10-Mile Long Run

My very first double digit long run! I run my long runs off of 242 @ HWY 59. This location is a delight for several reasons. At the start point there is a large restaurant/truck stop that has plenty of parking, restrooms, and salty snacks. FM 242 is COMPLETELY FLAT, has a wide shoulder, and has a new asphalt surface.

Anyways, Kevin (my Uncle) and I both arrived at 08:30. While we were stretching, Kevin asked that we take it easy due to an injury that occurred at last weeks 10k. He stated his hamstring feels a lot better now, but still aches and is bruised. Last week Kevin and I was holding a solid 9:20 pace, when all of the sudden at mile four he had a sharp pain and stopped dead in his tracks. He told me to finish the run, but he was going to massage and stretch the muscle. I left him, knowing he would say something if he thought it was serious. When I finished my run I went back looking for him and found him jogging at the 5.5 mile mark. We jogged in together and not much more was said. When Kevin said he had bruising, I had to see. I was completely surprised at what I saw. He had a deep black bruise the size of an open hand. The bruise was mid-posterior knee upward over his left hamstring. Kevin stated he ran two easy miles Tuesday with little pain, but he cannot touch his toes as usual (he does lots of yoga). If anybody reading this has any idea as to what happened, please let me know. Kevin insisted on doing today's 10 mile run and he did so without any hamstring pain. We started just before 09:00 and it took us a little more than 2-hours. I took some advice I recently received and tried walk breaks. We walked 30 seconds every 1.5 miles. Kevin and I were glad the morning was overcast, since we got a latter start. The humidity was high, but the temperature and sun stayed away long enough for us to enjoy the run. As for me, the run was super easy and relaxed until mile 7 or so. After that, I could sense the pounding of the road in my legs and most notably on the outside of my knees. No big deal, just the usual road running stuff.

Today's meals were off the scale. Sundays are my "off-days", but I need to watch the mindless binging. Let's just say I had a fair breakfast (Shipleys), lunch was at Taqueria Arandas (chips, salsa, fajitas), and I finished the evening with some hot wings and french fries (Hooters). Enough said, time to start a new week in the morning.

Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall - Confucius

I almost got back out on the road to do an extra mile, so I could officially say I had a 30 mile week. Unfortunately, I'm too full and my legs are "achey" from the long run. Next weeks mileage should be more than 30 miles for sure. I ended this week with 29.10 miles.

Activity: Run (long run)
Time: 2:07:49
Mileage: 10 miles
Location: FM 242 @ Hwy 59
How I felt (1-10): 9.5