Running again

There's a bridge that crosses Lake Ray Hubbard and connects my little town with the rest of the metroplex.  It's a small, and if you don't live in Rockwall, you probably don't have much reason to cross it.  I've crossed it many, many times for different reasons, both by car, and on foot.  It's become one of my favorite paths to run, and I've had some great moments running that bridge.  I've run so many days, so many distances, but every run accross that bridge is memorable for me.  The first time I ran accross the lake and back I felt as though I had achieved a distance much greater than 4 miles.  It was for me, the real beginning of my love of running.  It was the first time I set out to run a distance just for myself, not because I was training for a race, but just because I wanted to run.  The day I ran 6 miles, accross the bridge and farther was the day I knew I could run a half marathon.  It was the first place I can remember hitting a pace that I never thought possible for me.   It was where I would take my son to run with me over the summer, and he started to find the love of running as well, with his herky jerky sprints and stops and starts.  It's a place I find peace, when I'm crossing the lake, and watching the sun set and all is calm on the water.  Yesterday I ran that bridge again, and again I found that peace. It's been about 2 weeks since I've started back running, and it's been very slow going, and while I've been happy to get back on my feet, I have been frustrated with my progress.  My legs have felt heavy, and there have been times where I just couldn't make them move quickly at all.  It's almost like the forgot how to move.  But yesterday on that bridge I my legs felt light,and my feet felt quick.  It was the first day I had that old  free feeling back that I had missed for so long.  It wasn't about the numbers on the Garmin, the minutes and seconds per mile, because that's not really what I run for.  It was the feeling of the easy breath, the footsteps on the ground, and having back that fluid movement where every part of my body moves together.  It was the first day I felt like I was really running again. 

Recovery

Dr. S was my anaesthesiologist this morning.  As we were heading down the hallway towards surgery he said " you should start feeling calm very soon."  It wasn't the first time I had heard him say those words to me.  Three years ago he had said them as he kindly held my hand heading into emergency surgery for a D&E. At the time my OB suspected an ectoptic pregnancy, and my husband and I were in complete shock.  I already had my perfect sweet little boy, and was secretly hoping this time it would be a precious little girl.  We hadn't really told many people I was even pregnant, which for some reason made sharing the news of our loss with friends and family that much harder.  We were both heartbroken and devastated.  My physical recovery took place much sooner than my emotional recovery. But still I remember trying to go for a run on the beach about a week later, gasping for air, feeling sluggish,  fighting my body to get it to do what I wanted, but what it was not yet ready for.  And I felt that same fight with my body when we tried and tried to get pregnant again.  I thought it would never happen, that we had somehow missed our chance, maybe I was too old, maybe we were just meant to be lucky once with our first child.   But a year and a half later, my heart began to heal when we were blessed with our beautiful, feisty little girl.  She raced with me, slowly, in the baby Bjorn,  at 2 months old in the St. Patty's day 5K, and again in the jogging stroller at the 8 mile Turkey Trot the the following fall.  The year she waved to me as she watched me run my first half marathon.
So when I saw Dr. S again this morning, I already felt calm before the anaesthia.  It was as though God had sent him to take care of me once more, and to remind me of the physical, emotional and spiritual recovery I have made in the last three years.  It helped to put my dissapointment over missing this year's marathon into better perspective. I have plenty of time to achieve the goals I have set.  I just have to be patient, and allow myself to heal once again.

Where do I fit in ?

