After running six-miles a day for six days, I decided to ramp up my training, sticking to the marathon program's final weeks leading up to race day.
That meant today was a 9-mile tempo run (11 miles total). Instead of training at an 8:45/mile pace, I decided I would do so at a 9-minute mile pace.
Things went well for the first mile. But I found it difficult to maintain my pace and during the first three miles, I could feel a slight tinge in my right hamstring.
To add insult to injury, somewhere right after five miles, my left calf muscle cramped up. It's been years since I've had this happen in a training run.
So I just ran the last two miles back home. It's obvious that I am not ready for this kind of running yet. I think rest will be better for the next few weeks, so I'll just plan on running less mileage.
This is one thing I didn't see coming, especially after previous marathons. In 2010, I ran in the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler just three weeks after running and finishing an excruciating ING Georgia Marathon. I had no problems getting back into shape. I ran a 5K at 7:47 pace just 20 days after running in the 2010 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Less than a month later, I made a 5K PR (22:20) in the Race 2 Recycle.
It puts into question what kind of condition I'll be in for the Honolulu Marathon. There's no time limit to finish the race so I can take all the time I want if I still want to run in it in a few weeks.
Time: 9:37 a.m.
Temp: 43 degrees
Gear: Technical T-shirt, long (Fall Five Miler), T-shirt (Surgeon General's Run 2009), shorts, Nike Air Zoom Pegasus+ 31.
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