December 22-December 28

Another good week of re-habbing! Wow, I am so glad that I decided to do this rehabbing and taking the month of December off. I feel like it is going really well! I have also been doing a great deal of research this week to try and get more information on my injury. I have learned a few more stretches for the lower adductor and have been utilizing them pretty frequently. I really would like to go for a run just to see how the adductor is feeling, but I have chosen to just wait. I can't wait till Thursday to hit the pavement for the first time in a month.

There is nothing to report this week by way of actual training. I had hoped to go for a ride on Saturday, but got carried away working in the garage with the wife. By the time we finished, it was dark. This week, I will continue to rehab and do some physical therapy. I will probably do a SPIN class on Monday/Wednesday this week. My plan is to start running this week, but ease my way into it as opposed to going hard like I did earlier when I was released to run.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

Hope everyone has a Safe and Happy New Year!
LJ

December 15-December 21

Well,

Another week of REST and then some more REST! I have really enjoyed the REST and my lower adductor is definitely feeling better. On Saturday, I decided to forget about waiting till January and started to go for a run. As soon as I started, it began to rain and that was my clue that I should probably not be running and hence, no run. As bad as I wanted to run, it was probably the best thing to do.

I was able to get in a SPIN class on Wednesday and that was great! I will be out of school for the next couple of weeks, so I am going to probably take a couple of SPIN classes to try to get some good training in. Hopefully, I will not be too tempted to go for a run this week seeing that I will have a good bit of free time. Of course, now that I am out of school, my lovely wife has several projects around the house that I need to work on, ugh!

I forgot all about the good news that I was supposed to be sharing. A few weeks ago, my wife took me to dinner on a Saturday evening and she wanted to give me an early Christmas gift! What was the gift? Well, she let me know that I am going to be a daddy! Yep, you got it, she is pregnant and we are going to have our first child! Wow, I am so excited, I wish I had the words to express it!

Oh well, that's the news and I am wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday!

LJ

December 8-December 14

A good week of rehabbing! Wow, I should have been doing these things a month ago. It has been hard this week not running. As it has only been a week, the results have been surprising. After this week, I am certain to be running strong come January. There is not much to present this week, but the fact that I am feeling pretty excited about the rehabbing!

Here are this week's results:

Monday: REST

Tuesday: REST

Wednesday: SPIN

Thursday: REST

Friday: REST

Saturday: 22 mi(bike)/1:18:51/Whew!! It was cold, too cold to be riding a bike. That being said, I was very happy with how well I felt!



Sunday: REST

Weekly Miles: 22 mi(bike)

I have been spinning on Wednesday's to try not to lose any of my cardio strength. I normally stay in the class for 30 minutes, but this week I was able to stay a little longer, about 40 minutes or so. The class is actually an hour, but I don't really have the time to stay for the full hour. As you can see, I was able to get a bike ride in this week. Man, it was cold, but nevertheless, a great ride. Hope everyone had a great week of training and HAPPY HOLIDAYS to all!
LJ

December 1-December 7

This week has not been the best by any means, at least when it comes to running. It has definitely been a GREAT week in other ways that I am not at liberty to share right now, but I will be updating you next week with that news. At any rate, I am sad to say that I have decided to stop running for the rest of the month of December. I definitely think that I could run more if I wanted to, but I feel like I need to rest my lower adductor more and just give it some time to heal and to concentrate on some more physical therapy. It seems like I started back a little too soon and started training to hard earlier than I was instructed. That being said, I am still happy about the running that I was able to get in. I just think that if I spend a bit more time getting over this tendinitis, it will help me in the long run. My goal is to still run in the Country Music Marathon in April 2009. My GPS was broken this week so therefore, all of my runs were without any times. I just ran to be running, which was a very good thing. I need to do this more often so my focus is not on time when running. This way I can take my focus off of how fast/slow I am running.

Here are this week's results:

Monday: REST

Tuesday: 5 mi/Wow, very, very cold morning run. It was my first run after the ATL Half-Marathon.



Wednesday: 5 mi/Nice, very comfortable run, did not try to push it or anything.



Thursday: REST

Friday: REST

Saturday: REST

Sunday: REST

Weekly Miles: 10 mi(run)

Although I will not be running this week, I am planning to take SPIN class on Wednesday and do a lot of physical therapy. I am a little frustrated, but at the same time excited about the rest that I will get and the PT. One good thing is that I am no where near where I was when I went to the doctor. In other words, the pain is not bad at all, but it has not gone away and this is what bothers me the most. Hope every one is getting excited about the holidays!! KEEP RUNNING!!
LJ
PS Look for exciting news next week!

