Every day is a new day

Just an easy treadmill day. My knee is still a problem. Looks like meniscus issues and I am torn(joke?) between complete rest and continuing to run. Running does not seem to make it worse but it is not healing either.

Actually did 65 minutes on the elliptical machine to reduce pressure on my knee.  I did not have any pain so far so I will join the moutain hill climb run tonight.  I plan to run to the top and not run back down to reduce impact on the knee.  I called the cross training the same as 4.5 miles, seem about right.

This evening was mountain climb night.  I ran a slow 2 mile warm up then ran the mountain road to the top this time.  Very slow pace but it is a relentless hill no flat spots for the first four miles and then a flat .6 up in the alpine.  So a total of 4.6 miles in 56 minutes with an elevation gain of a lttle over 2100 feet so close to a continuous 10% grade. HR averaged 157 for the trip. Did not run down as I thought the knees would not like it.

Finally a nice day. Sunny with temps in the high 60's! Hurting a bit from last nights run up the mountain so a recovery day was in order. Problem is it was so nice I had to be outside all day. The morning was fine, an eight mile recovery run at 9;00/ mile average. The only hard part was getting the legs moving. So far so good. A nap and a lawn chair in the yard? No how about climb another mountain? Yeah that's it climb, walking of course, another mountain trail. I chose Mt. Verstovia which the trail guide describes, "2,550 feet elevation gain, trail level: difficult, steep trail, many switchbacks and bears are often present". It is only 2.5 miles to the top which took me 75 minutes. I was amazed how much pain my legs were in on the way up. Snow still at 2200 feet but not very deep. No bears to be seen. Great ocean views from the top. About an hour to come back down. I am now officially tired. I am going to call this 3 easy miles although my heart rate was in the mid 140's the whole way up which would equal a lot more.

Well the weather quickly returned to normal.  Rainy and temp around 50.  Went to the park and given all the abuse I have given my legs climbing the last two days,  I did a real slow recovery run all on flat as a pancake trails.  My first warm up mile was close to the slowest mile I have run in over a year at 10:35.  Picked up the pace for the next few miles to get back on a more reasonable pace ended up with 10 miles in 92 minutes for a 9:12 pace.  Just exactly what I needed to do.  Still seemed like work on tired legs.

I have really tired legs today. Too much hill work as left my legs dead.  I decided a modest treadmill day was the only answer.  Felt a little better after a 2 mile warm up, but the run was hard the whole way.  Ended up with 7.75 miles in 69 minutes for around an 8:55 average.  Knee and foot are bothersome but no worse.  I think I will make it through the next race in five weeks.  Then a little time off is probably required.

Climbed another mountain today with the family.  3000' elevation gain over about 3 miles.  The legs were tired by the end.  I want to call this about 4.5 easy miles since the heart rate was 125-140 for over 90 minutes.