The longer I run, the more I get to know other runners. And I have started to notice they fall into certain categories.
1. The hardcore badass : This type of runner takes great pride in running through injury, pushing through the pain, and letting everyone who will listen know just how hardcore they are. They seem to wear their high threshold for pain like a badge of honor, and f-you if you aren't impressed. It's all about the miles, and how tough they can be. This runner sucks the joy out of running, for example " Man I had a HARD run this morning. One of my feet fell right off, but I just pushed through it. I'll fix it up with an ace bandage and be ready for my ultramarathon by Saturday."
2. The t-shirt collector: This is the person who signs up for 5K's and fun runs so they can wear the t-shirt around town. They plod through the race slowly, and walk most of it. Usually expectantly waiting for others to notice the race shirt and be impressed.
3. The overgeared: This person is the ninny who falls for every new running related contraption that comes out. They have more running gear than Luke's locker, but haven't ever run farther than 3 miles. Every time their motivation lags, they trot down to the local sporting goods store in search of something new to add to the collection.
4. The overenthusiast: I think at some point, most new runners fit here. They are so excited about the sport that it's all they eat, sleep and breathe. It's all they talk about, and it seems to be the pinnacle of their very existence. Their whole identity in life revolves around running, and anyone who will listen gets an earful of how wonderful their first 4 mile run felt etc. Sort of like adolence for atheletes. Luckily most of us mature past this phase and are thankful our friends put up with us while we're here.
5. The truly dedicated: Most of my friends who run fit here. They are dedicated to their weekly miles, and do so because they love it. They don't care if it's impressive to other people, they do it for themselves. These are the lifelong participants. These are the ones who are out there year after year slowly improving, and feeling happy in their own accomplishments. This is where I fit.

Missing the Run

I miss it. I miss running. I miss the routine of my training schedule. My week used to be measured by those 4 runs. I loved starting the week with the short quick run. I loved how fast I had become, and that free feeling of running downhill. I loved the comfortable pace of the midweek sorta long run. And I loved the short run again on Thursdays. I loved the achey, sore feeling after my weekend long run, and the peaceful slumber that followed the evening after. I loved the feeling of achievement I felt as my miles increased each and every week. There was a sense of accomplishment after each new, longer distance I could push past. I miss all of my running gear, and wince a little each time I step into my closet and see it all sitting there, folded on the shelf. I miss my running playlist, and the challenge of putting together new ones every so often. But most of all, I miss the peace and joy I felt when I ran. I just don't feel as balanced these days. I no longer have those hours out on the road with my thoughts and my prayers in my head. I don't make the time to sort through the things I should, because I was used to sorting them out while I ran. I miss the beautiful sunrises, and the serenity of the quiet mornings. And while I know this is temporary, and in a few months I'll be back out there, it doesn't make me miss it any less. I suppose I could revist the miserable runs, the 12 and 17 mile days that were really really difficult, and maybe remind myself that not every day had a perfect run. But even those I miss, because those were the days that taught me the most, and I found out just how hard I could push. And I'm wondering how tough it will be to get started again. But, on that day, I can take a look back at all that I've written, and all that I've learned, and hopefully look forward to a brand new start.

Midweek Masters

Another chilly morning swim with Coach Rich. Today I actually did most of the same drills as the rest of the class. 4x25 easy, 4x25 freestyle both at an easy pace for me. Currently I have only 1 speed. I still need to learn the fine art of slowing down or speeding up. I am getting better at pushing off the wall to start which really helps get me about a quareter of the way down the lane. The rest of the class can get halfway down on a good start. The next set was 8x50 and we swam with fins on every other 50. I really feel like using the fins helps slow down my kicking and I've got to remember to replicate that motion without fins. It would help with my efficiency. For the final sets he had me keep my fins on to help me remember not to kick so much, and the last 3x50 I used the kickboard with fins to really help practice. He told me today that every time he sees me in class I have improved since the time before, which is a nice way to start the day. He also told the Captain the same thing about me last night. That's why he's a good coach, because he makes me feel good about my own accomplishment, and I'm not being compared to the others in the class. Puts me in a great mood the rest of the day. Looking forward to comaparing notes with my husband after he goes to class tomorrow night.