November 24-November 30

Well, another good week of training. It was definitely a low-key week for me. I rested most of the week and had a good race on Thursday to celebrate Thanksgiving! It was nice to be able to finally run a race with my brother. Well, at least we ran the first 4 miles together till he decided to leave me. Fortunately, I was able to catch up with him the last mile or so and we were able to finish together! That was totally cool and we took a nice photo at the finish!

Monday: REST

Tuesday: 6.2 mi/53:35/Nice, easy run. I tried to take it easy and to relax. Felt really good.



Wednesday: REST

Thursday: 13.1 mi/1:48:36/Atlanta Half Marathon/Whew! Great race, my lower adductor started to bother me. That being said, I still had a decent race! I got to run with my brother.



Friday: REST

Saturday: REST

Sunday: REST

Weekly Miles: 19.3 mi(run)

Definitely a good week! It was nice to be with family on Thursday. My wife and I had 2 of my brothers and their families over and my mom! We ate and ate and ate some more! It felt good eating that food trying to replenish all of those calories from the race. I hope everyone had a nice, restful thanksgiving! Back to training this week!
LJ

November 17-November 23

This week wasn't so bad. I had some really good runs this week with some speed added toward the end of the week. I am noticing that my body is feeling a bit fatigued as I run any kind of distance. It seems once I get to about the 10-11 mile mark, my body starts to ache. I am sure this is due to the fact that I could not run for a little over a month due to my injury. That being said, I felt much better on my Saturday run than the previous week's long run.

Here are this week's results:

Monday: REST

Tuesday: 6.1 mi/51:37/Enjoyed running in the a.m. Man, it was freezing cold, coldest run yet. As usual, it was extremely windy coming back in. Nice, comfortable, run!



Wednesday: SPIN

Thursday: 6.5 mi/53:11/Great run, felt well-rested and ran pretty hard!



Friday: REST

Saturday: 14.6 mi/2:09:47/Nice run. Same route basically as last week, I just added a little more. I felt much better coming in than last week. I did feel tired, but managed to finish strong.



Sunday: REST

Weekly Miles: 27.2 mi(run)

I feel pretty confident that I will do just fine in the Atlanta Half Marathon this week. The training is over for the most part as I take it easy this week. I am not expecting any great time or a PR by any means. The goal is just to finish and to not re-injure myself. If I can do that, I will be totally happy! As Thanksgiving Day nears, I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and that everyone eats a lot of turkey! Hey, you deserve it if you have been putting in the miles. This is one of my favorite holidays as I can't wait to gobble up some turkey and eat all day! No better feeling than eating and stuffing your face knowing that you will run it off the next day or two. I am so grateful and thankful for my wife, my family, my friends, my health, my job and Christ! These are just a few, what are you thankful for today?

Be safe and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!
LJ

November 10-November 16

Two great weeks in a row and that's with a missed run! I am a bit disappointed in missing one of my runs, but I decided to go have fun instead of train(probably not the wisest). I have made worse decisions. I will say that my good run on Saturday pretty much washed away any bad thoughts that I had about missing a run.

Here are this week's results:

**Please visit the MotionBased link to see more information about each of my runs this week!**

Monday: 5 mi/42:04/Very cold this morning and I was under-dressed. Still a very good run with a good strong finish!



Tuesday: 4.8 mi/40:01/Comfortable run with some good speed throughout the run. Had some rolling hills that I really liked.



Wednesday: REST

Thursday: REST

Friday: REST

Saturday: 14.2 mi/2:07:06/Good run till I came back in. I struggled a bit, but finished strong. The wind coming back was extremely brutal!



Sunday: REST (yard work, if you call that rest)

Weekly Miles: 24 mi(run)

I feel pretty good and confident after my 14 miler on Saturday. I did feel pretty bad afterwards, not in a bad way. My body was just a bit sore and probably because I am still adjusting to doing longer runs again. The longer run really felt great and I am sure that I would have felt ten times better had it not been so windy. The funny thing is, I ran the same route for the last two weeks and both times coming back it was extremely windy. Of course, I added some distance this week to make it a longer run. I will probably do another 14 miler or so this week and then take it easy till the ATL Half. I am looking forward to running with my brother (BJ). He had to ruin my 14 miler by sending me a text to let me know that he had just completed a 17 miler. Here I am thinking I had done something!

Happy running to all this week!
LJ

November 3-November 9

As you will see, I had a pretty good week of running and biking. I was able to get a long run in on Saturday and it was a very good one. So good that I signed up for the Atlanta Half Marathon. I am excited about running the ATL Half for my 10th year and looking forward to running it with my brother(BJ). I am just hoping that I can keep up with him. BJ is in the middle of training for the Mobile Alabama Marathon in January. He should be in much better shape than I am. I am looking forward to the run! I also got in a good long bike ride on Saturday and I had a very unfortunate incident happen while riding on Saturday. My friend Allen and I rode down at Freedom Pkwy and coming back in I went around a curve and a kid was riding his bike on the wrong side and I never saw him till it was a little too late. We collided, well not really me, but he hit my bike and crashed and man, he was screaming. I think it scared him more than anything. Thank God neither of us were hurt. I must say, I was a bit disappointed in the parents as they literally just left him behind and had it not been for me waving them down, they would have never known what took place. At any rate,

Here are this week's results:

**Please visit the MotionBased link to see more information about each of my runs this week!**

Monday: 5.7 mi/46:37/Good run! If I had more time, I would have run further. Ran pretty hard coming in.



