Tough Day

Today was cold in Atlanta with a pretty solid wind. The plan was to go as far as I could up to 21 miles as this was the last long run of the marathon training before the recovery started.

The plan was to start the run in Piedmont Park and head west for 10 mile loop and then return back to the club tent in the park. Take a bathroom break, refill our liquids, and then head west for 11 mile loop back to the park and tent.

There was a group of about 8 people doing the 21 mile course today. Smaller than most runs for the marathon group but I think that was because of the weather.

I started the run with some feeling of soreness in both knees but much more in the left knee. Right now the right knee is fine and isn't a concern at all. So I started off the run and felt pretty good besides the constant ache in the left knee. Part of the course we ran was the same as on marathon day. My first experience of any part of the course. Good thing I am seeing some of these roads now because they are a lot of hills and some rather steep ones. Now I know why people were saying this marathon isn't easy. So up and down and up and down we ran for about 5 miles, holding a pretty good pace, and then made the turn back to the park. During the run back I got one sharp pain in my knee but it went away pretty quick. Some light conversation with a few of the runners took my mind off my knee and made the returning 5 miles pretty easy. Once back to the tent we refilled out liquids, did a light stretch, took a GU, and went to the bathroom (there is a public no touch toilet right next to the tent). It was still pretty cold and one of the coaches asked me how I was feeling. I said my knee was sore but overall I was pleased. So after about 5 - 10 min we start our route west. About 3/4 of a mile heading out of the park the sharp pain in my left knee returned and my knee locked up pretty good. I told the others to go ahead I would catch up and I headed to a park bench and started stretching my legs out to see if the pain would decrease. After about 5 min. of stretching, poking, and prodding of the knee I couldn't get the knee to loosen up or the pain to go away so I made the dreaded decision to head back to the tent. I knew I wasn't going to make it 11 miles so rather than push it I jogged/walked my way back to the tent and headed home for some stretching and ice.

The rest of the day the knee was stiff and sore but the sharp pain went away. Wednesday when I was at 1st Choice they said I probably wouldn't be able to make the 21 mile run but to run until I couldn't any longer. So I was pleased in that manner that I made it 10.5 miles but my confidence of making it 26.2 is decreasing and at this point that isn't what I am looking for.

Any day I can't complete a planned run is a bad day and tough day.