Monday Master's

It is much harder to get out of a warm bed with the thought of getting in a cold pool then it is to get out of a warm bed to get in a run. What helps motivate me is looking forward to working with the Coach. This morning he was full of praise, and even when I'm struggling there is something in his coaching that makes me strive that much harder to get better. It's never about being perfect, because I'm just not built to be a perfect swimmer, but it's about the nods of approval he gives for my improvement. I was actually able to participate with the other seasoned swimmers this morning as they did some drills. We started off with a couple 200 yds, with fins. (My birthday gift yesterday was a pair of fins and a mesh bag to haul my wet gear back and forth in). I love swimming with fins, because it takes very little work to get down and back quickly. We practiced pushing off the wall and gliding through the water, which for me was a little tough. To get a good long glide you have to point down towards the bottom of the pool, and I held my breath a little longer than I thought I could. But it certainly helps for a smooth start. The rest of the group worked on speed drills and getting their heartrate up, I just worked on swimming the distance and keeping my head down, looking at the pool floor and side, keeping only one eye out of the water when I breathe, scooping water with my hands on the arm strokes, keeping my elbows up, not kicking too much and keeping my legs floppy. I'm sure I've left somthing out because that list seems too short to be the whole checklist I was working through on every stroke. I'm starting to feel a little more coordinated in the pool, and little more like my whole body wants to cooperate with me instead of each appendage doing it's own thing. I was famished after class, and have got to find a good post swim meal. The Luna bar I had in my bag does not cut the mustard. I was starving all day. Apparently I'm not alone in the post swim starvation club. I have read that swimming burns a lot of calories because it uses so many different muscles in the body, and when the water is cold burns more calories to keep things warm. I just don't need to eat the calories I just burned right after a swim. Going to try a peanut butter sandwhich on Wednesday.

Appreciation

Running gave me a newfound appreciation for my husband. When I started my own training, I started to really understand exactly how hard he had worked to train for both of his marathons. I used to wonder why anyone would want to actually get up early, in the heat of summer or the cold of winter to get out and run for 2 hours, 3 hours, and then 4 hours. I thought maybe he was crazy. I certainly didn't think I would ever want to do it. I could run a 5K just fine, and that was good enough for me. Then I started training for the Turkey Trot, an 8 mile race, because he asked me to run it with him. I didn't love running or the training it took to get me to that race. I thought I would race with him and go back to the occasional 5K. But something changed for me during those 8 miles. He knew how difficult it was for me to run those miles, probably because he could still remember his own early distances, and he encouraged me every step of the way. We ran together, each pushing one of our two children in the jogging stroller, and he motivated me the entire time. And I ran so very, very slow, looking back I can't fathom how he could have made himself run such a painfully slow pace. But he did it for me, because he wanted us to start together and finish together. He knew what it would mean for me to cross the finish line having run the entire time. I worked around an injury off and on after that race, and slowly throughout the spring worked on running longer and longer on the long run. And the day I ran 6 miles, he told me I was almot halfway to a Half Marathon and I should give it a shot. Somewhere along the course of training for that half I really started to understand the drive, passion and dedication it took for him to run two marathons. And I started to see him in a new and different light. Not just as my husband, but as an athelete, an individual and an achiever. Again this week I was able to see him in yet another way, as I started my own involvement in swimming, again with his encouragement. Talking with him about how his first class went, and knowing he struggled just as much as I did on my first day was comforting. Because I was able to see him glide effortlessly through the water yesterday, and know that he started where I am. It helps me know that I can work at it too, and make my own improvements. And again I can admire his strength and his persistence with swimming. And it helps me find my own inner strength and persistence as well.

Mastering the swim

Today's Master's swim class was awesome. There were only 2 other students today, one of them being my husband. We started off doing some drills, and Coach Rich lent me some flippers to try out. I'm amazed at how fast I move through the water with them on. After we were warmed up, the two advanced swimmers practiced their drills together while Rich coached me in the slow lane. More breathing with my head down, focusing on keeping my head only to the side and below me not up. Then he had me attempt to breath on my left side which was worse than the first day attempt at breathing on my right. He said as long as we were rewiring my brain to learn to swim correctly, we might as well learn to breathe on both sides. After a few laps I felt a little better with it, mostly because my nose and mouth were saturated with water, and I didn't think much more would get in there. So every time I swim, I'm supposed to try at least 2 breaths to the left. Worked a lot on getting my arm position correct, and keep my elbows up. Did some finger drag drills, focusing on touching my thigh as my hand comes down. I had to really concentrate on keeping my fingers together, pushing my hand down and letting it relax on the way up. Kick practice involved more of the whip with my legs using my upper body instead of the knees. Trying to remember to be more relaxed with my kicking. I learned today that it's mostly the arm stroke that moves a swimmer through the water, and the legs are just added help. He also showed me how to do water running, so I can add that to my solo workouts. He had a friend who trained for Marathons that way, every time he was injured he just switched to running in the pool, and would run about 10 miles in the water that way. It takes some practice and getting used to, and is definitely harder than running on land. He also said I could try some barefoot running (on land of course) or do it in sandals. He himself has just purchased a pair of vibrams, and runs in sandals or barefoot too. After the running experiment it was back to more stroke, kick and breathing for a few more laps and then I was done. I got to watch the Captain and Juan Carlos swim a couple 50's before they were done and they made it look so easy and effortless. I really enjoyed today's class. It was great to attend class with my husband, and to watch him swim. I've been reading his blog, and listening to him tell me about his progress for so long, that it was really meaningful to see him in action. I love that we have another activity to share with each other, and I'm thankful for the extra time together. We have had some great discussions about both of our training over the last several months. I appreciate that both of us becoming athletes has really strengthened our bond with each other.

