Charlie Brown On Skates

I fall back to the concept that it is inherently unnatural to be a trained athlete. At times we are forcing ourselves to do things that our physical bodies don’t understand and are therefore objecting to in sneaky little ways. - speedysktr on SkateLog.

Yesterday was one heck of a roller coaster ride. Fitness-wise, it’s been a crap winter. I’ve struggled with back pain and transitioning to indoor skating with race boots. Yesterday was just more of the same, crappy weather, bad day at work, argument with the better half and I ate everything in SIGHT that was bad for me. End of the day - I had planned to run. Do I go? I was going to skip it, but I figured, I’ll go home and lay around and eat more and feel worse, I’ll just go. I think we all know sometimes half the battle is just getting there.

I used to run, but I always got hurt. That is why I picked up skating again. But I really enjoyed running when it went well. That was the first time I lost weight, back in ‘04. When I got hurt, it all piled on again (and then some). Anyway, I get there, I get dressed and I warm up - and I’m starting to feel half decent… which is amazing considering I have M&Ms, Hot Fries and Diet Pepsi in my gut.

I’ve run now for a few weeks, just trying to increase my fitness base and do a little cross training. I’ve been doing 40-minute, 3 mile easy runs, which for me works well as an easy workout. That means running mostly at 5 mph. So I start that way, and it feels like I going way too slow. I keep it up for awhile, but I realize my body is just chomping at the bit. So I realized it was going to have to be a Fartlek run. (No snickering!)

I’m on the treadmill mind you, so when I do Fartleks on the treadmill, instead of picking a point ahead I do it based on time, or based on a song. 3 minutes at this speed, then kick it up… one more song, then up - and I keep pushing it, pushing it until I’m close to sprinting at the close. It has always given me a good workout.

So I go to 5.5 mph, then 6. I’m still feeling like I’ve got a lot more. Runner’s high indeed. Where did this all come from on about the worst day of the winter so far? I didn’t even want to be here. I cross the 40 minute mark which is really the end of the workout, but instead I kick it up to 6.4. Good songs are hitting me just at the right times on the iPod. My legs are feeling strong and I am far from tired at 45 minutes… maybe I could go an hour?

But there’s a problem - an old problem that has reared its ugly head. The outside edge of my right foot is getting sore. It’s not bad, but it’s not good either - do I continue?

I’ve only run 5 miles or more 3 times in the last 20+ years. I ran 5 miles a couple times in High School and that is it. The furthest I’ve gone as an adult is 5.09 miles (I checked my log last night to be sure). Every time I have hit 5 miles, I’ve gotten hurt. It’s why I stopped running as much as I enjoyed it. The one time I hurt the outside part of my right foot - to the point where I couldn’t run for months. So you now understand why I’m concerned.

I feel too good to stop though, and I know I’m risking things. I tell myself it isn’t that bad and if it starts feeling “bad enough” I’ll stop immediately. Then I push to 7 mph.

For me, that’s running at a good clip. I’m not a runner - not an endurance runner at least. In High School I could actually sprint with the best of them, was actually one of the fastest in a large school. Played center field and tailback. But endurance, it was never my thing.

I’m over 50 minutes and I’m still able to breathe and sing along with the music. The thighs are starting to fatigue and I’m feeling that right foot - but it’s not that bad… I don’t think. 7.5 mph.

I’m running just under an 8 minute mile pace now, which used to kill me. But I still feel good. One more song, time to pick it up… 8 mph. Something closer to a 7 minute pace. Not sprinting of course, but going at a pace higher than I ever run. Crazy thing, I’ve still got wind in me to go. I see 59 minutes coming up, I slow down a bit and hit 60 minutes and 5.6 miles… this is unreal. How did I just run 5.6 miles? Treadmill or not - and 60 minutes? I’ve never done it.

I cool down and stretch - and I have about the best stretching session ever. Did a quick 10 minute upper body workout and got out of there.

But remember this is a rollercoaster. On the way out, the right foot is hurting. Did I do it to myself again? If I’ve ruined my skating because of this, I’ll literally go insane. I get home and massage it quite a bit and hope for the best. This morning, it’s sore - but it’s actually much better than I thought. Maybe I didn’t damage it too bad after all. One thing is for sure, I will not be running for a little bit - got to let whatever it is - bone bruise, who knows… heal up.

But that was one heck of a run.