."  It didn't hurt that much but I could not pick up any speed at all.  Swelling is almost gone and am walking normally but it's still too sore.

PM- Very gingerly jogged 1 lap around Montreat in 4:30 (13:30 pace).  Don't think I made it any worse.  I'll try to beat it tomorrow.  Walked a lap for a cool
Distance=1.0

4/11- AM- 1 lap at Montreat.  A bit less pain though the first few steps were rough.  Once I got in rhythm, it wasn't too painful but I could not get any kind of stride going.  Time improved to 3:47 (11:21 pace) MINUS 2:09.  Here's how bad the detox reaction is: My time was MUCH WORSE after the first spray of TRS than it was just 4 days after a sprained ankle.

I may have to downgrade the distance but I do expect to be able to run in 9 days so the trip is a GO.  I fully expected to be almost recovered within 2-3 weeks.  How the detox will play out is another matter.  That could take 2 years and even then, long-term success is not guaranteed.

PM- 2 laps at Montreat in 6:55 (10:22 pace). MINUS 59.  I was hoping for a sub-10 pace and I fell short.  I was still nearly 1 minute faster per mile over double the distance.  Splits were 3:32-3:23 so I did pick up the pace at the end and I really don't think I am hurting myself by being out here so soon after the injury.
Distance=1.0

4/12- Got through 2 miles at Gold's in 19:52 (9:56 pace).  MINUS 26 over triple the distance.  Goal was to get under 20 and I made it but I felt a little down about this one.  That's probably because I've got such a LOOONG way to go to get back to respectability.
Distance=2.0

4/13- Repeated the 2 mile distance this time out and back on Lakeshore.  Improved to 18:12 (9:06 pace) MINUS 50.  Ankle remains sore but the pain is manageable.  Encouraged by my splits of 9:22-8:50.  Even with the ankle at 100%, I don't think I am much better than 16 minutes over this distance.  Can I do anything more to reduce the detox symptoms?  Maybe temporary use of an adrenal glandular will help.  With 7 days to go until race day, I expect to be able to run the half in Iowa but just like Delaware, there will be no time goal.  All I have to do is average a 13:45 pace to finish within the time limit and I certainly should be able to do that.
Distance=2.0

4/14- AM- 2x1 lap on Montreat.  Opened with a 2:56 (8:48 pace) then actually slipped to a 3:04 (9:12 pace) PLUS 24 after taking 2 adrenal glandulars.  Added a 1 lap cool.  Well, I know it's not the answer but I had to take 2 pills to trigger a reaction strong enough to be considered significant.  That's good.  I want to know quickly if a pill is not good for me but do NOT want the massive reactions.

PM- 3 miles on Lakeshore so I could hit double digits this week.  Finished in 27:53 (9:18 pace) with another negative split.  Comparable pace to yesterday over an extra mile in spite of the glandulars.  I accept this result.  Tried Niacin in a final effort to increase the detox speed.  I got the expected flush but it was a non-factor in the workout so it will not be taken again.  I've done all that I can and have to accept the final outcome, which is likely to be decreased speed but more consistency.  I've said many times that it's a deal that I was willing to make and stand by it today.
Distance=4.0

-10 miles on the week.  YTD= 338