Solo Swim

Today was my first solo swim workout. I practiced my breathing, my armstroke, and my kicking. I have already established that 15 minutes swimming is an eternity, and being that today's swim was 30 minutes, it was a double eternity. I'm getting much more comfortable with the breathing, and it's starting to feel more smooth, and more natural. And by more natural, I don't mean that I am one with the water. I mean I'm sucking less water into my nose and lungs than I did on Monday and that scary feeling that I may not take in enough air before the next time I roll my head up for a breath is starting to subside. After several kick practices with the kickboard, and much more breathing practice with the pull bouy between my knees ( I referred to this in the last post as some kind of rubber thingy, now I know it's proper term) I was feeling confident enough to attempt to put it all together. Perfect synergy was not achieved, but it feels less foreign to me. There were even a few moments where I felt a tad on the peaceful side.

Pants

I was pulling out my winter clothes the other day, and came accross a pair of long basketball pants. They're the kind that snap up the sides, making it easier to take them off if you already have shoes and shorts on underneath. These were essential to me last year when I was training for the Turkey trot. I wore them almost every time I left the house to train during the cold mornings of November. The reason they were so essential to me was because I wanted to keep my legs warm going from the car to the Y, and they were easy to take off quickly before I got on the TREADMILL. I had completely forgotten until I saw those pants how much I did run on the treadmill in those early days, when I was training to run an 8 mile race. This year, I trained in the heat of the summer and looked so forward to the fall temperature cooling things off. I eagerly anticipated my first chilly morning run, and I can't even begin to know why I would have welcomed the idea of running inside the stuffy gym on the treadmill. But I have the pants there, to prove it. This year I'm wearing those same pants again, to the same Y ,for the same reason of keeping my legs warm. This time though, I've got a swimsuit on underneath and I'm heading for the pool to swim while I'm sidelined from running. Here's hoping next year those pants will hang in the closet, and that I'll be wearing my running tights to keep my legs warm. Away from the Y.

First day of Master's swim

First day of Master's Swim class. Don't let the title fool you, I am by no means a Master swimmer, and after today, I fee lucky to stay in the class. I bought a swim cap and goggles yesterday, so I was ready to go at 5:30 this morning. Pretty chilly getting the pool, and it's not likely to get any warmer. So expect to see that sentence repeated quite often for the next two months. Coach Rich must be the most patient man I've ever met. He started me off swimming a couple laps so he could verify that I know how to swim, and he could look at my serious lack of technique and form. I practiced freestyle stroke to get the breathing part down correctly for what seemed like forever. When I was done I verified that Forever in swimming is 15 minutes. I had to keep my head down, face the floor of the pool and roll my body to the side when I'm up for a breath. All this while keeping the pool water out of my nose. And my laps were really only half laps. At one point he had me practice breathing by the side so he could hold my head down and rotate it up the right way at the right time. It made me feel panicky, as though I could drown standing in 4 feet of water. So while everyone else was swimming 400's at race pace, I was toddling along swimming 12.5's at baby pace. He had me alternate the breathing practice with kick practice. I was so relieved when he pulled out the kickboard and I got to have a break from the breathing part. So I practiced having noodle legs, kicking from my hip/back instead of from the knee, using my heel to break the water and swinging my legs like a whip. Then it was back to freestyle and the damn breathing. I had to hold some foam thingy between my knees so I would just use my arms to drag myself through the water. Then he told me to brush my hip with my hand which would help make my stroke more fluid. He also gave me some exercises to do at home to loosen up my ankles. After an hour, I was pretty happy to exit the pool. It was the longest hour of my life. Much longer than the first time I ran for an hour. I've got a lot of work to do to improve my form, but I'm looking forward to the challenge of it. And I felt so good after I swam, minus the water in the nose part. I guess the affirmation from coach that I was making a huge improvement in one hour definitely helped. And he said it seems like my body learns quickly to do something new. Really, I was missing having a phyisical goal to work towards, and now I have that back. Even though I can't run right now, I still have something to try and achieve, so I don't feel like I'm in limbo anymore. I'll have to visit the pool several times this week to practice on my own, and probably take some notes with me. I'm looking forward to this week's training, as well as Master's class on Saturday with the Captain.

