Training log - Week ending 10/10/2021

This week was 61 miles of running, 1000 yards of swimming and 8 "miles" of pool-running -- training log is here.

Not a great week.  In the past, I've had some balance issues, and they came back this week.  

On Tuesday, they got really bad, and I was also just struggling to see (granted - it was before sunrise on a foggy morning).  I ran the first 800 of the workout and felt like I was going to faceplant so I just went home.  I realized that the vision issue might be a migraine (my migraines are essentially painless, just vision loss), so I called my neurologist and got a refill on my migraine meds.  Those took care of the shimmering blurry vision issue. 

For the rest of the week, I was struggling - I'd feel very unstable at first, and then great by the end of the run.  Since I hadn't really done a Tuesday workouts, on Wednesday I tried some 1K repeats, which went OK, if unstable.  Hilariously, I then tried some 200s, and couldn't run any faster for them than I could for the 1000s (ran them in 48 seconds....).  

I tried a tempo workout on Friday, which turned into a wobbly 1.5 miles and 1 mile at 6:40 pace.  I gave up and jogged back to my car, but by the time I got there, I felt better.  So I went back out for another mile at threshold, which turned into 3 mile repeats, each feeling smoother than the previous.  Bizarre.

After thinking about it way too much, I suspect it's that my ankles are locking up - instead of flexing through the ankle and rolling through the foot, my ankles are stuck in one position at first, and then generally releasing and working more fluidly.  (This is not a flexiblity/mobility issue - I'm great on that score).   

So this weekend I decided to try a) doing some funny walks pre-run where I walk heel to toe and exaggerate that rolling motion; and b) really thinking about that rolling motion in my feet any time I felt unstable.  This seemed to help a lot, so I think that's part of the key

I saw my neurologist on Friday and he had me do some tests - I was fine on most of them, but had a bit of trouble with one of the standing balance tests - when I clamped both feet together while standing and closed my eyes, I wobbled (though it seems to me that other people might wobble with that one also).  He started me on B2 supplements and scheduled me for another EMG.  In the meantime I've got a PT appointment on Tuesday to see what else I can do to manage this. 

I honestly don't think this is anything serious (if it was, it wouldn't improve as I ran).  My hunch is that it's just some minor nerve issues in my ankles/feet, and it's just a matter of figuring out the exact nature of the issue, and then doing the right exercises to rewire stuff so that they're working fine from the start).

In the meantime, I was planning on running the Columbus Half-Marathon on Sunday.  Weather looks great, and I think my fitness is good.  I just need to decide if I'm going to be stable enough on my feet to run it.  It's a traditional mass start race, and I really don't want to get in other people's ways if my balance is lousy.

Dailies:

Monday: 5.5 miles very easy (9:40), upper body weights/core, and 3.5 miles very easy (9:13) plus drills and 2 strides.   Foam rolling at night. 

Tuesday: 4 miles including an 800m repeat in 3:11.  Foam rolling in evening.

Wednesday:  In the morning, 8 miles including a short workout of 3x1K in 4:03, 4:03, 4:01.   4 miles very easy (9:19) in the afternoon.  Foam rolling at night.

Thursday: 8 "miles" pool-running and upper body weights/core. Foam rolling at night. 

Friday: 8 miles very easy on the treadmill (9:29), upper body weights/core, and then 4 miles very easy (9:10) plus drills and four strides.   Foam rolling at night. 

Saturday: 8 miles very easy (9:16), followed by drills and two strides, and then streaming yoga.  Foam rolling at night.

Sunday:  13 miles progressive, split as first 4.5 averaging 9:12 pace, next 4.5 miles averaging 8:01 pace, next 4.5 miles averaging 6:54 pace.  And then jogged a bit to get to 14 miles total.  Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming.   Foam rolling at night.