milestone

64 miles this month.  Not bad for nursing a trick knee.  That mileage is more than 6 different months of the last 2yrs.  So, not too shabby.  I need 83 miles to go over 17,000.  I just love hitting those 1000 mile milestones!!

plugging

Slow, slow 7 miler this morning at Townlake.   Left knee is still bugging me but I'm gonna keep plugging away at it!!

older

Good 15 miler at the lake this Saturday morning.  I made it to Buddy's house in 1:30 and texted Misty that I had arrived safely and that I was gonna hang with Buddy for a half hour or so.  She replied asking if I would be back in a certain time and I said no, that I would be much slower on the return.  Well, I lied.  My return was 5 minutes slower than the way out.  3:05 total run time with a total clock time of 3:42.  WOW!!  Did not expect that at all.  As I've grown older I feel slower and slower and less fluid in my running motion but it doesn't always translate to slower times.  As I got within a couple of miles of finishing Saturday I realized that this was going to be one of those deceivingly good days and that on some days I've still got it!!!

Ken's

Very good run at Ken's yesterday after work in 1:15!!  I've been feeling a bit like I've gotten out of shape so I pushed a little harder than usual and it paid off with a good time.  Knee was a bit achy but at least it's back to where it was before the loop race.  Foam roller and lunges this morning!!

West Texas

Not a lot to say about the trip to Big Bend this weekend besides it was freaking awesome!!  Big Bend has simply got to be one of the most beautiful places on earth and I'll leave it at that.  My cousin Justin and his brother in law Marc are a joy to be around and we already have a tentative date set for a return trip in Nov.  The original plan was to hike the Dodson trail (20 miles out and back) but after a terrible nights sleep and some soul searching I suggested that we do the long version of the South Rim instead (short is 12 miles, long is 15).  The South Rim hike is THE hike people come from all over the world to do and I was already feeling a little guilty about the three of us doing MY thing.  I knew they would be very happy with the change in plans once we actually got to the South Rim and they were.  I also knew when we go to the South Rim they would be as intrigued as I am about doing the 30 mile Outer Mountain Loop. With their map reading and navigation skills we were able to get a pretty good visual idea about where the Outer Mountain trail is as we looked down on the desert floor.
I have some close friends who've done amazing things, 2 who've done the Grand Slam of ultra running. Another has completed several races of the Grand Slam.  Multiple friends who've run the Boston Marathon.  A friend who's done several Ultraman's also!!  I suppose we all want to leave our mark or have a legacy of some kind.  For several years I've put a bit of pressure on myself to do the ONE big thing to raise myself up to my friends status as having done "the big one".  I do have a few races I can hang my hat on but not the one that says, "Jeff Farrell did__________!!"  2 Rocky Raccoon 100 mile finishes do not qualify as big by the way, although my 24:47 finish at the age of 48 is somewhat up there.  My 50 mile and 50k PR's are pretty darn good.  8:52 and 4:53 but not the one BIG thing.  I've decided I'm done chasing that "thing".
After this weekend it's looking like my personal legacy will be my time spent in west Texas, specifically Guadalupe Mountains and Big Bend and surrounding areas.  I have 2 very ready and willing cohorts in my cousin Justin and his brother in law Marc G.  Marc loves west Texas so much he's looking into purchasing several acres in Brewster Co. and converting a steel container into a liveable place to stay a few times a year.  This most recent trip to Big Bend was my 9th trip to either Big Bend or Guadalupe Mountains with a 10th trip in the works back to Big Bend in November.  So, the immediate goals are maintaining my running health, getting in the occasional 50 miler or 50k, continuing my 15yr+ average of 20 mile weeks in pursuit of running enough miles to get get around the globe (25,000) and a TRIP EVERY SIX MONTHS TO WEST TEXAS!!!

sideways

Pretty darn good 7 miler at Townlake this morning.  I did it in 1:18 despite my knee still being in serious recovery mode.  The knee is definitely coming along nicely.  I have to continue with the foam roller, in fact that is something that I'll always need to do.  I always knew it was important but it's truly amazing how quickly it's helping my knee turn around.  Wednesday mornings is now going to be my running drill morning.  Thankfully I have a hill with a good amount of elevation right in my 'hood that I will use to do some backward walking. I have a gut feeling that that is going to help my knee immensely.  I'm going to research some other running drills but I know I'll also be doing some sideways running.  The lateral movement should help too.

mend

Got in an early 5 miles Saturday morning before we headed to San Antonio.  The knee felt pretty good most of the way but hurt a bit coming down the hill on Scribe so when I got back to the house I did another loop and showed it who is boss.  2nd shorter loop went well.  It's definitely on the mend.  June is the month I need to start ramping up my mileage for the Cactus Rose 50 mile!!

pain free

I had a relatively pain free 4 miler with Shan this morning.  It should have been our usual 7 miler but I made a  smart call to cut it short.  We ran at a fairly easy pace and I focused on controlled short steps.  We had one walk break when we turned west on Riverside and then walked in over the Lamar bridge.  So, no real pain even though I can tell it's still not right and have a ways to go, I'm definitely headed in the right direction after being in severe pain 8 days ago!!  I'm trying desperately NOT to worry about my monthly mileage!!

Allen Park

4 mile run from our new office yesterday after work.   I ran north on Balcones turned left on Hart Ln and the 1st left into the resdential neighborhood, 150yds on the left is Allen Park. 7/10ths of a mile.  It's a nice little wooded park with lots oak trees and picnic tables.  It didn't take me very long to figure out the trails with the far outside trail being only .4 mile with some inner trails thrown in.  Not sure how much running I'll do here but it's there if I want it.

I'm encouraged about my knee.  It hurt very little until the 3ish mile mark which tells me it's improving.  I'm going to keep doing the all the exercises he's got me doing and I also emailed him with questions on some others I may need to be doing as well.

thursday

Forgot to post that Thursday between morning and afternoon workouts I did 400 crunches, 150 pushups and several sets of curls with 25lb dumbells.  Haven't done shit since though......life sure can get in the way sometimes.....

injured

Well, I'm officially injured.  My left knee hurt terribly after my ill advised attempt to run last Wed morning, 4 days after completing 52 miles at Run Like the Wind the previous Saturday.  Since last Wednesday I've been using the foam roller diligently as Shan suggested and it seems to be working.  Last Wednesday and Thursday I could barely navigate the stairs at work but by Friday the knee was much better. Saturday morning I had a good 2 mile walk with little or no pain.  Misty and I walked 3 miles at Ken's Sunday and again I had little or no pain so I thought I'd be good for an easy 5+ miles at Kens yesterday after work.  NOT!!  The pain started immediately when I started running yesterday and didn't ease up at all so I bailed at the 3 mile mark.  Funny thing is, not long after I got home I had little or no pain again and today I'm not in any pain and have gone up and down the stairs at work a couple of times with a tad of discomfort, nothing major, no sharp pain like I had when I was running.

I realize this isn't going to be fixed quickly and that I'll have to be patient.  Reenie thinks she knows something that will help so I've got an appt with her after work today and I won't be shy about going to Richard McCormick either.

tuesday

180 sit ups

60 pushups