The Pool

Today I ventured back to my Saturday morning aquacise class. The pool was a little chilly getting in, but once we got moving I warmed up quite a bit. While I enjoyed this class when it was was my cross training activity, I don't find it a challenging enough workout to make it my only activity. About 15 minutes into class I found myself more interested in what the Captain was doing on the other side of the pool with his Masters Swim class and wondering why I didn't try it this morning. After both our classes were over, we talked to Coach Rich about my forced time off from running, and that I was looking for another activity in the interim. After showing me his own nail-less big toe, He said I should just come join the Master's class, provided I know how to swim. I can try out a few classes to see if it's a good fit before I sign up for good. You have to actually know how to swim before you can join the Master's class, so I'm hoping I'm decent enough at it that he won't send me to the guppy class. I've had a couple friends suggest swimming as an alternative while I can't run, and it looks like a good tough workout. I figure if I was up to the challenge of training for a full marathon, I can be up to the challenge of some serious swimming. Just have to work out a schedule with the Captain, since the only day we can go to Master's class together will be the Saturday class. The evening class run's 30 minutes past when the childwatch center closes at the Y, and there are morning classes from 5:30-6:30. Which would mean leaving straight from class to work, and missing the kids morning routine. But I think we can make it work.

What Next ?

So I've taken this week to reflect, reevalutate and lament the loss of my marathon dream. I get sad driving past places on the marathon route, and I'm a little jealous of my friends who get to particpate at White Rock though it's not so much jealousy as that feeling of being left out of something, of wishing I could participate in that experience with them. I'm frustrated because I feel like I did everything right, I was careful, I followed my training plan, took 1 week off for vacation and missed exactly 1 run since June, and still I have to sit it out. I'm feeling a little directionless right now, since my runing focus is on hold. I've been so used to following my training schedule, and looking forward to each week's achievments that now I'm not sure where to put that focus. My body misses the release of physical activity. I need to something while I'm in the pre-surgery limbo, but the thought of getting up early to drive to the Y and attempt a workout in the musty, stale environment hardly instills motivation to leap out of bed in the morning. Plus I'm not even sure if the bike or the eliptical would be gentle enough not to still cause pain. I've got my Saturday morning swim class, but I need some other weekday workouts. Yoga is out, because there are too many poses that would kill my toe. So I think my options are swim, pilates and weights. Although none of it really thrills me yet. As for what to do post-Op, I'll have to evaluate that week by week.
I'll have to readjust my diet as well in the interim, since I won't be needing as many calories. I know it's all only temporary, but it doesn't take away the no-run blues just yet.
I'll be looking at the Spring race schedule and planning which ones I want to run, as well as researching different training plans. The good news is I'll have lots of time to really evaluate and choose what exactly I want to do. I'm putting the idea of training for a marathon on hold until next fall for a couple of reasons. The spring marathons I'm interested in are all in February, which would only give me 12 weeks to prepare for given best possible recovery time. That's not really ample time to come back after being off for 8 weeks. The fall marathons are the best in my opinon, and I'll have plenty to choose from next year, (although most likely I will want to run White Rock and have that home field advantage). I can take the spring to run several short races, and sharpen up my speed, and really just have a season of fun. Something to look forward to.

