Swag!! and Becky!!

So tomorrow my friends at the South Brooklyn Running Club are leading a NYRR sponsored training run for the Brooklyn Half.  I volunteered to lead the eleven minute group, because, well, somebody needs to do it, and today that seems to be about my speed.  The run is a single loop around Prospect Park, leaving from Carroll Park, for a total of about 6 miles, to be followed by beer.  The run is sponsored by New Balance, so as a group leader I got major swag: a tech jersey, a tech hoodie, shorts, and a pair of shoes (NB 890s).  All totaled, it's almost $200 worth of stuff, retail -- the shoes alone list at about $100.  I guess that just brings home the point that the actual cost of materials is probably about $5.  Anyway, pretty cool. Hopefully I'll be able to slog out an even pace.

But I haven't even mentioned the best part!!  Becky will be up from DC for a mini runningprofs reunion.  She will be there to make sure I keep the pace honest. :-)

UPDATE: Here's a photo of the gang (see if you can spot us), and another from the back of the pack.

Hail, hail . . .

Runningprofs' own Spencer Waller, with co-author Harry First, won the top prize in the category "General Antitrust" in the Concurrences Antitrust Writing Awards, for their article Antitrust's Democracy Deficit.  I got a look at that article some months back and think the jury -- an august group in its own right -- hit this particular nail on the head.

Congratulations!

20 Mile Week

Not that long ago, a 20 mile week would have seemed perfectly ordinary, if not a light week's work.  Well, today I'm claiming victory.  With short 3-5 mile runs, Friday, Saturday, Tuesday and a 7 miler today, I'm feeling like I'm finally starting what is going to be a long crawl back to fitness.   Now I need to recover.  The next goal is to lead the 11 minute group on a loop of Prospect Park this Sunday. Should be fun.

Four out door runs

The past two weeks I have run outdoors more than the entire rest of the winter.  Hungary featured an 8 miler to/from and around Margarita Island and a 5.5 miler along a different stretch of the Danube and up a 200 meter vertical hill with some cool stuff and even better views at the top.  Once back home did two 6's in different directions along the lakefront.

Looking forward to running in DC at the ABA spring meeting of the Antitrust Section but bummed it won't be with Max as in past years.

Next race the 8K Shamrock Shuffle with my daughter next weekend.  Then maybe a half marathon first weekend in April.

Also registered for the Chicago Marathon lottery.  New format this year so get your lottery ap in. They will notify in mid-April and then you have 5 days to finalize and pay so no downside.  A costless option as Janger observed the other day.

Heal fast Max!

Surgery and After

On Tuesday Dr. B__ performed a partial meniscetomy, removed my plica, and cleaned up some frayed edges of cartilage elsewhere in the knee.  A few have asked me "how was it?"  My answer:  I was told "you will feel a prick" (the IV being inserted in the back of my hand) -- and then I woke from a very restful nap, learning all had gone well.  From my perspective, surgery may be the most restful thing I have done!

I walked out of there and apart from some swelling I am suffering exactly no ill effects.  I did not even fill the pain med prescription and now three days later I am off the Tylenol, though I'm still taking prescription-strength Aleve for swelling.  The swelling restricts motion a slight bit.

I've now visited a therapist twice.  There is not much need for therapy for recovery from surgery -- I got a list of stretches and very minor strength building exercises -- but I am going to take full advantage of PT as a means to build my running stride to better than it was before.  Something funny has been going on and I want to solve it.  Among other things, the therapists identify flexibility and strength limitations that are not necessarily related to surgery at all.

Dr. B__ says the injury is just a function of getting older.  As the meniscus loses its sponginess it tears more easily.  Better simply to deal with it, he says, than not to engage in activity that might cause a tear (and deal instead with the health problems that come from a sedentary lifestyle).

Here's where things stand:  I'm enjoined from sweating much until the holes are closed -- approximately 10 days from now -- so no running or biking.  No swimming either, for the same time period.  At the gym today after doing my stretches I learned my weight is a good 5 lbs above normal and 10 above "race weight," so when the ankle bracelet is removed I get to enjoy getting visibly fitter.

Back to what I wrote a few weeks ago:  I wish I had done this in November!

Speed is Relative

Went for my third outside run this week, and its beginning to feel normal.  This is great.   It's a little bit depressing, though, when your fastest mile, and one that felt like work, is at a slightly over 10 minute pace . . .

Cold, Short, Nice!!

Okay, yesterday I did a mini-bric, spin class followed by a gentle mile on the treadmill.  Orthotics seem to be helping a lot. They don't fit in my bike shoes, but my form on the bike felt better anyway.  The run part felt fine.  Today, I braved the elements, for another short run around Brooklyn Bridge Park.  It was cold, and slow, but it felt like a normal early March run. The issue is my conditioning not the heel. Hooray!! sort of . . .