Aqua Jogging Sucks

My left heel is still NOT 100% after taking 2 weeks off from running. So I'm "babying" it, and everything should be OK. I'm not running hard, I'm just getting in some miles. And I'm taking plenty of rest days between runs.

Friday, I hit the pool to do something I haven't done in a while:

Water Running.
Aqua Jogging.
Slow Torture.
Call it what you will.

I found this video on BeginnerTriathlete about water running, and that helped a lot with regards to cadence and length of my movements. I knew if I wanted to not be completely bored out of my mind, I'd have to break my time in the pool into intervals. I was able to get in 40 minutes without really going TOO crazy. After nearly 10 minutes of warming up, I did the following:

3:53 interval
3:14 rest / easier

4:13 interval
3:15 rest / easier

4:04 interval
3:13 rest / easier

4:05 interval
4:46 rest / CD

My intervals were about 168 strides / min with slightly more compact strokes and kicks, and my rest periods were longer more "endurance based" strokes around 140 / min. (The interval and rest times are so weird because they were based on a certain number of laps: I think I did 3 deep-end laps / interval, and 2 deep-end laps / rest.)

Dare I say... I think I could have even gone LONGER had I not had to pick up Henry! I finished with a quick 150 yard CD swim, and then got to the locker room and snapped this photo of how the water running belt had rubbed my belly:

Yep, I might be nude in this photo...

And then yesterday I went on a relatively easy run with Henry. Here he is just before we headed out:

We ran along a BUSY River Road (lots of bikers and runners out on a beautiful Saturday morning!) for a total of 7.25 miles. My heel felt GREAT, but I just got lucky - I'm still really nursing it so I can make it through the MDRA Grand Prix series. I threw in a FEW faster miles near the middle, but nothing HARD. We warmed up for 2 miles (7:29, 7:32) and then went at a "moderate" pace for a few miles (6:56, 7:00, 7:00, 6:31). Then we cooled down on the way home. The little dude slept the whole way.

The LTF Minneapolis Triathlon is 2 WEEKS AWAY, so I need to hit my bike a bit more! And then just under 2 weeks after that are the next 2 MDRA Grand Prix races! Gotta be ready for those!