Those that know me know I’m very much a forward thinking kinda of guy.
This is especially the case when it comes to running and, specifically, training schedules.
I joined the ranks of Galloway training runners back in mid-March… almost immediately after my orthopedic doctor released me to start running/training again.
My Galloway coach presented me with a training schedule and I started to carefully read each and every entry.
I must admit there was 1 specific date that caught my eye… Sunday, May 18th… training run distance: 10 miles.
Since my ruptured Achilles tendon back in late October ’24, my surgery, slow recovery, then gradual return to running… these have all combined to definitely test my patience. (Personal note: As my wife will readily agree, ‘patience’ is not something I’m known for.)
These 10 miles would be my return to ‘double digit’ miles in almost to 7 months.
Normally this would not be an issue or even require a second thought. But as Sunday, May 18th inched closer and closer, I started to feel something I hadn’t felt in years… nerves.
Yup… I was nervous.
So I decided to ask for the support of my Facebook friends by posting the following:
My Facebook friends came through BIG TIME! Such incredible encouragement and support!
I couldn’t let them down… and I had to do it.
Sunday, May 18th arrived early… with a 4AM wakeup. (Living in Texas, running past 8AM in the summer months is definitely NOT recommended.)
I prepared for this run like I’m preparing for a race… clothes laid out the night before… freezing a Gatorade bottle for cold liquid, playlist ready to go.
My Galloway coach gave me the following instructions for this long run:
“Run at conversational pace, at least 2 minutes per mile slower than you expect to run in the race. Avoid “huffing and puffing.” Use the run/walk/run plan that corresponds to your pace.”
Got it!
Out the door at 5AM… doing 1:00 Run / 0:30 walk the entire way.
Mission Accomplished! Hello DOUBLE DIGIT MILES!
No land speed records broken here… but I felt good the entire way with a slight negative split.
More normal. And ‘normal’ is very, very good!
#LetsRun!
Let’s talk! Email me at: RupturedRunner@gmail.com.
Ruptured Runner 
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