Over-training?

Prologue
Okay - so I'll lay it out on the line - I amped up my paces/speedwork starting in June/July, and I also committed to a fall marathon.  I had been running 30-35 miles a week, and thought I could jump right into week 5 of a marathon training plan.  Turns out that the mileage was ok for jumping in (I was actually a little bit ahead), but now that my long runs have increased past where I was, I think that I didn't ramp down the speed work soon enough.  That being said, after naming my blog what I named it, I am now (for the first time) going to talk about my obsession with thinking about injuries.  First, however, I must share this photo.

Randomness
This is a route that I have a love/hate relationship with.  Even though you can't really tell from the poor pic, the road climbs gradually forever (over about 2 miles from here to the top - which on a clear day you can see).  In this photo, you can't really see the top - in part due to the overcast weather, and in part due to the crappy camera I took the photo on.  I clocked the ascent at approximately a 100 ft elevation climb - which starts at the little dip that you can see (where the double yellow changes direction).  I would have taken the photo from the lowest point, but the rainbow was better from here.

Injuries
Ok, so back to my crazy thoughts.  I should have cut out the speed work altogether, instead of merging the marathon plan in while continuing the speed work.  I feel like my body is on the verge of one huge breakdown.  Basically, everything from my hips down are giving me indicators that my body can't keep up with my workouts.  I'll start from the toes and work my way up.

Feet
Ok, so this has been an ongoing issue from long before any signs of over training began.  I seem to have symptoms of Metatarsalgia depending on the type of run I do, and/or what socks I wear, or how I tie my shoes.  Yes - I've played with all of these factors to try to eliminate this.  For those of you unfamiliar, it feels like you're running with a pebble in your shoe, generally somewhere around the ball of the foot.  For me it strikes between the Big and second toes.  I sometimes get numbness in my toes, but always get pain (when it flares up).  In the past, it's been bad when I get a new pair or running shoes, regardless of brand (yes, I am currently alternating/running in 4 different types).  So my thought about the shoe being the factor is out the window.  I have experimented with how tight I lace up, and where I put the most tension, etc. and this does make a difference, but at the expense of blisters.  If I leave the shoe laces really loose (especially in the forefoot and toe areas), this generally fixes the problem, but then I get blisters in the areas that I would typically get the pain - if I lace up tighter.  I've recently started experimenting with different socks - and this seems to help, but I need to buy more so that I can try them on more runs, before I view this as a permanent fix.  I now have a calloused ridge that starts between the two toes, and ends just south of the ball of the foot.  Yes it's on both feet.  The issue does, however, seem to be more problematic on my left foot these days.

More Feet
The other day I started to feel discomfort on the bottom of my feet while running.  Having dealt with Plantar Fasciitis in the past, I started to worry if this was an early indicator that this was creeping up.  Since that run, I haven't noticed it again.  I hope it was a fluke.

Achilles
Oh my dreaded Insertional Achilles Tendinitis.  I dealt with this for the bulk of my Philly Marathon training.  I had trained for weeks not realizing that the stiffness in the back of my heels in the AM was this - until it become more and more painful and climbed higher on my leg - culminating in a searing pain that would not cease on an easy 4 miler.  Yes, a trip to the doc ensued.  That stiffness is starting to come back...

Calves
I have sore spots along my whole calf on both sides - particularly problem sites are on the outside edge proximal to the knee, on the outside of the ankles, right where the bone meets the muscles (Peroneal tendonitis?), just below the knee (all parts), and where the Achilles ends and the calf begins.

Knees
This is one area that I've been pretty lucky with in the past, but recently after long runs, I have soreness in the ligaments the run on either side of the knee, and I occasionally sense a niggle or two while running in the patella area.

Hamstrings
Although I don't generally have soreness in my hammies, these are usually the first muscle to cramp on me in long runs.  I've recently learned that the stiffness I've been feeling feeling at the tops of my calves and behind my knees may actually be hamstring tendinitis.

Quads
They're always sore these days.  They generally don't ever feel injured, but they are always sore, and if I rest enough for the soreness to dissipate, they usually feel better at the top first, and the relief gradually moves down, so that just above the knees takes the longest to not feel sore.

IT Bands
This one crept up on me like a sniper in my Philly training.  I didn't even realize what it was until after the marathon was over.  I remember climbing the only hill in the marathon, and almost dropping to the ground when it hit.  I had similar sensations in training leading up to the race, but none like what I felt in the Marathon.  I thought for a while that I was done.  Lucky for me, there are really no other hills - otherwise I wouldn't have known what to do.  Now I know what works for me - good stretching usually keeps it away - but lately it's been stiff and sore (but hasn't bothered me mid-run yet).

Conclusion
So there you have it.  I'm finally living up to the name of my blog - I know what's inevitable - I need RICE.  BUT I DON'T WANT TO!  I'm hoping that a lot of stretching, foam rolling, a sports massage or two, and cutting down on the speed work (but keeping the mileage), will bring me back to a point where I'm not feeling sore all of the time.  I say this even as I think about the 5K race I'm going to do Saturday.  Speaking of races...

