Week # 19 (Is it over yet?)

Weekly Mileage: 33.16

Monday I went for a run in the morning I got in 4.06 miles at an 8:34 pace, it felt alright but I was still experiencing a lot of stiffness and an almost swollen type feeling around my left knee and hamstring. It doesn't impair my running but makes me nervous that it will get worse before the race or become an issue during the race.

Tuesday Rest Day (kind of)

Wednesday Rest Day (kind of)

Thursday Rest Day (kind of)

Friday Rest Day (kind of)

This week has been.... Well the word "busy" doesn't do it justice. Between work, packing and moving, recovering from sicknesses something had to give and unfortunately this week it was running. if eel like it is going to come back to bite me during my race as after the lay off because of the sinus infection and now this I feel as if I have taken 3 steps backwards in my readiness when I should be feeling  my strongest and putting in my largest training miles before tapering for the race.

Saturday I ran around the new neighborhood (Gladstone) and was hoping to run a 5mile loop 4 times during my first loop the pain in my left knee area was pretty bad and it felt pretty difficult altogether. I wasn't sure how much I could really get done and after the first loop I decided to switch my shoes. Within the first few steps of the second loop my knee felt fine, I realized at that moment that all the runs I have been feeling this knee issue have been with my latest pair of shoes ( a different brand than my typical Brooks Pure line). I don't think the shoes caused the issue and it is still there without them, but the new shoes are aggravating it for sure.

The run still felt difficult though and I ended up getting in just over16 miles at a 9:10 pace. I planned on running another decent run on Sunday and hoped I could get out more miles then.

Sunday I went out for another run and it was pretty warm out,I wasn't very sore from Saturday but within 3 miles I felt tired and done. The good news is I pushed myself as far as I could, the bad news is it was only 13 miles. I keep waiting for it to get easy and and to feel strong and confident again but it isn't here yet. hopefully it will come within the next week as it is my last real training week before I need to taper for the race.

Note: I was very proud and inspired by my friend Ian who finished the Portland Marathon this weekend. I haven't heard all the details but it sounds like it was a grind but he got it done and I hope to do the same at the end of this month.