ING Georgia training- week 10

I am in the 2nd half of the training now and in the harder part of the program. This week didn't start off like I wanted as I tweaked my knee on my Tuesday morning run, but as has been the case in the past, luckily I recovered quickly.

Mon- rest day

Tues- 4 miles in cloudy, cold windy conditions. At about the 2 mile mark I noticed the back of my knee (right above the calf) really starting to hurt. I finished the run and by the time I had gotten to work it was hurting pretty badly and stiff feeling.

Wed- got up with my knee still hurting so I thought I would change my Thurs. 4 mile run with today's 9 mile run. I got out and made it about 15 steps and stopped and went back inside. As the day wore on my knee started feeling a little better so when I got home from work I went out for a quick 4 miles. There was a little pain and stiffness but I was able to complete the run.

Thurs- Another cold windy morning. Ran yesterday's 9 miles today. Overall a pretty slow run as I didn't want to push it on my knee too much even though it was feeling much better.

Fri- rest day

Sat- 19 miles at Stone Mtn. This run started off really smoothly and was feeling good through the first 10 miles. Miles 11-13 were "ok", then I started struggling mentally for the last 6 miles. The last 6 were really slow, methodical miles just trying to get through them and get finished. Around miles 5-6 a cyclist came up beside me and saw my DWD shirt and said he had run the 50K twice. Talking to this guy helped me get through the worst hills before I really realized it.

Sun- 9 miles at Stone Mtn. In the middle of the afternoon it 40 degrees with a wind chill of 29. I think the winds were 20-25 mph and gusts up to 35 mph. There were a couple of hills that I was in to the wind on that I had to walk up. There is a set of 3 hills near my finishing point that I used to have to walk on some. I have yet to walk any at all on these hills through out this whole training program. I knew I was going to be in to the wind going up these hills and thought I may have to walk some. I hit the hills and ran them very slow and just kept moving- finally at the top and a small victory for this run that even with the wind I didn't walk on the hills.

Mon- rest day
Tues- a.m.- 4 miles
p.m.- upper body weights
Wed- 4 miles
Thurs- a.m. 9 miles
p.m.- upper body weights
Fri- rest day
Sat- 19 miles
Sun- 9 miles

Total- 45 miles