Tuesday: 6.6 mi/55:29/Nice, easy run with some good speed the last couple of miles!



Wednesday: REST

Thursday: 5.4 mi/44:34/Very comfy run with a good bit of speed the last 1.5 mile or so.



Friday: REST

Saturday: 11.8 mi(run)/1:41:29/It was good just to get a long run in. I was very surprised at how great I felt throughout my
run. I should definitely not have a problem with the ATL half on Turkey Day!

20 mi(bike)/1:29:15/Great ride after a 12 mile run! Even though I hit a kid not paying attention where he was going. I am pleased with the ride! It was extremely windy coming back.


Run


Bike Ride

Sunday: 18.3 mi(bike)/1:14:31/Nice, comfortable ride w/Jerry. Lot of hills with very little traffic. Felt pretty good after
yesterday's 20 mile ride.



Weekly Miles: 29.5 mi(run)/38.3 mi(bike)

As I said, a much better week with my running. I am very pleased with my bike riding as well. As the cooler temperatures come our way, I will probably ride the bike less and continue to run regardless of the temperatures. As I said earlier, I am very happy with my running and I am certain that I will do well in the Atlanta Half Marathon. I will definitely be running the race with my brother(BJ) and staying with him throughout the race. This will be something different for me. Of course, we have only ran one other race together and that was his first marathon(Mercedes Marathon) and we did not run together. Hopefully, he will not take off and leave me. Hope everyone has had a GREAT week of training!

KEEP RUNNING/BIKING!
LJ

October 27-November 2

This week was definitely not my best! Man, the cold weather! Where did those temperatures come from? The cold temperatures hit me pretty hard and really just demotivated me. I started the week with a great 5 mile run and the rest of the week was a bit of a struggle. I actually made it to the gym on Monday and Wednesday, but only ran Monday and Thursday. I was able to take a SPIN class on Wednesday. I am planning to start taking the SPIN class at my gym every Wednesday. Man, I really like riding my new bike. What a change in the pounding. I never knew that I could get my heart rate up any other way, but riding my bike has been a great change for me.

Here are this week's results:

Monday: 5 mi/42:42/Nice run...very very windy and my first weekly run in the a.m. in awhile.

Tuesday: REST

Wednesday: SPIN

Thursday: 6.5 mi/54:27/Comfortable run after a 4-day rest! Very good run and I wish I had run further!



Friday: REST

Saturday: 30.3 mi(bike)/1:46:43/Wow, a GREAT bike ride. Rode with Dan and Allen! Great ride guys! Longest bike ride to date
and man I felt GREAT!



Sunday: 26 mi(bike)/1:44:51/Wow, I felt a bit tired from the previous days' 30 miler, but nevertheless, I finished pretty strong with a bit more hills!



Weekly Miles: 11.5 mi(run)/56.3 mi(bike)

As you can see, the week was not a total loss. I am very happy with my bike riding and man, I am really starting to enjoy that bike. I am sure to get more running in this week as I am going to start riding only on the weekends. I am still trying to figure out when I can get my long runs in. Also, I am still undecided on the Atlanta Half Marathon. Hope everyone had a great week of training!
LJ

October 20-October 26

Well,
Not a bad week of training, but as you will see, I did miss a few days of training! I went on a road trip mid-week, so I was unable to get some of my usual running/riding in. I took a trip to Columbia, SC to see Rascal Flatts with a friend of mine. GREAT trip! I came back on Friday afternoon and just tried to relax and get some rest. On Saturday I was able to do a long run, but it was not a very comfortable run as I was pretty pooped. Nevertheless, I was just happy to get the run in and over. Never a good idea to run with very little sleep! That being said, the week could have been worse, so I will definitely not complain.

Here are this week's results:

Monday: 6.2 mi(run)/53:23/Easy morning run with cooler temperatures. I was able to pick up the pace a good bit coming in.
7.4 mi(bike)/26:58/Very nice ride after work. I was able to tackle the hill that I could not tackle on Saturday. Also, I am figuring out how my gears work a little better!





Tuesday: 6.5 mi/55:17/Good run with some nice hills that did not slow me down!



