31 days to go

Hello Interwebs! I have been very lax about updating this blog but I have not been lax about running.

After the horrid start to Labor day weekend things went much better and the long weekend off provided a good break. I got a run in on the Tuesday and Wednesday (4 and 2.5 miles) before the big run on Sunday morning. Katie and I got up early and churned out seven miles down San Vicente. This distance is the furthest either of us has ever run, and it felt great to make such marked progress. The following week I did a short run on Tuesday and a longer run on Thursday before work in which I was yelled at by a teacher for jogging across school grounds (even though school had not started yet, big bag of WTF there). The rest of the week didn't go so well, as Katie got sick over the weekend and then I picked up what she had earlier in the week. This means we didn't get the scheduled 8 mile run in, so last week was a wash and this week is the re-do on it. Fortunately the remaining schedule was aggressive enough that it won't really spoil our efforts. I got back in the saddle last night with a very rough long uphill run, and tonight I plugged out five miles. I could definitely tell the week off had not done me any favors. My right knee is complaining very loudly, and it's not really gotten any better over the last few weeks. I'm well convinced by this point that I did something earlier in life to screw it up, but I am not sure what the extent of the damage really is or how to treat it or even what's specifically causing it. It seems to be much worse going up hills, but I can't really tell if it's impact-related or if the joint is just not that good. I'll be doing some extra stretching the next few days and possibly getting some ice on it.

The run is only a month away. I've got a very busy month planned between now and then, and it's going to be tough to stick with it between work, Civ 5, my sister's wedding, Halloween planning and Blizzcon but I'm determined to give a good accounting of myself.