Chapter 7 – Looking Ahead to the Bolder Boulder 10K

Time for a Change in Strategy

The beginning of April brought with it my first PT session in almost two months.  Travel and other things just made it impractical to squeeze in an appointment earlier.  During that long time, I was focused on religiously performing my PT exercise set, 15 stretch and strength exercises, which took me 90 minutes.  I tried to complete the entire set of 15 exercises every other day, while incorporating cycling or running where I could.  The result was that I was sore and fatigued most of the time, and I was not logging very many miles.

 

My long-range training plan said that I needed to increase my weekly mileage to 20 miles by the end of April, then 25 by the end of May.  I did not see how that was going to happen without some relief from my PT exercise regimen.  So, I used my April PT session to work with my physical therapist to free up more time for running and recovery.

 

First, we split the set of 15 exercises into strength training and post-run recovery stretching.  The strength training set included 9 exercises with one optional exercise, while the run recovery set included 5 stretches.  Strength training days would be dedicated to strength training, no running or cycling added on top.  I need to allow my muscles to properly recover from the strength training.  Strength training days would be cut down to twice per week, allowing for 3-4 running/cycling days and 1-2 recovery days.  The run-recovery set of exercises were to be done religiously after every run.

 

Mentally this plan was a boost.  Now I would get back to a pattern that worked for me in years past when I would do strength training in the gym at work on Tuesdays and Thursdays and run 3-4 of the other days.  I would continue to improve my leg and core strength while having a running schedule that would allow me to build mileage.  

 

I am beginning to accept that my hip discomfort is here to stay, and that PT is going to give me ways to tolerate it, not eliminate it.  Since switching to this revised strategy, I feel like I have been able to increase running mileage without increasing perceived hip discomfort, or perhaps it’s simply that my tolerance for hip discomfort is improving.

Setting Sights on the Bolder Boulder 10K

Traveling to Boulder, Colorado, to participate in the Bolder Boulder 10K had become a bi-annual event for us.  Cat’s sister lives in Boulder, within walking distance of Colorado University, so it is both a running adventure and a family event.   In 2017 I finished in just under 51 minutes, an 8:12 pace.  In 2019, I finished in 53:30, an 8:37 pace.  Age took a little toll over those two years.  Then the pandemic hit, and we skipped 2021.  Now in 2032, four years later, we are reviving the tradition.  But age and COVID-19 have taken more of a toll, and I will be happy if I can finish in under an hour.  That would be a 9:41 pace.  Based on my current pace that may be a stretch especially with the high altitude.

 

But I am starting to run more consistently.  My Heart Rate at the same pace seems to be coming down slowly.  That should give me a little room to increase pace.  I hope to be able to add a fourth day of running to my weekly plan and use that for shorter/faster runs.  If my hip holds out and I can keep my heart rate down, the fourth day should improve my 10K pace.

A Little Setback

In a recent post I started my last statement with “If my hip holds out …”.  Well, I spoke too soon. In the last week of April, I covered 21 miles including a 5K test run.  I was able to complete 5K averaging just under 9:00 miles.  Things were looking up for the Bolder Boulder.  I just need a little more work at a faster pace.

Later that week my hip started getting achy.  My last run that week was a 5 miler on a beautiful spring morning.  By the afternoon, I could barely walk and was in a lot of pain on my right side.  After 3 rest days, the discomfort was manageable, but I clearly could not run.  Walking any sizeable distance was uncomfortable.  The next 3 days were Strength Training, Indoor Cycling, and Strength Training.  I was fine on the bike.  I rode a 25-mile virtual route with very little discomfort in my hip.  I felt okay in the afternoon.

 

So yesterday was one week from my last run.  It was the first warm spring day since my last run, so I thought I’d give it a go and set out for 3-5 miles, depending on how my right hip felt.  As is typical, discomfort while running was very manageable, a lot of times I had no discomfort at all.  I struggled with my pace and heart rate more.  It seems at I my age I lose fitness quickly if I don’t run at least every other day.  I had to take several walking breaks but completed 5 miles.  Shortly after I stopped, it was a repeat of one week ago.  I had trouble just walking.  

 

I did a lot a stretching and some trigger point massage, followed by a short rest on the couch.  I had some obligations in the afternoon, so I had to be mobile, regardless of discomfort.  I made it to the end of the day feeling okay, not great, but not terrible.

 

Today I woke up optimistic.  I had some morning errands to run, so I had to get up and get going.  On my way home, the sunshine and warm temperatures were calling me.  I put hip discomfort aside, went through my warmup and stretching routine and headed out for a run.  The warm temps forced me to take more walking breaks.  But I did another five miles.  I think I was trying to prove to myself that I could go out and run even if my brain was interpreting pain.   I was glad that I did it.  It was a mental hurdle I needed to conquer.  Of course, I was in a lot of discomfort the rest of the day.  Let’s see what tomorrow and the next day bring.

Back on Track, Perhaps? 

The mental shift from “no pain” to “run regardless and find ways to address the pain” may have been the kick-in-the-butt I needed.  In the last 14 days I ran a total of 23 miles in the first week and 26 miles in the second week.  So, I am back on track with my high-level training plan which calls for 25 miles per week by the end of May.  

I have had to be more intentional with stretching, foam rolling and trigger point massage.  I start out some runs with concerning discomfort as I walk out the door.  But once I get 100 meters or so into the run, I am fine.  Until I stop running and the stiffness and soreness returns.  Keeping the weekly mileage goal in mind, however, I have been finding ways to manage the discomfort and prepare for the next run.

 

The Bolder Boulder 10K is also less than two weeks away now.  I want to try to finish in under an hour.  To be able to do that, I need to keep building aerobic capacity up until the day before we fly to Colorado.  Running 4 out every 7 days has improved my pace.  My last run of 5.6 miles was at a 9:28 per mile average.  Boulder, Colorado, is about 5000 ft. higher than Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  So, I should expect to run 15-20 seconds slower at altitude.  In addition, the Bolder Boulder course includes hills much steeper than anything I run around home.  So, I expect I will need 30 seconds per mile to cover the high altitude and course elevation.  I need to run 9:41 to break an hour, so I need to train at 9:11.  I still have some work to do in the next 10 days.   But this will be a good challenge to see what my body can handle.

Ready for the Bolder Boulder 10K

I think I am as ready as I can be for the Bolder Boulder given my struggles to get back to running form.  I completed another 26-mile week in the last seven days, including one 10k run where I held a 9:10 per mile average.  Right on track for my target for the Bolder Boulder.   I have been managing hip discomfort and continuing to be rigorous about strength training and stretching.  For every hour of running I do, I probably do 2 hours of strength and stretching.   I am not pain-free, but I am much more active than I was 5 months ago.

 

Short term focus is on Boulder now.  I pushed a little bit this week to get 26 miles in, now I need a little recovery time with four days before “race” day.  Thursday will be a strength session, followed on Friday with a 5K maintenance run.  Saturday is travel day and Sunday will be a chill day. Then on Memorial Day I will attempt to run the Bolder Boulder 10K in less than 60 minutes.  If I succeed and can walk the rest of the day,  it will be a personal victory of sorts and I can move onto the next milestone in my Dopey Challenge journey.  Even if I do not finish in less than 60 minutes, it will still be an achievement of a milestone in my training plan.