Long Run Bliss

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer! I can't believe how fast it's going by. It seems I haven't fit in all I've wanted to do just yet. Hopefully August will allow me some time to do that! Things at the work place are slowing down somewhat which is nice, but there are still projects that need to get done.

As for training for the Chicago Marathon: My runs are still a bit scattered here and there due to a crazy schedule. I've been putting most of my focus on my weekend long runs, even though my weekday runs have suffered somewhat. I'm typically 4 to 6 miles off of where my weekly mileage should be. Making the long runs count has been pretty important to me.

Last weekend I enjoyed my longest run since the 2009 Chicago Marathon at 12 miles along Milwaukee's lakefront. I'm keeping a watchful eye on some slight pain in my right knee that's persisted for a couple of weeks now. It hasn't kept me from running those big miles, and on a pain scale of 1 to 10 it's about a 2. Still, it's enough to have me back off on my miles just a bit and having to ice it for a couple of days after.

This past Saturday (8/7) I finished a run of 14 miles doing an out and back on Milwaukee's lakefront again. It was a bit tougher than I expected and I suspect it's because I haven't been putting in those runs in the middle of the week. I can't begin to tell you how good it feels to be pulling double digits now, though. Now all I have to do is get into a rhythm with these dang training runs. We're close to nine weeks away from 10/10/10!

This coming week is a step back week with a total of 20 miles to clock in. I'll be running in the Gurnee Day's 10K race on Saturday, 8/14, which will be nice doing something so close to home. My personal best in the 10K is 00:54 which I did at the Kenosha Turkey Trot last November. This will be my 2nd race this year and can't wait to get my race on!

Until next time my friends!