Day 172: 4mi, 35:00

Back in Boston, went for an evening jog along the Charles. Very relaxed pace. I like to take it easy on the transition between time zones, especially when I am running very late or early in the previous zone. Can't find my HR monitor chest strap, but I was targeting 8:30 miles, which should keep me under my 137bpm target.

Day 169: 5.4mi, 44:52

I haven't really run since the 5k race because the pain in my leg had increased and I wanted to rest it. I also had a busy travel schedule, so couldn't run until I got back to London on Friday. [I did try to run once in Jerusalem, but only made it a mile before deciding to go to the pool]. So this run I did without the HR monitor, and really just wanted to see how it felt to do a decent pace. As might be expected, it was the fastest I've run this course all year. Had a good deal of discomfort in my leg, so the 10 days off didn't really help much. Time for professional help - not physical therapy, but sports medicine.

Day 159: 3.1mi, 21:25

Tonight was the 5k road race. I didn't feel like I killed myself, but I was glad when it was over. I ran about exactly what I thought I would, which was good enough for third place in my age group and 17th overall out of a few hundred runners. Last year, I ran the same race in 20:22. While the last few weeks have been unusually light training (and heavy travelling), I am not progressing as I hoped. The left thigh muscle/tendon problem was evident from early in the run, and feels like it did five months ago. I don't know what to do about it.

The Macmillan calculator converts this 5k time into a 6:10 mile. I have to solve this muscle problem so I can push harder.

Day 158: 3.1mi, 26:42

An easy 5k on the treadmill, mostly to loosen up before tomorrow's 5k race, but also to see where I am using the 137bpm limit. I crossed the 3mi point in 25:50, which looks similar to where I was in April, but slower than I was in May. The last few weeks have been erratic with my travel schedule and the triathlon, but hopefully will improve after one more trip next week. Unfortunately, whatever tendon/muscle problem I have in my left thigh is still nagging me. I will try to keep doing the stretches and some of the exercises I got in PT, but I think I am going to start mixing in some speed work.

Day 155: 3mi, 29 mins

I was in California for most of the week, and did not run at all. Didn't do much of anything, except a little yoga and tennis, to recover from the tri. Flew back to London on Thursday night, which was not a pleasant experience. 9 1/2 hrs in coach, sitting next to a guy who was too big to stay in his own space. Needless to say, I didn't get much quality sleep. Friday I did a short run around Kensington Gardens, and that will be it for the weekend. I may try to run a 5k race on Tuesday night. It might not be a great indicator of progress, since I have been in recovery mode for a week, but I'd still like to see where I am vs last year. The tri was too hot and humid to compare with last year.

Day 149: Mooseman Triathlon

My splits at Mooseman:
0.93 mi swim: 34:11
27.25 mi bike: 1:27:45
6.2 mi run: 54:55
Total: 3:05:35

Last year, I did a 31:12 swim, a 1:32 bike and a 45:35 run, for a 2:57:20 overall time. My swim was clearly slower. I only put in a half dozen swims this year, so I was not too surprised about that. The first quarter mile or so is pretty freaky, and hard to get relaxed with dozens of other swimmers flailing around. I managed to get in my groove after some space opened up, but on the return leg my back started bothering me, and then my left calf cramped up after someone bumped into me. I kept going, slowly, and eventually it softened up. I was just looking to get it over with.

The bike was better. I bought a new bike last summer, which is considerably lighter, stronger, and easier to shift. I think that made a big difference. Had a problem with my calf cramping up about ten miles in, and my left quad started cramping too, so I had to coast for a few minutes and try to work it out. By that point on the bike, it was a very warm (80's) and quite humid, so the cramping may have been related to hydration. My back was in pain most of the second half of the bike as well.

I knew the first mile of the run would be slow as I transitioned my legs from the bike, but the heat was really bearing down on us, so I was very slow (even walking at times) throughout the run. Every now and then there would be a stretch of shade or a light breeze, and I would pick it up a bit. Even towards the end, I felt I had some reserves left, but the heat was always there to slow me down.

Throughout the race, I was thinking mostly about finishing and trying to enjoy it, rather than pushing my limits to get a good time. Especially on the run - I was interested to see how my 10k would look after the low HR training I've been doing, but I didn't want to kill myself or do any damage in that heat. It is hard to tell how effective the training has been. I tried to wear my HR monitor on the run, but it wasn't getting the signal for some reason.

So overall, I'm glad I did it again. Had some good support up there, and there was no rain this year. Got a massage and a good feed after the race. And it was great to do a workout well in excess of what I usually do. I have some pain and soreness today, but nothing major. Sometimes helps to push harder because it can put the day-to-day aches and pains in better perspective.