Temporary setback

Courtesy of a google image search, above is a photo of a section of the Don Valley bike/running path here in Toronto -- introduced to me by my new running buddy. It's a very picturesque path that runs northeast of the downtown, taking you through some nice wooded areas and away from the windy conditions along the lakefront.

It's been a pleasant run every time for me, until this past Sunday. In a week during which I logged a personal-best 41 miles, my right leg finally began to complain. During our 16 mile run on Sunday, about 9.5 miles into the run, I was greeted with a stabbing, grabbing, biting -- however you want to describe it -- pain behind my right knee.

The pain was so sharp, I had to stop, which is something that hasn't happened before. With past injuries, I've had to slow down and could usually push through it, or I'd stop after trying to jog on it with poor results. This was the first time I've had something so sharp that it forced me to stop right then and there.

We had been going at a nice 8:18 per mile pace for the first nine miles or so before the pain hit. For the rest of the run, I was forced to slow to a 9:10 pace -- a clip that I could keep up without any jarring. The pain popped up a few more times, when we'd try to pick up the pace again, but I was able to at least complete the 16 miles.

So, all in all, even with the pain, we finished the 16 miles in roughly 2 hours, 19 minutes, or 8:42 per mile. I guess that's not too bad for running with a really sore leg. I iced it for a while when I got home and today, a day later, I can feel what seems like swelling on the back of my right leg, above the knee. I'm pretty sure it's a hamstring issue.

It was a disappointing conclusion to what had been a very good week of running. On Tuesday, I did a nine-mile run at 7:57 per mile, which is what I hope to be around for the Vegas half marathon on Dec. 7. On Wednesday, I did some weight training legwork, which could've contributed to the injury. Who knows?

On Thursday, I did a speed workout (8 miles) with six Yasso 800s (half miles) mixed in on the indoor track at our gym. I did a 7:23 mile warmup, followed by 3 miles in the Yasso format: 3:28 800 run (3:32 walk), 3:26 (3:32), 3:30 (3:30), 3:26 (3:33), 3:27 (3:35), 3:20 (3:36). Then, I did 4 miles alternating running/jogging: 7:50, 9:19, 7:28, 9:29.

On Friday, I was down for an eight-mile easy run. This was when the hammy issue first came up. I ran all eight miles at 8:24 per mile, but I had to stop after 7 miles to massage out what felt like a knot in the muscle on the back of my thigh, above the knee. It felt fine for the last mile, but it was similar, not as painful, as what flared up on Sunday.

I'm down to run 44 miles this week, which would set a new personal best, and am scheduled to run 18 miles on Sunday. I plan on sticking to the program, as long as my leg shows improvement by tomorrow. I'll ice it again today and hold off my Tuesday run (nine easy effort miles) until evening, to give it more time to rest and recover.

I don't think this will keep me sidelined long, but I have to be smart about it, too. More later...