Wednesday: REST

Thursday: REST

Friday: REST

Saturday: 10.8 mi/1:36:09/After a few days of no running, not a bad run. I felt pretty tired coming back and the last 2 miles were pretty darn tough.



Sunday: 17 mi(bike)/1:16:01/Nice, easy ride with Allen and his friend(Bob). Got a few good hills in. I am finally figuring out my gears!



Weekly Miles=23.5(run)/24.4(bike)

October 13-October 19

As I continue to get back to my normal running, I am beginning to feel better and better each week. This week was definitely no exception. I am beginning to run much faster and feel better after each of my runs. I would like to believe that I am getting back to where I was before I injured myself. I was able to play tennis this week (Saturday) on my ALTA team and play pain-free. At one time, I thought tennis was the sole reason why I got injured, but after playing on Saturday(3 sets), I am not even sure that is what caused the injury because I was able to play some good tennis and not even feel any pain. That being said, my partner and I did get beat, 6-2, 4-6, 0-6. After the tennis match I went straight home and hopped on my bike. Saturday was my first long ride. Man, it was awesome! I enjoyed the ride and coming home, I had a hill that was just a bit too much for me and had to walk the bike, but nevertheless, it was still a GREAT ride!

Here are this week's results:

Monday: 5.9 mi/49:52/Nice, easy run. Ran the last 2 miles pretty hard and felt great!



Tuesday: 6 mi/50:30/Nice, easy run with a good pace!










Wednesday: 6.5 mi/55:27/Good run that started out fairly tough, but ended up in a good strong run. Finished the last mile around 7:00.



Thursday: 5.9 mi/50:44/Just a nice, easy run. I started the run just trying to run an easy 9 minute pace and struggled the whole run to keep it there. I ended up running the last mile under 7:00. Geez!



Friday: REST

Saturday: 14.5 mi(bike ride)/54:09/Wow, first long ride on my bike! Awesome, easy ride. I got pretty darn tired coming back in and at one point had to walk the bike up a hill.



Sunday: REST

Weekly Miles=24.3(run)/14.5(bike)

As you can see, I did have a pretty productive week. Hopefully, this week I can run in the a.m. and get on my bike in the evenings. That is my plan, but with the cooler temperatures and the darkness setting in quicker, I may not be able to ride as far as I would like. At any rate, I am still trying to decide on the Atlanta Half-Marathon. I am sure that I will do it, I just want to do well in it and not just show up to finish. Of course, if I run it, it will be my 10 year anniversary running it! Hope everyone had a GREAT week of training!

AVIDRNR

October 6-October 12

This week was a good week of training; although, I missed my long run on Saturday. That being said, you will notice a few changes to my blog this week. Please not the elevation charts of each of my runs. This helps me to see whether or not I got any hills in. As you can see, I got a lot of hills in on each of my runs.

Here are this week's results:

Monday: 6.6 mi/57:24/Wow, another good run! I actually made sure I did not run over 9 minute miles. Most of the miles were under 9 minutes. Felt great!



Tuesday: 3.5 mi/30:12/This run was not the easiest and I did not feel great; but nevertheless, it was a short comfortable run. I meant to just go easy and ran a bit faster than I should have.



Wednesday: REST

Thursday: 6.5 mi/56:35/Whew! I did not feel like running, but it turned out to be a great run. Took my time and hit it hard coming back. Hit a 7:00 mile coming in!



Friday: REST

Saturday: 5.6 mi/52:33/Tough run! I felt very tired and could not wait for the run to end, ugh!



Sunday: REST

Weekly Mileage=22.2

As you can see, still a productive week. All of my runs this week were pain-free as I continue to recover from my injury well over a month ago now. I am soo excited to be back at it. Also, I purchased me a bike this week and will be doing both running and biking. My plan is to run in the mornings and then bike in the evenings. Can't wait to see how that works out. I am sure there will be adjustments. Hope everyone has had a good week of training!

KEEP RUNNING!
LJ

September 29-October 5

Wow, what a great week of running! I am so happy with each of my runs this week. As you will see, I started the week off with a 12 miler that probably should not have happened. I ran with a friend and fortunately, he took it easy on me and we ran my pace for the most part(thanks Stager). We did however, pick up the pace coming in and we had a serious hill returning. That being said, good run. As you can see, all of my runs were pain-free! Most of the runs, I was just a bit sore afterwards from getting used to running miles again.

