Half Marathon Training, Week 9 (I think... is this week 8? who knows)

Training was a bit complicated this week because I was gone all weekend in Vancouver.  I didn't bring my running stuff with me because I didn't want to take time out of my too-short visit with my friend Angie in order to run, and because I was not super confident of my ability to run anywhere in downtown Vancouver without getting really lost.  I have absolutely no sense of direction or spacial relative intelligence, so I never know where I am in relation to other things or where things are in relation to other things. Vancouver is essentially a giant assemblage of glittering, glass-fronted buildings that are virtually indistinguishable from each other and there's no way I could navigate it competently.  So... no running over the weekend. 

I had some good runs last week, but I took Friday, Saturday and Sunday off because of travel, so Monday was looking pretty rough; I had to get in my long run by myself (bleh) on a weekday (bleh) on the treadmill (bleh!).  I compromised and ran three miles at lunch with my running buddy, and then 6 miles alone on the treadmill at the gym after work.  I don't know if splitting the workout was as effective training-wise, but hopefully it won't set me back too far.  The bigger concern, though, is that I seem to have done something hinky to my knee on that second run.  It was hurting a bit on the treadmill, but I wasn't too concerned until   I tried to go out for my lunch run yesterday, and (ow!) something was definitely awry.

The back of my knee was hurting a lot on the upswing of my stride, and while it didn't hurt to put weight on it as I ran, I could feel my hamstring tightening more than normal with each step, like it was compensating for something amiss when I landed on my left foot.  Bummer.  The internets say that my hamstring tendon was probably inflamed, and that jives with my history of tendinitis.

I rested the knee yesterday and only walked, plus I iced it and took lots of advil.  (Icing one's knee is very difficult when one is a. at work and b. in a dress.)  Today it feels fine and I did a short, low-speed lunch run with no problems.  Whew!  Hopefully that's the end of that story.  I don't need knee issues this close to the race.

Today's lunch run was great for another reason, too.  My friend Sarah (hi, Sarah!) has recently decided that she likes running with a group, and so she joined in with me and my usual running buddy, Jared.  It was really great to have her along because I don't get to see her much, and one of my favorite things about running is that it really can be a social activity.  It was also great to share see how adding another person can change our dynamic, and it made me really appreciate how much running with other people can do for you.  It's fun, it's motivating, and it helps push you to go faster, longer, better, or to rest and relax, depending on what's needed.  Sarah says she'll join us more often from here on out, which I think is great.

Yay.