Hiatus

My appointment with the podiatrist did not go as I had hoped. She looked at my toe and suspected a bone spur growing on the top of the toe, which was confirmed with an X-Ray. The rest of the appointment was sort of hazy, because after the I heard the words surgery, and 6 weeks of recovery, I tried to fight back tears of disbelief and dissapointment. This spur has been there at least a year, and was the cause of my original problem last November. It was growing and pushing under the toenail. This caused the deformation of the nail, which in turn became ingrown and infected. After the toenail was removed, the spur kept growing and now is pushing on the rest of the nail, causing my discomfort. We talked about the option of waiting until after White Rock, but it is likely that I'm going to keep having pain and discomfort and won't be able to run anyway. And I know a Marathon is tough enough to run under perfect health and optimal conditions, why make it tougher if every mile is painful if I can fix the issue and try again later ? It's also possible that I could get another infection either under the toenail or worse, in the bone where the spur started. Apparently this is just a genetic fluke from a leftover growth plate, and not an injury related to the miles I've put on my feet running. So, two weeks from Friday, I go in for outpatient surgery to have the spur removed. Then it's two weeks in some type of orthopedic shoe, then I can graduate to a running shoe. Four weeks after that I can start back to running slowly, and hope I can start making my way back to where I left off. After I listened to the information, I made the necessary follow up appointments, and left. I managed not to completely start bawling until I sat down in the car, and then I sat and had a good long cry. I put in so much time, dedication and effort towards the Marathon goal, that not to be able to reach it in December is hard for me to comprehend. Now, I know I wasn't going for Olympic Gold, or even trying to win a in my age group, but regardless of my goal this sense of loss, of dissapointment is very painful and real. I actually can't think of a time I have ever felt so deeply dissapointed. I've never set a goal that I didn't reach, never tried for something that I knew I couldn't accomplish. I always have only worked towards what I knew I could achieve, and never realy tried to reach beyond that. And this goal was, for me, that one goal that I never thought possible to attain until this year. I never had the faith in myself that I could do it. Or the faith in God that he could give me the strength. Until now. And since I plan to continue running for a lifetime, I have a lifetime of races to run. (As two very important people in my life reminded me when I told them about the surgery). So in the big picture, six weeks out of running isn't too big of a deal. Compared to all of the other many important things in life this is just a small blip on the radar. It's just a little hiatus.

Friday 7 miles

I had the day off yesterday, and the weather was beautiful which meant I got to run outside in the daylight and didn't have to get up at the crack of dawn. After a day of errands, a flu shot and lunch with my son I was ready for my run around 2:45. Just took my usual 7 mile route, and went at a very relaxed pace. I had to really concentrate on slowing myself down in the first few miles, and then I got into a pretty good slower rhthym. It was nice enough out that I wore my running tight capris and didn't feel too warm in them. I love the way they feel, the tights, capri's and compression shorts seem much more comfortable to me. So much so that I'm considering abandoning the old stand by blousey shorts. The tights just stay put which means I'm not having to adjust them as I go, thus I seem to be able to move easier without the distraction of the billowing shorts. I also treated myself to a new fuel belt that fits me better. The previous one was a size Large, and had taken the Captain through training for 2 marathons so it was well worn and needed replacing. I didn't really need to wear it for 7 miles, as I only took a few sips about halfway through. But I'm just in the habit of taking it with me for any run that may take longer than an hour, as I needed it way more in the heat of the summer than I do in the breezy mild October weather. I'm thinking that now that the weather is cooler, I may be able to take my shorter runs in the afternoon after work. Which means only getting up at the crack of dawn twice a week instead of 4 times. I was thinking back to last year at this time when I was training for just an 8 mile race, and wishing I had kept a journal of that training so I would have something to compare to now. I'm glad I've started this blog so next year I can go back and look at how I felt and where I was this year to compare. I can definitely remember how long my run seemed last year at this same time, and I was only training for an 8 mile race, which means it must have been way short than 7 miles. And this year 7 miles seems short to me after running a half marathon. Wonder what will seem short after I run a full marathon ?

