Fletch_NC - My running partner is a 5yo black lab (pure).  I take him on runs of 4 miles or less (mostly my weekday runs).  He loves it, and gets a bit put out when I head out for longer distances.

Saturday morning saw a return of the humidity, so I limited my run to 10k.  Spent an hour in the weight room on Sunday with DW.  Today is going to be a rest day.

Hope you all had great weekends!

16 miles on the track.  Felt good.

TRI group was there doing speed work... they are fast!

Nice running Chantilly!!  Especially when it feels good!!  

Chantilly~16 "felt good" miles - those kind of days are a treasure!

Dan~What model Garmin did DS get?  I really admire TRI athletes, but although I spent summers at the lake with grandparents, my swimming ability is lousy at best! Last weekend, the USA Sprint Nationals were in town with over 5000 athletes.  Earlier in the week, I,ve never seen so many runners/cyclist downtown!  They had gorgeous weather, too.

WDWRich~The humidity didn't keep you down, great run adn x-training!

adkkev~Continue to share the beautiful photos of your outings.  Nice canoes, too  Kevlar?

Missed 2 training runs over the weekend.  DH and I drove back up to Peninsula to pick up DS from XC camp.  DS looked as he had grown another inch, lost 3 pounds and was so tan!  Brought my running gear, but decided to hike and kayak with DH.  The bay was like glass on Sunday morning.  paddled to view the caves at the 150' bluffs in the park.

Monday - 11 miles at the indoor track due to thunderstorms. Hockey / figure skaters on the ice, but suprisingly, had the track to myself.  Great music on the sound system made for a great run.  Steely Dan, Pink Floyd and Tom Petty, yea!

Tuesday - SRD

Run strong, friends!

Greetings from the sidelines!

Dan - nice running with DS.  The TRI sounds like fun...except for the biking...and the swimming!   Hope your good weather is holding out this week.

adkkev - Nice runs.  Keep the pictures coming...that is BEAUTIFUL country!

Deb - Sounds like a nice Sunday morning outing with DH.  And a good run on Monday...should be, with that music playing!

Chantilly - Anytime you can use the terms "16 miles" and "felt good" to refer to the same workout...that's a GOOD DAY!

WDWRich - Nice 10k run.  Labs make good running partners.  My frequent running partner is a terrier mix named Brady.  Lots of energy, but he gets a little perturbed if I'm not moving fast enough to suit him.

Still no-go for me.  I'm giving it a few more days, and then calling the doc if it's not improving.  I didn't expect to be running by now, but I thought it would feel better than it does.  I'm going stir crazy.

Happy Running!

adkkev Looks like fairly clear water in that photo.  Nice area.

gito57  Sounds like it is great where you were out on the water, too. Nice to have the track when thunderstorms roll in.

Fletch_NC Did you look at any of the physiotherapy videos on youtube about achilles' problems? I have used some of their exercises for different aches and pains.  If you have coverage, a real physiotherapist may be helpful.

rmcj001 Good to hear that you are feeling better. Pretty fast run for going back out, no wonder the legs complained a little.

8 miles at 6 AM.

4 miles after lunch in sunny 82F.

Didn't feel as hot as last week.  Sept. marathon was 84F by noon a couple of years ago, so need to be acclimatized.

adkkev:  Gorgeous photos!! Keep them coming!! DW certainly taking in the idyllic canoeing in some picturesque country!! Dodging those T-storms can be a hit or miss. Stay safe.

Rich:  So glad you're doing better and getting some good running in!

Fletch:  I can relate to the 'craziness' of not running.  Ray has a good suggestion, I've heard of running/jogging downhill working different sore muscles, it takes time but be patient.  I do hope that it comes around.  You're being smart on not pushing it.

Chantilly:  Still amazing, girl!!  Where is the Sept. marathon?

Ray:  What a relief that it doesn't sound too serious.  Hope it continues to heal.

Deb:  You've been busy .......driving back and forth and finding time to run, wow!!  Sometimes a different activity keeps those long runs intact!  WTG on taking to the water and hiking!!  I would like to do more kayaking so I will keep you and adkkev in mind for some suggestions.  Have you tried board paddling?  Hey those are my kind of rock tunes too!

Hello Everyone!

   Fletch - I'm no expert on sports medicine but my own experience with tendon injuries is that they take time to heal and to put further stress on it might set you back even further - worse case scenario is that it is weak and could snap and you would have to get it reattached which would put you out of the running for many months. Of course you have to be the one who ultimately makes decisions on how to proceed to help it heal. My doctor said when I was injured that to massage the tendon would increase circulation and help speed healing. If you want to try alternative medicine you can get magnets that are alleged to decrease inflammation. I am not really sure if they work, but I heard they do use them on race horses! Also, if you have a juicer you can make fresh vegetable juices which have healing properties as well.

 Debra - It must have been a very relaxing time camping without all the technological distractions! Sounds like a lovely park for canoeing and trails. Also, you are lucky to have a nice indoor track to run on in the bad weather with some cool music too!

 WDWRich - Nice speed run, good that the heat and humidity was lower. Chantilly - some good long runs, looks like your on track for your marathon training. Dan - I also like to bike as cross training, it seems to develop different muscles in the leg. Nice run with DS.

  adkkev - WOW! Really nice photos! Upstate NY has some great scenery, particularly in Adirondack Park . I would like to see other runners post some photos, I am curious what it is like to run in different parts of the country, and I will try to take some pictures of where I run in the Finger Lakes region to share as well. I also was concerned about rain on my Tuesday run, glad there was a break in the afternoon.

 Ray - You were smart to rest from running for a while and to run over 7 miles with a fast time shows you have recovered well! Hope you continue to improve.

 Az - Glad to hear that you recovered from feeling sick and are back to doing runs. I hate it when I get sick and it sets me back in my training, but it's best to rest up until you feel better.

   Here is how my week went: I took a rest day Thursday after my long run last Wednesday and only had time for a short 1.82 mile run on Friday. Saturday I did my 3.87 mile run and noticed improvement in my speed, I guess the longer runs are helping. I seem to be in transition from a jogging stride to something more like really stretching my legs a little and pushing off and really trying to be into more of a running form. Part of me was holding back and I found myself in an awkward, hesitant, in-between form, but since I have been training well I made myself do the longer strides and if not exactly in true running form all the time at least making improvement. When I did this run a week before it was at a slow 12:23 pace, this time it was 10:34! I followed up with a Sunday run of 4.96 miles and then on Monday a run of 3.66 that goes downhill for the first half then rises 250 feet for the next 1 1/2 miles. My long run was Tuesday and I had concerns about rain, considered doing it early because it was not raining when I got up, but glad I waited because it soon came down hard! By 1 PM the heavy rain had passed and I started my 11.92 mile run. Light drizzle at the start which soon stopped, it was overcast and windy and 82 degrees when I left. This course starts a gradual uphill climb at mile 2 which continues to almost mile 9 with a gain of about 250 feet and then it is mostly an easy downhill from there! Easier than last week which ended with a steep hill! There was some cooling light rain at the midway point and then some brief interludes of sun after mile 7. I had some nice views of the valley and it was a quiet run through rural areas with fields of soybeans and tall fields of corn, also some ponds surround by black cattle (Angus?). I finished in 2:26:27, a 12:18 pace. Temperature had gone down to 77. Rain returned in the evening with some thunder storms. I plan a 13.14 mile run next week and then no more long runs until the HM on the 31st.