Skipped workouts + double workout Wednesday

So, I skipped my speedwork last night. Although my 3 mile recovery run went pretty well on Monday evening, I was still pretty sore last night, with most of the soreness in my ankles & arches.

Sidebar: One mistake I did make for the race was the use of old insoles. I need to replace my superfeet insoles at about 250 miles. Mine were at about 275. So I bought some new ones, but never ran with them. I walked with them a few times, but didn’t put any significant mileage on them. I didn’t feel comfortable running with them because for the first 10 miles or so, they tend to give me blisters high up on my left arch. So, I ran with the old ones.

At the end of the race, the arch in my right foot was swollen and felt sprained. It was hard driving the 1.5 hours back. When I got home, I put on my orthopedic socks (thanks again, JM – they are my favorite recovery socks) and iced my foot. By Monday, the pain was mostly gone, and Monday evening I ran with my new insoles (no swollen arches, but I did get that blister on my left arch!)

So, after my quads recovered (I stretched! Yay me!), I was feeling pretty good, except for my ankles. So I made the executive decision to NOT run last night. And now I feel guilty. Which is silly. I know that training hard when the body is exhausted/fighting injury is the perfect way to get injured (see last year when I continued to run on my wonky knee, tore my hamstring, and ended up not running for almost 4 months!), so it just makes sense to take care of the body now so it can keep working later, right? And I don’t have to make up those miles, because I’m putting in a lot of miles even without that one run, right?

In good news that makes me feel all virtuous & stuff, I did hit the pool this morning. I got my ass out of bed at just after 5 AM and made it to the pool about six. My timing worked out well – although the lane next to me ended up with 3 people in it for a while, I never had more than one other person in my lane. I don’t mind splitting a lane, but I hate circling because I am so slow & always feel silly so I quit early.

I ended up with 1,250 yds in 5 sets:

250 – free
250 – kick
250 – free
250 – kick
250 – free

It was a good workout for my first time back in the pool in almost six weeks! Next week, I’m going to try to swim twice, but I’m easing in slowly with just the one swim this week.

Another sidebar: I always talk about how I really don’t like swimming, it’s my weak sport, I don’t know how I’m going to get through a swim for a triathlon, but when I was heavier, this is the only exercise I regularly did, and I remember LOVING it. I would hit the Venice High School pool, or later, the Y pool, and swim for 45-60 minutes at least 2-3 times a week. I’m not sure why I regard swimming as such a hassle now – maybe it’s because I found something I love much, much more & everything else is just not as good. (I also used to really enjoy mountain biking – now? Haven’t been on my mountain bike in over 2 years!)

Tonight the architect & I are going for a bike ride together. It will be his last ride before his century on Saturday, and my first ride in longer than I care to admit. He tuned up my bike for me a couple of weeks ago; so I should be ready to go. I’m just trying to decide if I want to get all hardcore right away & use my special shoes, or if I’m a big old chicken who will just wear regular shoes.

And, speaking of the architect & his century ride – he is doing Reach the Beach on Saturday, which is a brutal 100 mile. I am meeting him at the finish line & then we are staying overnight in Pacific City at a Bed & Breakfast. There will be food & beer for the tired bikers at the finish line, but I wanted to make sure I had some extra goodies for him. He requested fudge & a bottle of white wine – but I’m wondering what else I should include – both edibles & not. What do you want at the finish line of a century ride or (more runners, here, right?) a marathon?

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