Turkey Trot and Training

Well, at least I went into the Turkey Trot on thursday with the proper mindset.  It was a training run and nothing else.  Because if I was going for a time result... it would have sucked.  It was a horrid jog/walk anyway, but if I had my mind set on a specific time, it would have been even worse.  I was disappointed enough in how it went as a training run.  It was my furthest run ever... IN MY LIFE!!  It was an 8k or 5 miles.  The first 3 to 3.5 miles went as planned, maybe a little faster than planned and that is where the downfall began.  I must have been doing well because a guy running near me was using me as his pacer.  He was trying to keep pace with me.  I was just trying to do my own thing and here is this guy using me as his rabbit.  I guess it made me feel good, especially when my left calf seized up and all I could do was walk.  The only thing I can figure is that my calf got too tight before the run started and then through the hills it continued to tighten and then the last hill it wratcheted to the final point that my foot went numb and I couldn't run again until it released.

What made it worse was that I was passed by the blue-light escort within the last mile.  Fortunately, I am just so determined that I finished even though I walked the last part of the "race."  I am not one to quit unless someone pulls me off.. I am a little dogged in my determination. 

The Stick is the best thing known to runners and cyclists alike.  I bought mine several years ago when I was doing a lot of training for the MS 150.  My legs would get tight with all the miles I was doing on the bike.  I am also using another product.

CEP Compression Products are another product I am using.  I am using both sleeves and socks.  I prefer the sleeves, but the socks have a graduated compression which my legs seem to respond to.  Even better is that I can wear them for flights or travel because I bought the medical grade compression.  So for someone like me that has clotting issues normally, my compression socks for training can double as a life-saving device. 

Road ID I never run, cycle or train anywhere without this product.  It even doubles as a medical alert for me.  I have the interactive so heaven forbid I have a seizure somewhere and I am unresponsive or get hit by a car or fall doing something silly.  At least I have my id on me and all my medical information is available right there. 

These are some of my favorites and I will post more favorites as I go.

As far as more training.  I also did a brief training run this evening for 30 minutes and 1.54 miles.   This puts my total training mileage for 2011 at 43.81 miles on the run.  For me, it is a personal best and every mile from there is increasing that personal best.  I stand a good chance of getting past 75 miles by the end of the year if I keep it up.  I'm going to start my countdown here, so the race is February 26, 2012.  We are under 90 days or right at.  Let's go.  I am one month into training and it is finally starting to feel good.  Some days feel not so good, but not bad.