Ok, enough of last week! C'mon you guys we can do this! Yesterday's 20 went pretty well. Foot pain toward the end though and that's strange because running is usually when my foot feels ok! Found out last night I'd grabbed my old shoes. Doh! That was stoopid. So, iced it last night and took Ibu... more today. Feeling a little better. Stoopid metatarsals. Sadly though, I'm beginning to realize this may be a chronic thing and part of my "new normal" as I go forward. *sigh* oh well. 20.2 miles at 8:21 avg pace... that includes a couple of walk breaks, but less than 2 minutes total. Never felt like I was "pushing it" just got a sore foot as I went along. So today I might do an easy 4 on the treadmill... or might just skip it. This is a cutback week anyway leading up to my half-marathon on Saturday. I'd rather have my foot feel better than get in 4 stinkin' ol' miles. But we'll see how the evening unfolds. Hope MrInertia is doing ok. How's everybody else doing?

Hello. Erika, sounds like a pretty strong 20. Shan, totally understandable not to run. I have found those long car trips you need to run before the trip, else you don't do it at all. I didn't run today, but aqua jogged in the pool while the kids tried to douce me with water. We're in Northern MN close to Bemidji where we have a cabin rented. If you remember we did a similiar vacation last year and I was miserably sick the entire week. Really nice to NOT be sick. There is a county road near by that is not too busy and is workable. I like trails so much better than roads, I tend to not worry about being road kill on trails. I dropped off water for tomorrow morning. DH is not stewing too much about not being able to rise at 5:30 a.m. to fish. We feel a little guilty being on vacation. DH's Grandma (yes 3 deaths in July) died and funeral was Saturday. It was funeral or vacation and we picked vacation. Sorry Grandma!

http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20244&page=11 Erika, an orthopedic surgeon on Kick Runners graciously answers questions on dealing with athletes injuries on the above thread. His handle is Rotten Squirrel. He answers questions on metatarsals, sesmiod bones and other foot problems as well as knees, hips, shoulders etc. Sometimes the advice is see a doc. Other times its rest and ibu, or stretches other things to do. He tries to get you back to doing what you love, rather than just saying dont run anymore. No need to learn to live with pain for the rest of your life. End of lecture.

Erika, an orthopedic surgeon on Kick Runners graciously answers questions on dealing with athletes injuries on the above thread.

Nah, I've already seen a good podiatrist for this. He gave me lots of tips for dealing with it, but the #1 thing was stop running for a month or two and see what happens. Sorry, not going there. At least not now. That's a terrible thing to tell an Alaskan runner in springtime!! So, after Equinox, if I don't run RVM (looking unlikely due to travel problems... I've already entered the *#@%* thing!) I will take some time to rest up and do pool running, etc. For now, it's ice, ibu, new shoes (they did help), and softer surfaces. I got some metatarsal pads but lost 'em... I didn't run yesterday. Sometimes the day just gets away from me. Oh well, that's fine. Shan! I don't get mad at you, you silly girl. And actually, after 13.5 hours in the car, a mile shakeout run was probably just what you needed! Just get back on the plan now... Cash.. good tip... don't visit Bugs in July, check.

Bugs - glad you are enjoying the vacation! Cash - you are doing great with the running!! Brian - you are great for getting out there! For now you will have to find something else for father son time. Especially since there will come a day when you might be too cool to hang out with. We aren't talking about my run today... we will talk about my running tomorrow... PS... so my long run saturday was broken up into 3 parts... warm-up, 5k, 6 miles... I think Dave might have pointed that out... and it just occurred to me that Bugs mentioned this last week when I asked about 5k's. And I have to say it was an interesting experience, but definately not that bad! I would probably even consider doing it again only with better fueling.

Video for Shan Day after the Marathon. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-hCuYjvw2I&feature=related 6.9 miles tonight at 8:48 pace while g/f taught water aerobics. Thought of going 7, but then even a short shower would have made me later meeting her downstairs. Better to take a shower and not stink when I get into her car.

8 steamy miles this morning. They were calling for a low of 74, but it was 80 when I stepped out the door at 4:30 this morning. Oh well, run went really well considering. Shan, I like the idea of breaking up a long run that way, might have to consider it sometime. Did you go all out with the 5k? I'm thinking I'd need some rest if I did that, and have never tried a race not going all-out. Maybe that's what I'd need to work on. Later in the program I've scheduled a 5k on Saturday and 13 on Sunday. I'm thinking that shouldn't be too bad. So, lets talk about today's run. Yesterday was that bad, huh? Erika, sorry about the foot, that must really be annoying. Cash, you're cooler than me. I've got some OCD issues (maybe most runners do), but I couldn't stop at 6.9. Maybe part of that is because my wife realizes this and would understand (but probably not tolerate) the extra minute or two. Knowing me for 11 years (geez that makes me sound old), she's used to these sort of things I guess. -Brian

Nice run, Brian. 8 miles is a great mid-week distance. May go for one myself tomorrow. Shan, your calves do not hate you. Way to log the miles. 5 miles myself, progressively faster towards the end. Legs felt better after the run than before. No more squats for me.