Back into Running

Check out the pics I took today. Click on a pic to enlarge. Bryce Canyon is unreal.
Had my blood lactate tested last week. I knew where I was through field testing but I have always wondered where I am at as far as lactate physiology based on my training strengths. So, yeah, it confirmed that my threshold is around 310-325 and my definate sub threshold power is 275-300 watts. This I realize is true, because I can hold half IM pace on the bike at 290-300 watts and IM at 2270. The couple of nice things is that I was still under 100 beats per minute heart rate at 275 watts about 12 minutes into the test. My blood lactate levels at 350 watts were 10.8. He dropped me to 325 watts for 4 minutes which I could barely maintain, and levels rose slightly. Not clearing. He dropped me to 275 and after 4 minutes my levels dropped to 7.2. Now here's the key. He then raised me to 300 watts for 4 minutes and after the 4 minutes, my lactate continued to fall, to 7.0. Therefore, after obtaining high levels at my super-threshold wattage, I was able to keep clearing lactate at 300 watts. Thus, at 300 I can be safe to know that I will clear the lactate I produce. I in fact may be a smidgen more than this, 305-310 but 300 is for certain. When using my kg body weight and my lactate threshold levels, it comes out to just below Cat 1 level cyclist, high Cat 2. This was a pleasant surprise to me...I am going on 44 years old this year.

So, here is how the past 3 weeks have gone on the running front. I have taken it slow as the partial tear of my soleus in January also resulted in medial gastroc damage. Recall, I did get a week of running in on the first week of Feb, building to 8 min pace for 6 miles. Then on an attempted 8 mile run at 8 min pace, it blew up again, thus another painful delay in my running for this season. So, 4 straight weeks off, with PT, Massage and ART 3X per week.
The past 3 weeks have looked like this. On each and every run, I've stopped at 5 minutes and stretched the calfs for 5 minutes. Also, 5 days per week I did muscle stim with my home TENS unit, wrapping the calf in ice, then rolling it after.

March 23 - March 29
M No run, massage 60 min. ART 30 min, Physical therapy 30 min
T Run 8 minues at 9 min pace, stopped due to spasm.
W No run, Physical therapy 30 min, ART 30 min
T Run 8 min at 9 min pace, mild tightness so stopped.
F Run 8 min at 9 min pace, no pain. Physical therapy 30 min.
S No run
S Run 10 min 9 min pace 10 min, 8:30 pace 10 min. Minor tightness.

March 30 - April 5
M Run 10 min 8:30 min pace, spasm at 10 min. 30 min Physical Therapy
T Off ART 30 min, PT 30 min, 60 min massage
W Run 10 min, 8:30 min pace, spasm at 10 min.
T Off, repeat of Tuesday with my triple therapy for the day.
F Run 12 min, 8:30 min pace, spasm at 12 min.
S Off, massage 60 minutes
S Run 12 min, 9 min pace, no spasm, no tightness

April 6 - 12
M Run 20 min 9 min pace, no spasm. Physical therapy 30 min, Art 30 min
T off Massage 60 min.
W Run 20 min 8:30 pace, no spasm. PT 30 min
T Run 20 min 8 min pace, no spasm but some tightness, massage 60 minutes.
F Run 30 min 9 min pace, no spasm some tightness, PT 30 min., ART 30 min
S Off run, massage 60 min
S Run 30 min 9 min pace, no spasm some tightness

April 13-19
M Run 30 min 8 min pace, no spasm no tightness. 30 min Physical therapy
T Run 30 min 8 min pace, no spasm no tightness. Massage 60 min.
W Run 23 min 3 miles, 8:30, 8 then 7:30 mile on Treadmill. No pain or tightness.
T Run 30 min 8 min pace no pain
F off
S Run 45 min 8:30 pace no tightness. Ran at 7800 ft elevation, HR Zone 3
S Run 20 min morning, 50 min evening after hiking quite a bit in Bryce. Again, both runs starting at 7800 ft and running to above 8000 ft. Again, pain free.

So, I think I am over the injury...Finally! I will continue to take it easy, building strength on the running for several more runs before introducing any speed work whatsoever. Just under 1 month to Orlando 70.3 and my hope is that I can pull together a 7:30 per mile pace (1:37 or so). Typically I would expect a 1:26 or so. I will have to PR by a minute in the water and 10 minutes on the bike if I hope to be near 4:30, which I hope makes the podium. We will see.