Here are this week's results:

Monday: 11.9 mi/1:51:19/Nice run with Stager. Longest run since my injury. I felt it pretty good coming back, but definitely no pain!
Tuesday: 4.8 mi/41:20/Very nice run considering that I ran a 12 miler the day before. I was very impressed with the way I felt as I did not feel too bad at all!
Wednesday: 3.3 mi/28:27/Nice, pain-free run and the 3rd run in three straight days. I actually ran my last mile in 7:52.
Thursday: REST
Friday: REST
Saturday: 11 mi/1:36/Nice long run, 2nd one in past 5 days. I did not even realize that I was running a second long run till well into the run. Nice, easy run that was pain-free. Enjoyed running at a much later time(5:00 p.m.) on a cool evening!
Sunday: REST
Mileage=31 miles

**Please visit the MotionBased link to see more information about each of my runs this week!**

Definitely a good week of running. My confidence is building again. Most of the runs this week were at a faster pace than previous weeks. Also, as you probably noticed, I got in a good bit more miles this week. Mostly, due to the fact that I had 2 long runs this week. I will definitely not be doing that this week. I am purchasing a bike this week, so I am going to start cross-training eventually to give my body a much needed break until I can completely heal. Hope everyone has had a great week of training! It feels good to be able to run in the evening and have it be nice and cool. This week I am hoping to get back into a routine of going to the gym at 5:30 in the a.m.

KEEP RUNNING!
LJ

Happy 40th to ol Lamar

My surprise 40th birthday party:

Headed in the Right Direction...

Well,

It seems as though I am finally headed in the right direction and making some good progress on my road to recovery. The one thing that I am noticing is that I am starting to try to push myself harder which is probably not a good idea. I am wanting to ease my way into this and not get myself injured again. That being said, I would like to believe this is a good thing. I was able to get some good runs in this week and all of them were pain-free. I even ran some hills and did not feel bad at all. On my longer runs, I am noticing some soreness seeing that I am not used to running the longer miles.

Here are this week's results:

Monday: REST
Tuesday: 6.3 mi/53:42
Wednesday: REST
Thursday: REST
Friday: REST
Saturday: 7.5 mi/1:07
Sunday: REST
Mileage=13.8

**Please visit the MotionBased link to see more information about each of my runs this week!**

Not a horrible week, but less running than the previous week. On Saturday, I celebrated my "40th" birthday! Due to it being my birthday, I went for an easy jog with my friend Allen and then off to the golf course. I played 18 holes of golf for my birthday and then it was time to celebrate my birthday. On my way home, to my surprise, my wife had planned the whole event. From playing golf to hanging out afterwards for a beer with a friend to going to another friends for a drink. All the way to coming home and walla, SURPRISE!!!! HHHHAAAAPPPPPYYYYY BIIIIRRRRTTTHHHDDAAAYYY!!! There were probably 50 people at our home to wish me a happy 40th. Oh my gosh, I was truly surprised and truly overwhelmed. Check out photos of my surprise party! What a way to cap off the evening! Sweetie, you know I love you so much and I am so mad at you for doing that to me(not really)! GREAT SURPRISE!

I am hoping to get more miles in this week as I continue to feel better and better!

Happy Trails to all!
LJ

Finally, A Long Run...

I am excited to say that I did not miss a single run this week and I was able to run pain-free all week long! Yeah! I was not sure if was ever going to be able to say that. My Saturday run was probably longer than I should have bee running, but I thought, what the heck! It was such a nice cool Fall morning, I had to. The physical therapist did tell me that I could increase my mileage on the weekends(not 5 whole miles). I guess I will increase 1 mile per week now that I am at 10 miles, just don't let the physical therapist know what I am doing. Of course, I will listen to my body and if I am in pain, I will not continue at this rate.

Here are this week's results:

Monday: 4.1 mi/36:40
Tuesday: REST
Wednesday: 4.3 mi/38:02
Thursday: REST
Friday: REST
Saturday: 9.6 mi/1:25:52
Sunday: 3.4 mi/30:03
Mileage=21.4 miles

**Please visit the MotionBased link to see more information about each of my runs this week!**

As you can see, I am making progress and I am so excited! For the first time since my injury, I was able to run back-to-back days(Sat.&Sun.) It felt great as I took my time on Sunday and the weather was perfect. I even picked up the pace coming back in. This week I will probably continue to do my every other day runs and possibly start increasing to maybe 45 minutes as opposed to the usual 30. As you can see, I have been going past the 30 minutes anyway, so I may as well increase to 45 minutes. Next Saturday is my birthday as it will be a BIG one for me! I will probably celebrate by doing at least a 10 miler if not longer(all depends on how I feel). Of course my wife knows nothing about this so if she reads my blog, I am sure this will change. She never reads it so I am not too worried about her finding out. Hope everyone has a wonderful week as Fall is here!!
LJ

Good Week...

Well,

I am finally back to running. Even if it is every other day, it feels good to just be able to go for a run. I am still feeling some discomfort at the end of my runs, but the physical therapist says that is to be expected and that that is pretty normal. I have been instructed to still run every other day and to get a good bit of cross training in. That being said, I am shopping for a bike and taking spin classes for now. This makes perfect sense as I continue to get rid of the tendinitis in my lower adductor. The PT also said that I should not have any problems running the Atlanta Half-Marathon in November. I am a bit excited about my chances and yet a little nervous at the same time as I haven't ran any further than a 5 miler and still continue to have discomfort in my lower adductor after a few miles.

