Boldly running where I've never gone before

Actually I have probably been more active in this past month than any month of the year.  However, I have been remiss in reporting those activities to whomever in the galaxy actually reads these entries.  Therefore, I will summarize the activities of the past month and hope to stay current going forward:

April 
April 4 —Prevention Walk Your Way Slim DVD, an easy but invigorating cardio
April 5 — MotionTraxx Treadmill Coach MP3 followed on the treadmill, a tough but fun mix of speed, hills and then speed uphill
April 6 — Jason Crandell 15 Minute Beginner’s Yoga video from YouTube followed by extra calf and Achilles stretching; it was an achy day
April 7 — took the day off to go into Chicago and see Jersey Boys with friends/family

April 8 — lazy!  took another day off
April 9 — Cathe Friedrich’s Pure Strength DVD, chest/shoulders/triceps segment
April 10 — walked the dogs 2 miles
April 11 — Cathe’s Pure Strength DVD, back/biceps/abs segment
April 12 — ran 2 miles
April 13  — 10 Minute Solutions Carb Burner Slow and Steady Burn segment followed by Cathe’s Cross Train Express Upper Body download (chest and back portions only) followed by an oldie from the FIRM captured on YouTube:  5 Day Abs, Day 3
April 14 — a most truly EXCELLENT run!
The Rockdale Ramblin’ Run 10k, touted to be the Toughest 10k in the Midwest, really just a super hilly 6.1 miler, but what was MOST EXCELLENT and wonderful about it was the fact that I beat last years time by 5 seconds per mile….even with the half-assed and sporadic training I’d been doing.  It was great.  It boosted my confidence and put a huge swell of inspiration in my sails.

April 15 — worked at the Urgent Care, took a day OFF
April 16 — 3 miles of mixed speed/hill intervals on the treadmill
April 17 — Cathe Friedrich’s Pyramid Upper Body DVD followed by an oldie-but-moldy from YouTube (which I love) 8 Minute Abs
April 18 — 4 miles outdoors:  1 mile warmup, 2 miles of speed work and 1 mile cooldown
April 19 —  20 minute YouTube Cardio Chellenge workout by Kendell Hogan of Exercise TV followed by the opening abs portion of the FIRM’s Sculpted Buns Hips Thighs
April 20 — 3 miles easy run outdoors
April 21 — a day OFF

April 22 — 8 miles easy run outdoors, my longest outing of the year so far, and pretty tough to accomplish.  It was hot and sunny but I made it.   Jumping up to 8 miles after maxing out with 6.1 for the past 3 and 1/2 months is not recommended on most training plans but it’s what I had to do in order to be ready for the 10 miler on April 28.
April 23 — most wisely chose to take a day off and rest those tired legs.
April 24 — 4 easy miles outdoors; went well, not too sore.  Picked up my race packet for the 10 miler.  Very excited and a little bit scared.
April 25 — FIRM Tight Buns and Killer Legs DVD followed by another round of 8 Minute Abs
April 26 — 2 fast miles outdoors.  I did good.  I surprised myself.  Confidence came home to roost.
April 27 — OFF
April 28 — CARA Lakefront 10 Mile Race.
The weather was AWFUL!  It was rainy, 44 degrees and gusty with winds up to 20 MPH along the ever-windy lakefront.  It was HORRIBLE.  But it was WONDERFUL, because I beat my previous 10 mile race pace by 40 seconds per mile.  That was HUGE.  I never thought in a million years I would do that well, but I did.  And under very challenging conditions.  Go me!

April 29 — worked at the Urgent Care; took a day OFF.  Felt really good.  Better than I expected I would after jumping from 6 to 8 to 10 miles in a two week period.  Nice.
April 30 — in a fit of stupidity, tried a new workout:  Cathe Friedrich’s Lower Body TriSets.  Just about killed whatever leg muscles I had left.
MAY 
May 1 — Oh the freaking DOMS!   I could barely sit and could hardly walk, yet a 5 mile run was on my agenda for the day. I walked it.  Slow.  The new workout damn near killed me.  I vowed that day:  as soon as my muscles recover, I’m going to do it again.  And again and again until it doesn’t hurt any more.  What doesn’t kill you will only make you stronger.  So I will do it again.
May 2 — In an effort to make my legs work again, I walked another 2 miles in the morning and then followed it with Cathe’s Pyramid Upper Body chest and back segments.
May 3 — Ran 3 miles.  Still sore.  Took it slow.  It was a struggle.
May 4 — Took the day OFF.  Finally starting to feel normal legs again.  A few twinges but nothing like the past 72 hours.
May 5 — Lake Bloomington 12k Race.
Still struggling despite the DOMS being completely gone.  It was hot and I was slow.  It took a lot of positive self-talk to keep going mid-race because I was so tired.  I think I’m feeling the effects of the rapid jump in Long Run mileage.  Will definitely take it easy next week.

May 6 — Today.  Resting.  Left Achilles tendonitis rearing its ugly head.  Will do some stretching later on tonight.

And that brings us up to date with the events of the past month.

On tap for the week:
Possibly running the Lemont Quarryman 10 Miler coming up this Saturday, May 12, if my legs are at 100%.  I don’t want to risk being injured before the big  events on my calendar:  Soldier Field 10, Peoria Steamboat 15k, and the Anchorage half marathon.

Pencilled in for the interim:
A pair of total body workouts.  Two mixed-pace runs, none greater than 5 miles in length.
Stretching.  Resting.  Hydrating.  Eating well.

More later.