Races and Places
I'm trying to get into the Sackets Harbor 18.12 (yes 18.12 miles), to practice my pacing for the Empire Marathon.  I've had a hard time establishing a goal for my 2nd marathon, but I think I had finally settled on a very realistic "A Goal" of sub 3:50, but then the niggles started...  I sure hope I don't have to cut days out of my training...

Checking In

I know that I haven't written in a while, but I also know that there aren't a lot of people looking here too often.  I do realize the most people who come by stumble upon my blog when searching for race specific information or race results (thank you google analytics); so welcome people!

A lot has happened since I last wrote, and I don't expect to get into any great detail in this post.  The main purpose of this post is to let you know that I'm still here (sort of), and that I'm still running.

Races
Since my last post in late April, I've run 10 races. Four 5Ks, one 4 Miler, three 10Ks, one 15K, and one 1/2 marathon - to be exact (check out the Annals for specifics).  I've been generally happy with my progress.  Most of these races have resulted in PRs.  It's nice to run a PR and erase it shortly thereafter.  At some point in late June or early July, I decided that I should return to the type of training that I've always responded the quickest to:  Run hard.  For the past two years, I've been focusing a lot on making sure that I do the majority of my runs at easy paces, but even though I've made progress, I've felt like it's taken me longer than I think it should.  Since returning to hard workouts, I'm now running races this year with the double stroller at faster times than I ran them last year without a stroller.

Stroller
Speaking of strollers, I recently had the honor of receiving my first ever (and perhaps last) stroller medal.  The Run for the River in Clayton, NY has a dedicated stroller division.  Although I run with strollers a lot, and although I've run this event 2 times before this year, I have never run it with a stroller before.  Based upon last years' stroller winner, I figured I had to run the 10K in less than 50 minutes to take this division.  I ran a gun time of 49-flat.  The reigning champ, Sarah Yaussi, actually ran slower than the previous year, so I had more cushion than I thought I would.  As an aside, I'd love to get in touch with her to share stroller running "stuff."  So if you know her, point her this way...  Cool enough, like I mentioned earlier, this is one of those events that I actually ran faster than a year ago, even though I ran it with the stroller (and heavier kids) this year, versus running sans stroller last year.  I'm extremely anxious to run a 5K soon, without a stroller, to see if I'm finally back to sub 7 minute miles for that distance.  Last note on the strollers, our old one died.  We had one of those entry level double strollers that was really heavy and made for a casual runner, and as my wife and I took off for a casual run together, a horrid squealing ensued, followed by much friction, and an eventual POP, as the front wheel decided to spring ahead of the rest of the stroller.  Luckily, we were only about a quarter a mile away from home.  The kids enjoyed being wheeled home in "wheelie" fashion.  I was really hoping to get one more summer out of our double stroller, because our daughter is already over the weight limit for most doubles (50+ lbs.).  My wife talked me into getting another, even if we only get one summer out it.  I opted for the Bob Ironman dualie.  I really wanted to get the baby jogger double that accommodates a combined 175ish weight, but they stopped making them.  The point is, I don't know how much my improvements in times have to do with having a better performing stroller vs. having a better performing set of lungs and legs.  Hence, my eagerness to run a 5K without the stroller to get a comparison...  I still tend to think that I'm pretty close with my estimate of losing approximately 1/2 second per mile, per pound pushed (for the 5K).

Upcoming Races
As much as I dread thinking about the "wall" and the pain that ensued in my one and only marathon attempt, I knew somewhere in the back of my mind, that I'd revisit this task.  That being said, I had wanted to hit the Marine Corps as a first choice, the Chicago as a second, and the Wineglass as a third.  I got into none of the above.  As a result, I started looking at other marathons that I might be able to get into, and had narrowed it down to the Kansas City (my sister lives there), the Hambletonian (more of my family lives there), and the Empire State.  All of these choices were based upon "what are we going to do with the kids?"  Roll ahead...  We've registered for the Empire Marathon (for me) and the 1/2 (for my wife).  I'm now revisiting week 6 of pretty much the same training program that I did for Philly.  The major difference is that I'm trying to tailor all of my training paces to where I'm at, versus last time, when I trained at all of the paces that I thought would get me to where I wanted to be.  Other races on the horizon:  The Heuvelton 5k, and the Sacket's Harbor 18.12 - weird distance right?  I thought it would be a great lead up race to the Empire State Marathon, because 18 miles is exactly where I bonked in Philly in 2011.  I'm planning on using this race to see if my anticipated goals for the Empire State are good.  Currently, I'm shooting for a sub 3:50 time - I'll let you know if I adjust this goal.  There aren't a lot of other races on the horizon - mostly just going to hit local yocal races if/as they pop up.  Otherwise, I'm already dreading my 15 miler coming up this weekend.  It's kind of funny to me that the long runs seem so much more daunting to me when they are part of a training plan versus when you're just doing them because you feel like doing them.

Races Results for All?
I know, I've been slacking.  I'll try to update soon (for the one's I actually have results for).  I'm in no rush, because I really don't think many people are actually reading this blog.  If you are returning regularly, I'd love to know about it - leave a message - It'll make me feel good.