Here are this week's results:

Monday: 4 mi/37:10
Tuesday: REST
Wednesday: 4 mi/35:48
Thursday: REST
Friday: REST
Saturday: 5.4 mi/51:01
Sunday: REST
Mileage=13.4

**Please visit the MotionBased link to see more information about each of my runs this week!**

As you can see from my runs this week, I progressively got faster and faster. I expect the same this week as I run every other day and run the same distance. I am not planning to run too much faster as I am sure this will only cause more discomfort. I am sure to get in a couple of spin classes this week as I start to cross-train.

Hope everyone had a GREAT week and I wish everyone a GREAT week this week as well!
AVIDRNR

Back to running...

Well,

Here I am, I am back! Finally, I have been released to run again. I got a couple of runs in this week as you have probably already noticed. Like I said earlier, it feels so good to be back on the blacktop! I will be taking it easy most of this week as I run every other day starting tomorrow. I go back to the physical therapist on Thursday and will find out what the next step is. I am sure that it will be my last PT session. After Thursday, I am hoping to do at least a 10 miler on the weekend.

I am back to playing tennis as I am certain, this is where my troubles started. I will definitely be taking it easy as I play tennis and trying not to make any sudden moves, if that is even possible. After Saturday's match, I will probably take the following week off to rest and continue my running. This way, I will not repeat what I did earlier in the summer and therefore becoming injured.

Here are this week's results:

Tuesday: 4.1 mi/40:03
Saturday: 5 mi/47:37
Mileage=9.1 miles

**Please visit the MotionBased link to see more information about each of my runs this week!**

I am just so happy to be back to running. I may not have run many miles this week, but at least I can say that I ran. I haven't been able to say that in a very long time. At any rate, hope everyone is enjoying the cooler temperatures, at least in the a.m.

Happy running this week to all!

LJ

Nice easy run...

So, I went for a nice, slow, 10-minute mile pace 4 mile run today! I wish that I had words to express how good it felt to be back on the pavement running! Wow, it was truly a high that I have missed for a little over a month. I must say, I ran the whole time pain-free. I know the doctor told me to run 5 minutes and walk 5 minutes and only run for 30 minutes, but I just could not do it. After the first 5 minutes, I thought should I walk and I said heck no! It felt so good, I am telling you, it was nearly impossible for me to walk. As I sit here and type up this post, I am pain-free and glad that I did not walk a single step. Now, in the morning, I may say something totally different, but as for now, let me just enjoy the moment and take in how great it was to be back on the blacktop just pounding away. Please see LJ's runs to see the results. I could care less that it took me 40 minutes to run 4 miles when I normally run that far in 30 minutes and some times under 30 minutes. I was just enjoying myself.

Oh well, just had to give an update as I disobeyed my doctor's orders. Please don't tell my wife!
LJ

Actual First Run

Well,

This week has been a good week for the most part. I actually ran for the first time outside on Saturday. Granted, it was only 2.6 miles, but it was a step in the right direction. I am sad to say, as happy as I was to get that run in, I felt pretty bad afterwards. I shouldn't say that I felt bad, my lower adductor was very sore after the run and I felt it all evening. To that extent, I am a bit frustrated and a little worried. I hope to run again on Monday, but I will continue doing my 5 minute walk/5 minute run for a total of 30 minutes this week.

Feel free to check out my one lonely run this week underneath the motionbased tab.

Hope everyone had a better week.

KEEP RUNNING!!
LJ

First Run...

Well, I am happy to report that my first run since a little over a month ago was successful! Yesterday, I got to run on a treadmill in a pool(never done that before). I was a bit nervous as I did not know how my lower adductor was going to react. Nevertheless, I hopped right in and walked for the first 5 minutes and then I got to run for 5 minutes. I basically ran for nearly 15 minutes and walked for 10. I alternated back and forth every 5 minutes.

I was thinking the whole time that man, if I can run in this pool, it should be fairly easy to run outside, right? Not according to the therapist, there is a good bit of less pounding in the water which makes total sense. That being said, I am set to go for a run on my own on Saturday. Don't look for it to be a 10 miler or anything like that. I have been instructed to run for 25 minutes, max. Once again, I will be alternating running/walking every 5 minutes. This is by far better than what I have been doing the past month or so.

Oh well, just wanted to report some good news. Although yesterday was supposed to be my last PT session, I am going one more time next week just to get the reading of my MRI from the Orthopedic Sports doctor.

Happy running to all and I hope everyone has a happy and safe Labor Day weekend!!

LJ

Road to Recovery...

