First Double Digit Down

Let me just say that I believe my knees and I have come to an understanding.  I treat them to a three day a week training schedule with two day of crosstraining and two off.  My kindness results in no pain after running.  So far they are holding up their end of the bargain pretty well.  Last Saturday I did my first double digit run of the season and my first since the Denver 1/2 Marathon. 

We ran a new trail, the Boulder Bike Path, starting at Carpenter Park in Boulder.  I got to do most of my run with Amanda and Aaron.  I am just so impressed with their training and how hard they are working to raise money for the cause.  Amanda loves TNT so much that she's going to be a mentor next season.  She's going to do such a great job!  Anyway, back to the run.  Our coach Tina created a little more advanced training schedule for me since I've done the training before so I knew that I had a two hour run ahead of me when I laced up my new Mizunos.

I was understandably nervous about the run. It wasn't the distance I was worried about, it was the knees.  You see it was my first 12 mile run last season when I got injured.  I had the visions of barely being able to bend me knees , running in the pool and the pain of the marathon playing in my head the entire time.  I was determined not to let this be the run that did me in this time.

You ask what did I do differently this time.  Well I'll tell ya.  I took my time and stopped and stretched.  I stopped when I hit 30 minutes for a refreshment and quick stretch.  Every 30 minutes or so I repeated this.  By the end of the run I had covered a little over 12 miles and was on cloud 9.  I was walking upright, with no knee pain at all!  Yes my legs were a little sore but I was able to bend and go up and down stairs!  Just to be on the safe side, I came home and iced immediately.  I waited for the pain to arrive, but it never did!

I ran again today, quick 4.16 miles on the treadmill.  Still no pain.  Keep your fingers crossed that all of my training alterations will continue to keep me injury free.