Cross Training for Boston

I was nervous as I began a conservative 15 mile run on the flat American Tobacco Trail last Saturday.  I ran into my Boston training companion by chance on the Trail and told her I was hoping for the best (which was to complete this run pain free).  She wished me well and then sped away to continue her long run at race pace.

At 3.75 miles I felt a pop in my right calf, my problem calf.  I was stunned; I was at the beginning of a flat, slow run and had felt fine when I returned to running earlier in the week.  I stopped, walked, and was stretching at the time that members of a men's college team ran past.  When the group approached, I was pushing against a bench with my legs outstretched more as an outlet for my emotions than as relief for tight legs.   I knew I would be walking the mile back to the parking lot, but I couldn't resist the urge to try to jog after the pop.  Futile.  Utterly futile.

When I got home, I counted the weeks of training that had passed and the weeks until Boston. Nine weeks down and nine weeks to go.  And I counted the minimum number of long runs and speed workouts I would miss if I can recover quickly: four weeks worth of long runs and speed workouts.  In those four weeks I should have been increasing my weekly mileage and the duration of my long runs.

This time I will cross train for two weeks, but I have now lowered my expectations for race day.  How low they go is yet to be determined.  At this point, let's just say that I'm delaying buying plane tickets.  I said a while ago that if I made it into the Boston Marathon, I would enjoy the sights and take it all in.  Then I changed my attitude and was going to race Boston to the best of my abilities.   If I am able to make it to the starting line and finish this race, no matter what my time, I will be grateful indeed.

Resumed training after injury:
Mon.: no workout
Tues.: 5 hilly miles; 9:23 pace
Wed.: 7 hilly miles; 8:58 pace
Thurs.: 8.84 miles; 4 miles treadmill at 9:15 pace and 4.48 miles of hills and trails at 9:11 pace
Fri.: cycling class + yoga
Sat.: 15 conservative miles; 3.75 miles completed


Resorting to cross training (again) after re-injury:
Mon.: 1 hr. elliptical
Tues.: no workout (traveling on vacation)
Wed.: cycling class + 45 min. bike
Thurs.: bike for 55 mins.
Fri.:  cycling class + yoga
Sat.: cycling class + 1 hour bike