Calf is Back

8 Days and Counting and the calf pain is back! I will say it is very different than the inner shin/calf pain I have had the last few weeks, those spots actually feel great (probably because I have been icing them 34354321 times a day) but my very low calf on the back of my leg (almost achilles area) is talking now. I hope this is just a "taper thing" which I assume it is because it seemed so random!


Last night I went out to do an easy 4-5 miles, and I had to stop at 4 because my calves were SO tight. Trying to stretch them mid-run was literally like trying to stretch a metal pole, there was just no way! Despite the awful calf cramps/pain/tension I managed a pretty good run. The goal was to keep it easy, and I was hoping for 2-3 miles at goal pace, especially since the weather was already getting nice last night- cool and breezy, and the sun was already going down at 6:30!!!!

4 Miles- 38:00 exactly:) 9:30 avereage pace
9:41, 9:35, 9:25, 9:19


I was actually really suprised that several times I looked at my watch I was below a 9:00 pace, and I figured that might be why my calves hurt, but I actually found the longer strides and quicker turnover helped more because my heel was less likely to hit the ground if I went faster, so hence the negative splits! I felt like I was going slow the whole time, but obviously not, I managed 3 quality miles 2 in my goal pace range, but I think speeding up helped disipate some of the pain and made the end of the run nice.

I rolled/stretched/iced when I got home, its really amazing how well those things actually work, if only I did them every time I ran ;)


So 1 week from right now I will be en-route to Apalachicola, scary right! It finally hit me when I got to work today and realized it was the weekend, that meant that next week is Race Week, the week I have been thinking about for months! Yesterday we had to send a co-worker home sick with an Upper Respiratory Infection- at least that's not contagious, but the cold that caused it is, so I am loading up on healthy things and healthy thoughts, I rarely if ever get sick, but when I do, it's bad, and it puts me down for a while, so I am not taking any chances. Hope everyone has an awesome weekend! Last long run tomorrow!!!!