This Week in Running 8/6 - 8/12 + Sunset Peak Hike

Yours truly at the top of Sunset Peak

Day	Mileage / Workout	Comments
Sunday	Off	6 Miles of hiking
Monday	3
Tuesday	4
Wednesday	Off	Physical Therapy
Thursday	3
Friday	3
Saturday	8
Total miles for the week: 21; YTD: 1073

Week's Summary

This week was getting used and seeing what my knee would tolerate.  If you've been following me, you know I've been dealing with a bit of a knee problem.  In short, a doctor told me that I had quite a bit of scar tissue built up on my knee and as a result, was causing me a lot of pain.

I have been going to physical therapy and so far have been having good results with the treatment.  I have also been doing my homework in that I've been doing all the crazy exercises they have given me.  This involves some one-legged squats, 4-directional leg swings with a theraband attached to a stationary object and icing / stretching.  My neglected hamstrings, glutes and inner thing muscles have taken a beating as a result.  And when I run, I definitely feel stronger. 

Physical Therapy treatment (I've gone twice) involves some exercises, electric stimulation, Graston release and more exercises.  I really enjoy it -- although definitely not looking forward to the medical bill (insurance seems to cover so little these days).  While at the beginning of the week I was in quite a bit of discomfort, I am finding that as time progresses, it *is* getting better.

That being said, however, my knee is still having issues.  It isn't so much during my running, but it is after sitting for periods of time, which I do a lot of at work.  When the tendon is suddenly expected to have weight put on it, it complains -- often loudly.  I get a very sharp pain -- sometimes from bone on bone.  So I walk with a bit of a pronounced limp. Once I am warmed up, though, generally I feel good.

So I was given the green light to do some easy 2 - 3 mile runs so long as the pain wasn't bad or it didn't alter my stride (too much).  And I took advantage of it and didn't abuse it too much -- with the exception of Saturday.

I feel almost like I am starting over in terms of building up my endurance.  Saturday's run started out promising and I was holding a decent pace for 5 miles.  After that though, the heat and a lack of carbohydrate in my system slowed me down.  I also had a growing pain in my hip, which is a result of me changing my stride to brace for any knee problems (I also torqued it during a PT session).  I am pretty happy though that I was able to get some miles in and start building back up.  I want to be ready to run some quality half marathons this fall as well as get ready for Vegas (no other marathon plans right now).

I should be good to go for next weekend's Dam Train Race.  It won't be a stellar performance by any means, but I'll be able to cover the distance.

Sunset Peak

Since I couldn't run early on in the week, I took my training to the trails.  I did a power hike from Brighton Utah to the top of Sunset Peak (Garmin route here).  Initially my knee wasn't happy but after warming up, I was cranking up the trail.  I wound up hiking the 3 mile route in about 70 minutes, which is cruising given the elevation and hills I had to conquer.

I love power hiking, as I can really work out without stressing my joints or my knees.  The thinner air, the climbing and distance all talk their toll.  It was a beautiful day for a hike and I got a lot of good pictures.  This is one of my favorite hikes as there are people on the trail, which is reassuring, and sections of it are highly runnable / fast walkable.

Enjoy the photos:

Upcoming Races

08/19: Dam Train Race - 12 KM Race - Midway, UT (Confirmed)
11/12: Las Vegas Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)
04/21: Salt Lake City Marathon - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed (2018))