Running Shorts

For most of the 1990s, American distance running sucked. There were a few outliers, like Bob Kennedy (sub-13:00 5,000m) and Todd Williams (15k American Record), but for the most part the depth that characterized American performances in the 1970s and early '80s completely disappeared. There are a number of potential reasons why (which may be a whole 'nother post), but suffice it to say that the '90s were a dark decade for American distance running. That all started to change with the new millennium. By the 2004 Athens Olympics, the rebirth was on  as Americans snagged two medals in the marathon: bronze for Deena Kastor and silver for Meb Keflezighi. Not only were they both Americans, but they were teammates; both trained with the Mammoth Track Club in California. That Olympics is one of my earliest memories being a fan of distance running. I was in high school at the time, just getting into more serious running with cross country and track. Seeing Americans mixing it

I've said it before and I'll say it again: My Achille's heel is my Achille's heel.  The same one that sidelined me a year ago has never really gotten better. It goes back and forth between 40 and 80%; though sometimes (like last spring) I've gotten a decent block more in the 85-90% range. But never has it been 100% healthy. For most of the past month I haven't been running very much. Summer training had been going decent, I was adding volume and getting more and more fit, but that unraveled as July turned to August. I got to the point with my Achilles where it began to get worse and worse, to the point that it was no better than a year ago. Most frustrating is that it's been never debilitating, but always uncomfortable. Eventually I'd be limping around after even a light workout or just aching like crazy while driving (when I couldn't move it). The tipping point was a family vacation in Florida: running-wise, my Achille's had felt more limber