More dedicated to running than blogging

Its been a few months since I made my first (and only) post on this blog but in case anyone cares to read this I thought I would post an update.

My training has gone up and down over the past few months while I have dealt with a handful of minor injuries but all in all I have kept pushing forward. I am now running in Asics DS Trainers after having run in New Balance for the past 12 years and the new shoes have worked out quite well. Some of the small joint and tendon problems went away and I was able to safely increase my mileage.

I started throwing in some speed workouts at the end of August in hopes that I will be able to be in top level shape by the Kiawah Island Half Marathon on December 12. I had my highest mileage week of the year a few weeks ago with a 70 mile week followed up by an 18 mile long run the Sunday After.

The bad news is on Tuesday, September 8 I pulled my right hamstring while doing a speed workout on the track. I had to take the following eight days off to recover. I was starting to think yesterday that I would have to drop out of my first race of the year coming up on Sunday (Philadelphia Distance Run) but things are looking up again as of this morning when I ran an easy two miles with minimal discomfort. I now believe I will be ready to compete in Philadelphia three days from now but I don't expect a fast time. My goal at this point is to keep recovering as much as I can and get back on track for the rest of the fall racing season.

The Bullshit Ends Here

So after spending the last three and a half years abandoning my running and several failed attempts at returning to the sport due to injuries I finally feel like I am back in it.  I am just about to finish week 10 with a 32 mile week and I feel great.

What is the difference between now and past attempts to make a comeback? 

1.  I am at a place mentally where I feel like I can put running first again.  I don't believe I ever could make a legitimate attempt at competitive running without truly dedicating myself to do so.  I am now committed to putting running ahead of other things that get in the way.

2.  I finally am running smart!  Over the past few years I have made three prior attempts at running but I was extremely impatient.  I quickly found myself gaining the mental strength to run 8-10 miles at a time when my legs were only capable of a few miles.  This of course led to injury and taking another 6 months off.  With the help of long time friend and training partner Shawn Donovan and a little bit of patience on my part I started on a program 10 weeks ago that would give my legs the time they needed to gain strength before increasing my mileage.  

I spent the first six weeks running no more than 8-10 miles over three days in a week.  I have then gradually increased to the 30 plus miles I am at now.  I have felt some aches and pains here and there which I have dealt with properly and I am continuing to build up and improve.  

I hope by mid september to be running 60 miles a week and build up to 80 miles a week from there.  I want to experience true distance running with higher miles than I have ever put in before.  I am sick of having PR's that are almost four years old and I plan on changing that soon.  I believe I have not hit my full potential in this sport and I am excited to be on this journey called running once again.