Bad (Running) Day Today

When I say I had a bad day today, I'm not suggesting that I got hurt or lost or took a fall or anything like that.  I just wasn't running well this morning.  

Backing up a bit, I've known for at least a year now that my running was suffering from inconsistency and that I would do better if I had a group to run with.  It was not long ago, maybe a month or two, that I found the Revel training group on Facebook--a fantastic bunch of runners.  I ran with them last weekend and again today, but today did not go as expected.  We ran essentially the same run as last week--eight miles down Mt Charleston along Kyle Canyon Road.  We ran a slightly different section of the road, but still eight miles downhill.  Close enough.  I had hoped going into today's run that I would be slightly better than last week in terms of endurance, by which I mean more running and less walking.  I started off a bit too fast, trying to catch up after stopping to mess with the tracker apps on my phone.  I knew my beginning/catch-up pace was not sustainable at close to a 7:00 mile, but it did not take too long to catch up to the group, so I was able to slow down and catch my breath a bit.  I quickly found a runner I could keep up with, and we ran for a mile and a half or so.  At that point, my back was hurting, which did not happen last week.

A little history--for several years now when I run I get soreness and stiffness in my right lower back.  This did not happen pre-Parkinson's (I can't remember whether I felt it pre-covid), so I have assumed that it was due to my postural instability.  I lean to the left, possibly due to scoliosis, but I'll lump it in with the rest of the PD bag o' fun for now.  Some days it's worse, some days it's better.  Some days it is pleasantly absent altogether.  When I ran in the Florida Ragnar trail sprint and the Rock'n'roll half marathon, I had plenty of aspirin and Tylenol with me, and I took a bunch to keep that lower right back  pain at bay.  Taking that many pills is likely unhealthy, so I do it rarely, and maybe not at all going forward.  In any case, I had no painkillers with me today.  There was also some minor pain related to my broken leg, plus some abdominal issues, but those I think would not have stopped me from running slowly rather than walking.

The pain in my back gradually intensifies as I run and gradually subsides when I walk, so naturally I wanted to walk more, and I soon did just that. Stretching helps, too, so I stopped a few times to stretch, bend, and twist.  I eventually checked the mileage (just under 5, with 3 to go), got passed by other runners in the group, and made it nearly all the way to the car.  They picked me up around mile 6.5 or 7.0, somewhere in there.  While technically I did not go the entire 8mile route, I was happy to finish up and sit for a while.

I think the most likely explanation for my poor performance is a combination of diet and rest.  I ate some good food yesterday, but also too many snacks and not enough water.  Also, I rarely need to set an alarm, but I did set one today so as not to miss the run.  It went off at 3am, and I was in a fairly deep sleep at the time.  I would rather let my body and mind wake up when the time is right and skip the alarm.

Running aside, it was a beautiful morning on the mountain.  A bit cold  prior to sunrise, but perfect running weather once we got started.  No issues with weather or temperature when I switched to walking.  I like hiking anyway.