Week 14, 58k

This week, super. Super because I made it through without an unusual amount of pain and hit my goal. Super because these new shoes are working out pretty darn well. Super because I figured out that the shoes I bought this fall, which I thought were wasted, are not. Super because I feel an injury starting, but I know how to treat it, I think, and that makes me feel in control and optomistic. In a way, it was super because just 7 days ago I thought I might be facing the end of the line. My feet in constant pain, barely able to make my miles for the week, I thought it might be time to throw in the towel. That is something that I love and hate about running, the highs and the lows. This week high, last week low.
This week I did the 20k Monday, which doesn't really count for this weeks total, but last weeks. Then I did 7 Tuesday, took wed off, Thursday 12, Friday 7, Saturday 25, and Sunday 7. What does that give the week? 58, if you weren't already adding that together. Its a few kilometers short of what i was hoping, 60, but what is 2k? Screw it. I had a good week.
I continue to mainly run on the Asic Gel 16's, but I put the NB 993's back in the rotation. Unfortunately the Saucony Shadows are dead. I tried running on them Sunday, but they clearly were out anything good they ever had to give me. Thanks for the kilometers Saucony Shadows. Sayonara. The other two pairs of shoes are a bit heavy as far as running shoes go, but they all make me happy which is what I am aiming for. If I get a little extra money and happen to be near a good shoe store, I will pick up a pair of lighter shoes, something geared towards running 10k and not really long runs.
Today Aya and I were talking about how my running is going, we went to a sold out movie so had a long drive home to talk. I think after this marathon I will scale back for a bit. Two reasons for that. First, I am getting a bit bored having to run. I guess, that is part of training, but when you face 3 hours of running that you don't particularly take enjoyment from it starts to grind on you. Second thing is that in about 6 months we will be packing up our life to move somewhere else and I don't want to be in the middle of a great program just to lose it to 2 weeks of inactivity. I think, the next step, is aim for about 30 or 40k a week and focusing on making my 5 and 10k stronger. Quality, not quantity. Maybe, just maybe, I will do another marathon next spring, but I think this summer I will focus on taking my 5k and 10k beyond my best times.

Week 13 (54k,kind of)

This week has some things to talk about. Yes, I reached 54k which is what I was aiming for (7,10,7,10,20)and I am happy about that, but it didn't come about exactly like I expected it to and I thought, right up to the end,that it wasn't going to happen.
Those aches I felt in my feet became way more intense. By Tuesday last week I was feeling dull aching all the time, both feet, like in my sleep aches. It got me to thinking, both feet? For real!? Which got me to thinking, both feet? hm, problem solved, I need new shoes. While in Tokyo I went to the Asics store, which was way over staffed and really really busy, but also hit the nail on the head for me. There I took a little test where they popped some sensors on my foot then stuck one foot at a time into a box and scanned them as I stood. They took readings of how my feet are shaped and how I was standing. Presto, information. So I pronate, and my left foot is a bit flat, and both my feet are narrow! I knew about the pronation, but wow, I feel like I huge jerk for spending all this time running and not taking the time to do this very simple, and free, test. So I broke the bank and got some new shoes that they recommended, hoping hoping hoping that these would help the pain in my feet and maybe be nice shoes to boot. I just got 6 more weeks, I can make it! (right?)
Long story short, they are awesome. I got the Asics Gel Kayano 16's which is funny because I was just reading about them this past week. I can say they are good because I have already put 27k on them (its wed night) and my feet have no pain at all and haven't from the moment I slipped those on.
Second story, I didn't exactly get 54 within the confines of the week, I did my long run Monday instead of Sunday because Sunday I was too hung over to get up in time to run around the palace which is awful, I know, but let me explain. I went to Tokyo to meet up with my friend Yoshitsugu, whom I met on the farm in Shizuoka, the farmer's son. We promised to meet up in Tokyo. We did, and I met a few of his friends and pretty early on I decided it would be better to have a good night with all of them then run the next day. You have to understand, for a foreign person living in the country like I do, finding a good Japanese guy friend is like finding a coelacanth swimming in your bath tub. So I didn't run Sunday, but I put 20 in Monday on the new shoes, then 7 the next day, and today I biked and lifted weights to give my walking sticks a break. Tomorrow 12, then 7 Friday, 25 on Saturday, 7 Sunday, I hope. Feeling good, I hope it lasts.

Week 12 (45k)

This weeks running was good. Coming out of the shadow of an injury is never a pleasant time and although I got 45k in this week I am not feeling very happy about my running right now. Its been... oh, maybe 3 weeks since I have had a chance to run outside. Being hurt and then with all the snow we have had here, there is not good chance to get out. Sometimes the sidewalks are clear enough at noon that I would consider running on them, but then by night when I can go out they are frozen over or it has snowed again. This weekend I am going to Tokyo to meet up with a friend so I am hoping to get in some outside running there around the empirial palace, maybe do my weekend's long run there and make it worth it.
Otherwise my foot feels fine. Both feet have some dull aching that I havent really had before, but I dont think much of it, just normal ache I think. Race day is about 6 weeks away. I plan to do 55 next week, then 65 the week after. The next two weeks after that I am revising my running plan to a few short runs during the week and a monster run on the weekends reaching a peak mile week. I think 3 and 4 weeks from now I hope to hit 70 and 75k with a 30 and 35k long run at least, maybe I will go to 40. I would like to, but things havent been going as planned so maybe I shouldnt go that far until I have to. i would rather make there slow than not make it at all.

Week 10(5k) and 11(5k)

Week 10 and 11 were awful. Period and. First, during week 9 I had a really long run on Sunday, 20k, and felt good after, little pain in the feet but nothing I was too worked up about. Long runs leave you hurting a bit, I wasn't worried.
Come Monday I got right back on the horse and went to the gym to do a little lifting and a 5k warm up. As soon as I got my shoes on I noticed my foot was tender on the side, like... the outside of the foot opposite of the arch. Despite being tender I thought that I would give it a go anyways. I did the 5k and after spent the rest of my lifting hobbling around the gym on the ball of my foot because my foot was so tender. Obviously wasn't a good idea to run I guess. So I thought I would take a few days off, which I did, and tried to run again on Thursday. I got about 1/2k before I could tell my foot was sore and swelling again. Boy was I pissed. Week 10 and 11 fell during my winter vacation, which means I had tons of time to run, but was not able to. Despite wanting to pound my foot into oblivion just to teach it a lesson I sat it out for 10 days.
Today was the end of that ten days and the end of week 11. I went back to the gym and did 5k and lifted today. The foot didn't hurt or swell, but it did feel a bit funny. Now for the source of the pain. I don't know. It was not a gradual pain, it just appeared after the 20k, and then really throbbed when I ran on it the next day. I think it might be from the shoes I have been wearing, so I will try to get some different ones, trying to order some tonight, but otherwise I guess i will just stick to the shoes I think are good and ice my feet like crazy.