Today was a biggie for the training plan: first 13 miler scheduled. By the end of the run I felt so good that I tacked on 1 extra. Taa-daa: it's my longest run in years, 14 miles.
Summary of workout: Planned to due 13 miles of loops around neighborhood. First mile 8:10 then forced myself to slow down. In hindsight I'm thinking the slower pace is unnaturally changing my gait and leading to the new pain. Pain set in around mile 5 as I settled into a 8:45 pace. By mile 7 the pain was really bothering me and I decided to cut the workout short, down to 10 miles. Decided to speed up to get it over with sooner...also had a busy day ahead so less time running would be more time with family. Mile 8=8:16 and then mile 9=8:02 and by that time the pain had subsided almost completely. Changed plan back to 13 provided the pain doesn't return. Mile 10=8:22, mile 11=8:16 and feeling fine. Had gatorade & Gu on front porch, could only pick those up at mile 6, 7, 12. Felt good, had fully hydrated before, and took a Gu before too. Mile 12=8:38 which included at least 30 seconds of walking on driveway to down a final Gu. Felt so good - and pain totally gone in an endorphin bath of huge proportions - so that I decided to blast the final mile. Mile 13=7:30. On cloud nine, trying not to sprint but feeling an enormous surge of energy... decided to tack on just one more. Mile 14=7:32 and I could've done much faster than that. Or, certain that I could've done 5 miles if I hadn't blasted the final 2 miles.
Total: 14 miles in 1:56.
All did not go smoothly. I planned to run slow, as everything I read says do the LSD runs one minute slower than your goal marathon race pace. Goal is 3:30 @ 8 min. pace, so long efforts should be 9 min.pace. I did the first 5 at easy pace and I just couldn't go any slower, not nearly 9 min.pace. As i've said before, I find it difficult and ackward to run slower. It just doesn't feel natural. So at around 5 mile mark I began to get a pain in my lower left leg. I've had most of the common runner's aches & pains before, but nothing like this.
Description: on the outside (lateral) left leg, about an inch & a half below the knee is a bump, which after looking up in my anatomy book I know it's the lateral tuberosity of the fibula (or superior terminal?). Anyway, the pain originates there, and shoots downward several inches. Pain fires on each foot strike, and is somewhat sharp. Pain gone when walking, standing, resting. Again, from my anatomy book: there are two tendons which anchor onto this spot of the fibula. Above is the biceps of hamstring. Below is the perioneal, which is a small muscle on the front/lateral lower leg... looks like it works in dorsaflexion of the foot. I'm assuming the lower muscule is the problem with the pain radiating downward. Could it be tendonitis? Or a fasciitis of the covering sheath?
Today was also the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby, which meant that i was on my feet helping to work the track & event for like 4 hours immediately after the run. I should've been home with ice & elevated rest, etc. What's that RICE stand for again? LOL. More on new pain/injury as things progress.
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i have no idea what the bump/pain is, as i have no bio/anatomy brain cells left, but i hope you can figure it out soon! i'm glad i could help bring you out of the funk. i know it can be hard to read/write about running when you can't really get out and run. the 14miler sounds great otherwise - not all long runs have to be slow, but (in my opinion) you don't want to be doing them all too fast either. i'd think as long as you are comfortable with the pace you should be fine?
ReplyDeletecongrats on the running club award and a great placing at the derby! i love that m&m's was featured on the car - what a great idea! :)