So I was completely out with 12.5 weeks to race day. Then somewhat back with 5.5 weeks to race day. Still with a lot of pain and uncertain about whether the injury would recur, I started really running. 24 miles to end the week with 5 to go. Then 51, then 71, then 78. Still along with plenty of icing, stretching, rolling on a tennis ball, therapy appts, corework, NSAIDS, and biofreeze.
From the first day I could run 5 at a decent pace, a week later I was at 9, then 12 a few days later, then 16 and 22 during the week after that. 18 for my Wed run a half week later, and 19 last weekend, including 20k at 3:56/km (~6:20/mi).
But I had to stop there, because with only 2 weeks to race day, I decided another 80 wouldn't be so smart. So in the week that just ended I ran 55, and now there's just one week to go. An even sharper taper from here.
So I've done a decent little bit of training this past month, but certainly not enough to make up for 7 weeks off. I've set a goal time of 2:49, which is about 3:59/km (my PR from last Fall is 3:46/km). I really don't know what my endurance will be like at that pace, especially considering I've done only one 20+ miler since July 1, but I'll certainly give it all I've got. After all, that's all we can ever do. The timing's not great, but had this injury occurred 6 or even 8 weeks out from race day, there's no way I could have toed the line.
Ultimately, I'm disappointed in how things played out during this training cycle, which ended up being more like 2 cycles with a big unplanned break in between. But as a victim of my own enthusiasm, I can only be so down about it. I'm still glad I went for it in training, regardless of what specifically caused the injury. It is ironic that in an attempt to extend my potential, I instead realized my limitations, in an extremely painful and humbling way. So I've learned a few things. And I'm back, still motivated, and far from done yet.
