I tend to be an all-out ball buster. Get me excited about writing and I will try to knock out a book overnight. Introduce a captivating author and I will read her entire catalog in a week. Show me a new drug and I will shoot up until sunrise. Well, not quite, but you get the point.
That is my biggest fear regarding training. I get super hyped and occasionally forget the process takes a while. No pace is fast enough, especially when I’m challenged or feel good.
This morning I set out to run 11.2 miles in Percy Warner park. It is loaded with hills and my post-run health/mood would be the deciding factor for doing the Huntsville Marathon on December 8th.
I’ve biked and rode motorcycle through the park, but this was my first run. It is absolutely awesome. The winding hills and nature put me in a totally different place and I nearly enjoyed every step. I would highly recommend the Flying Monkey marathon to all of you hard core marathoners with a bit of an edge.
The first 3 miles were more or less uphill and I took it slow, but still got to that point around 29 minutes and felt fresh. The next section had a few ups, but also serious downhills and at some point I felt a tweak in my knee. It sort of came and went, then I decided to keep going, but on the flat ground. My lungs felt absolutely great and I wasn’t winded at all. But the knee wasn’t feeling so hot.
I did some digging and this sounds like a typical IT band issue. I’ve heard others mention it, but never paid attention, now my ears are wide open. Sounds like ice and rest are the best remedy. Any other suggestions?
I’ve decided that Huntsville is a bit ambitious at this point. Maybe that will change tomorrow, but a marathon is not worth putting my knee at risk when the intense training starts in January.