Well,

I would like to believe that I am on the road to recovery. Hopefully, sooner than later. It has been a very good week of rest (believe it or not). I have actually listened to the physical therapist and did exactly as he instructed. I know, I can't believe it either. It hasn't been easy, but I am making some good strides in the right direction.

This Thursday is supposed to be my last physical therapy session. I am hoping they do not tell me that I need to come back for more. Good news, my MRI finally came back and it was negative! I was very very relieved to finally get the results as I have been a bit worried the past week or so. Now, I just have to take the MRI films to the orthopaedic surgeon so that he can look at them for himself. The radiologist has confirmed that it was negative and that there are no signs of any hernia and that everything is normal!

I will keep you posted as the week progresses. I am supposed to run on the treadmill in the pool this week and I can't wait!

Hope everyone has had a good week and is enjoying the cooler temperatures we have had this week!

KEEP RUNNING!
LJ

Session#3

Well, I just got home from my 3rd physical therapy appointment. I am a bit frustrated with not being able to run, but as I continue to say, it is what it is! It appears that I will not be running anytime soon unless a miracle occurs and my lower adductor muscle is completely healed (that is very, very possible).

As I approach the end of my first week of school, a run is totally, totally past due! What used to be my answer to a very stressful day has been replaced with absolutely nothing at the moment. I am in search of that natural high that I got from running. Not sure where or if I can find it, but I am desperately in need of it.

According to the therapist, there is a possibility that I may not even be able to run the annual Thanksgiving Atlanta Half Marathon. Here I am going for my 10th one in a row and there is a possibility that I may not even be able to run it! What a bummer. I am to the point to where I refuse to hear that and I have decided that that will be my goal for the rest of the year, to run the Atlanta Half!

Oh well, just wanted to give a quick update!

KEEP RUNNING!!!
LJ

July 28-August 3

Well, no running to report this week. I found out on Friday that I have a tear in my lower adductor muscle. Ugh!! The Orthopaedic doctor has ordered me to take some physical therapy for the next month and to NOT run. He also gave me the worst news, I will NOT be running the New York City Marathon in November. Ugh again!!

That being said, I am taking the news OK and decided that it is what it is. All things being considered, it could be worse.

I had my first physical therapy on Tuesday and it went really well. I felt pretty darn good when I left their office(not good enough to go for a run), but I do think it was helpful. I will go for session #2 on Thursday!

Last Friday, I had the opportunity to attend a Rascal Flatts concert with my lovely wife and a couple of friends at Lakewood Amphitheater. We had so much fun that my wife and I decided to go on tour with them for the weekend. Seriously! Well, we didn't exactly get on the bus with them and tour, but we did go see them on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday we drove to Raleigh and on Sunday to Charlotte. (Thanks Jay for an awesome weekend, we had a blast!!)

On Sunday, I was able to see my good buddy/roommate from college (Denny). Wow, what a blast from the past!! Some people never change and Denny you have not. It seems like you have settled down a little bit, but nothing to brag about. It was soo good seeing ya man!

Here are a few photo's from our weekend of fun! (more to come)

Later,
LJ



Jay



Rascal Flatts



Sabrina, Jay and Lamar



Denny and Lamar



Lamar, Jay and Denny

Good News...No Hernia!

Well, I got some good news on Monday. No hernia! I was so thrilled, I had to go for a second opinion the next day. Same news, no hernia. I asked the surgeon, "so why am I in this pain?" His reply was something about my lower adductor. It sounds like the adductor muscle has been pulled or something to that effect. I am scheduled to see an orthopedic surgeon on Friday and to possibly start physical therapy. That's the latest and I will let you know what I discover on Friday!

KEEP RUNNING!!!
LJ

Injury...Going on the DL

Well, just as I had thought. I have what is referred to as a "Sports Hernia." I will be on the disabled list for an unknown amount of time. I went on Thursday to my Internist and he delivered the bad news that I indeed have a tear in my inguinal canal. According to the doctor, I can keep running and risk the tear becoming worse and the final result would be the tear becoming ripped apart and my intestines falling down in the tear which would create an enormous amount of pain. I have decided to go ahead and have it fixed and opting to have surgery to repair the tear. I will find out on Monday after visiting the surgeon exactly what that will entail. Hopefully, I can get it done fairly quickly and from what I have been reading, the recovery time should be at the most 6 weeks. Not sure if I am even going to try to do the New York City Marathon as of now.

I will keep you posted after going to the surgeon and will give more updates as they become available. Hope everyone had a good week of running!!

