10K Once Around the Herndon Parkway (counterclockwise)

It's official.  I've given up my attempt to convert to a mid-foot strike!

After bad runs the past two outings... pain in my hip and back and blisters on my feet... slower pacing and less endurance... I decided to call it quits.

Today I headed out to run a lap of the Herndon Parkway and I ran with my old gait from the start to the finish and I felt great!!!

I'm not sure how to interpret the failure.  Was it that my form was bad?  Maybe I was doing something wrong and a running coach could have fixed it.  Maybe my body is just built for more of a heel-strike?  I don't know and really, at this point I don't care.  I'm happy with how I feel when I'm running like this and that's all that matters to me at this point in my life.

One week later... 5 miles on the W&OD

It's been one week since I tweaked my back and I haven't run since.  My back is fine now so today I headed out for a run.  The weather was beautiful and I was feeling rested.  I was hoping to run 8 miles, so I ran out four miles and turned around.  However during the 4th mile I was getting a blister spot on my right foot (again) and also my left hip was bothering me.  After the turn-around at mile 4 I switched back to a heel-striking gait and the rubbing that was causing the blister stopped.  My hip still bothered me so after 5 miles I stopped running and walked the remaining 3 miles home.

I think I have to declare the switch-over to the so-called "Good Form Running" a failure.  I'm going to return to the running style that I employed and enjoyed all of last year.

2 Miles and then...

Strained my back yesterday moving a stereo (helping set up for the grand opening of Home Design Outlet Center VA, my wife Handan's new store). Today I tried running but after two miles had to call for a rescue. The back is hurting and I'm going horizontal for the rest of the day. :(

Quarter-mile splits

6 Miles on the Local Loop

After work the weather was beautiful so I headed out to run the local loop of Folly Lick, Sugarland Run and Runnymead Park trails.  I hadn't run in nearly a week and my legs were feeling fresh.  However after about 5 miles I started to develop the feeling of a blister on my left foot, and also my left hip had some pain.  Thankfully the pain that I had a week or so ago on top of my left foot (extensor tendonitis) was nowhere to be seen.

I quit after 6 miles with an average speed of around 9:00.

7 Miles on the W&OD Trail

I really wanted to run 10 today, but after 7 my left hip was sore and I was running out of gas as well. I ran more this week than I have in a while, and the fact that I ran hills two days ago helped make my legs tired. Still, it was a good 7 miles at a fairly consistent pace. And I ran in my New Balance Minimus (MX20) shoes which I'm beginning to really like. They're light and I feel like I'm running with very little on my feet.

10K on a Hilly Loop

I'm planning on running the DC Ragnar Relay later this year and there are a lot of hills on the course.  So in addition to having endurance I'm going to need to build up my hill running skills.  With this in mind I chose to run a 10K hilly loop today.

It was another beautiful day in Herndon... sunny and 50 and no wind. Great for running hills. I did a 2 mile loop, downhill followed by a return uphill climb. I managed to keep my pace under 9:00 / mile average which was my goal. 

7 Miles on the W&OD Trail

Today after work I ran 7 miles on the W&OD Trail.  The weather was unusually warm... almost 70 on February 1st.  Very strange to run in shorts and a light shirt when by all accounts it should be near freezing outside.

My legs weren't feeling as strong as when I ran 7 yesterday in DC.  Of course back-to-back runs will do that. And the fact that I was running after work instead of before lunch makes a difference too.  In any event, I ran the 7 miles at an 8:52 pace (compared to yesterday's 8:42 pace) and I'm happy with that.