KEEP RUNNING,
LJ

July 14-July 20

Can you say INJURY? I am sad to report that I have come upon an injury. I guess I am just getting older as I approach the big "40". I have been dealing with some discomfort in the "groin" area for some time now. I hate to say it, but I never experienced this type of pain till I started playing tennis about 10 weeks ago. Therefore, I am blaming the injury on tennis. It seems that I am able to manage the pain a bit more while playing tennis than when I actually go for a run. I ran one time this week and decided after that run to take a week off and just rest. Well, that did not quite happen as I tried to go for a run on Saturday and struggled badly throughout a 5 mile run. At one point, no, make that two different points in my run, I had to actually stop and walk. After doing a good bit of research this weekend, it sounds like I have what's referred to as a "sport hernia." According to what I have read, this comes from playing sports such as tennis that causes your body to make quick turns. I am not 100% certain that this is what I have, but I am pretty sure this is it. I am likely to see a doctors this week.

Here are this week's results:

Monday: REST
Tuesday: 5.2 mi/43:04
Wednesday: REST
Thursday: REST
Friday: REST
Saturday: 5 mi/????? Not sure about the time as I know it took forever, or so it seemed
Sunday: REST
Mileage=10.2 mi

**Please visit the MotionBased link to see more information about each of my runs this week!**

Although I did not get much running in, it was still a GREAT week! I worked all week long in the yard and in the house trying to get ready for my mother's 66th "Surprise Birthday Party". It was totally awesome! She was totally surprised and we just had a GREAT time sharing the good ol days and just having some good fellowship. Mom, I hope you enjoyed yourself(as I could tell you did) and I wish you many many many more wonderful birthdays!!

Good luck to all this week and HAPPY running to all!!
LJ

July 7-July 13

It's time to get ready for New York! This week was a very slow week and not a whole lot of running for me as I rest and get ready to gear up my training. The week started off pretty well, although it was rather hot this week. The week ended without yet another long run which has become a bit more common than I would like. I did spend once again a whole lot of time in my yard on Saturday and thus no long run on Sunday. Also, the ALTA season came to an end for me as Saturday was my last match and now I will have my Saturday's back and hopefully, I can get back to some normalcy with my weekend runs. As you can see I did not run on Wednesday of this week this was due to a promise that I made to my wife. We celebrated our 3 year anniversary, so I made a promise that I would not run that day. Happy Anniversary sweetie, I enjoyed my evening with you and look forward to many many more years with you!!

Here are this week's results:

Monday: 5 mi/40:22 (speed work)
Tuesday: 4 mi/31:42 (Very very humid!)
Wednesday: Unable to Run (Anniversary)
Thursday: 6.4 mi/56:56 Ran w/Dan
Friday: REST
Saturday: ALTA(worked in the yard (all day)
Sunday: REST
Mileage=15.4

**Please visit the MotionBased link to see more information about each of my runs this week!**

Definitely not the week that I had hoped for, but nevertheless, I did get some runs in. This week, I am hopeful for a few more miles and hopeful for a long run this week. This week, my family will be celebrating my mother's 66th birthday, so I am hoping that does not cause me to miss any runs. I have figured out that if I can just get up early every morning, I would be able to get all of my runs in. This way, I can go about my day and not have anything keep me from running. Of course, I think each week I set out to do this, but life happens. Hope everyone had a nice weekend and got some miles in. Thank God for all the rain we have had this week. Man, I think it has rained every day this week. I am not complaining!

KEEP RUNNING!
LJ

June 30-July 6

Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July!! This week has been a week of very good cool weather, which is totally unusual for it being this time of the year. It is normally pretty darn hot and the humidity is normally pretty high. I had a fairly restful week with not a whole lot of running, but enough running to make me happy. I started the week out pretty good and took it easy most of the week. On Thursday evening, my wife and I went to the Braves game for a nice evening. What a GREAT time we both had!!!
















Here are this week's results:

Monday: 7.3 miles
Tuesday: 5 miles
Wednesday: REST
Thursday: REST
Friday: Peachtree Road Race/6.2 mi/47:12
Saturday: Worked in the Yard (all day)
Sunday: REST
Mileage=18.5

As I mentioned earlier, I pretty much took it easy this week. I was a little bit disappointed in my time in the Peachtree Road Race, but I will not complain too much. I had planned to run 7:30 minute miles and try to push it a bit the last mile and see if I could run it right at 7:00 if not faster. Unfortunately, that did not happen. I was a little misled in thinking the last mile would be pretty much down hill, but that was nowhere near the truth. The course changed due to something I know nothing about and therefore, the last little bit of the race was a pretty good hill and it totally kicked my butt, to say the least. At any rate, I was able to finish the race about 10 seconds slower than last year, UGH!!

On Saturday, my wife and I literally worked in the yard from around 9ish a.m. till about 7ish Saturday evening. That in and of itself was a workout for me! As a matter of fact, we were both so tired, we did not do a thing on Sunday, but hang out at the house and be lazy.

Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July weekend!!!

LJ