Feeling Better

Yesterday I felt much better than Wednesday, the extra rest really helped. I ran 4 miles on the bridge in the afternoon, and took it a little slower than Tuesday's run. I'm still not fully recovered from Sunday, the right knee is a little tender, and my left leg is still tight, especially my calf muscle. I'll make sure to stretch everything very well before I head out again this afternoon. After my run yesterday I examined my ogre toe and noticed what appeared to be a blood blister in the spot where the toenail had been removed. It's drained and being treated with hydrogen peroxide and bactricin until I can see my podiatrist on Tuesday. Hopefully she can patch me up enough to keep my marathon training on track. (After White Rock she's free to hack on my toe all she wants while I recover.) I've got extra time built into my training plan, so if I have to train a little easier for a week or so it's fine. Thank goodness for the toe cap, b/c when I run with it on, I don't feel anything on that toe.

Fatigue

So 3 days after the race, I'm feeling achey and fatigued. I think I may have pushed myself a little too much by only giving myself 1 day of rest after racing a half marathon. In my mind I was thinking that I could just resume my marathon training where I had left off, and count my race as a long run. The big difference is that my long run pace is much slower than my race pace, and I I think I need to give my body more time to recover. I have read different recommendations, some say just run easy the week after a half, and some say complete rest the first week, some even recommended a full two weeks of rest. I can find a happy medium in there somewhere. Even now, feeling as crummy as I do, I'm still thinking about going for a run. I'm not going to do it, but I'm wishing I could. So, I'll just take it day by day and go with how I feel. I may just be coming down with a cold, but most likely it's just a little post race fatigue. I have plenty of extra time built in to my full marathon training to allow for some extra rest this week. I don't want to end up with an injury or overtrained for White Rock, but I also don't want to take too much time off. I guess I'll find a balance.

First run Post-Race

Yesterday I was very sore, everywhere. My quads, hamstrings and calves let me know just how hard I had worked on Sunday every time I moved. My shoulders and back were also sore, which I found puzzling. After a few Epsom soaks, and Biofreeze applications, I had decided that maybe I needed an extra day of rest after the big race. So I slept in a little this morning. But once I was up, I felt pretty good, and decided to throw my running gear in the car as I was heading out for work. I decided to go for a quick run around East Dallas after school. I meandered around the neighborhood and headed over towards Swiss Avenue which is a beautiful place to run. I always love the historic homes and the tree canopy that forms over the street. I also happen to know I'll run down Swiss when I run the White Rock Marathon in Dec and thought it would be nice to have run it a few times before I hit the Wall during the marathon. I am planning to run different pieces of the race course in the afternoons if I can, just to give me a good idea of what I'm up against during the race. I felt pretty good, a little sluggish, but kept up my usual brisk training pace for 4 miles. But, after I got home I started to really feel puny, and took a long soak in a hot bath and hit the hay early. Mostly I just felt achey all over. I decided to forgo a Wednesday run, and think perhaps I need a few extra rest days after all. I want to make sure I have given myself enough time to recover from the half before I start training hard for the full.

Heels and Hills and Him Half Marathon

I did it ! I ran my first half marathon yesterday and it was awesome. It was worth every early morning, every sore muscle, and all the hard work I've put into training. I was up at 4:40 am, and had my last sips of water and half a banana on the way to Iriving. I arrived at the race site about an hour and a half before start time. This gave me plenty of time to find chip pickup, visit the porta pottys several times, stretch, and mentally prepare. The timing chip was a little different than I've used before, so I had to furtively glance around at the other runners to see how they had laced it into their shoes. Got to watch a beautiful sunrise over the canal next to Williams square and before I knew it, it was time to line up. So I made my way to the middle of the pack and then we were off. Pacing was tough at the begining because everyone shoots out of the start fast, and when you are running with 500 other people there isn't much room to get out and go on your own. I had to really keep an eye on the Garmin and make sure I wasn't starting off too fast, I didn't want to burn myself out, and my goal was to keep an even, steady pace. I tried to run near people who were at about my same pace, but it took a few miles to find other runners who were at a similar pace. There were lots of people who blazed out of the start and then petered out before mile 3, and once I passed them I never saw them again. There were water/powerade stops about every two miles, so I didn't need to stop at all of them. I waited until about mile 4. They had powerade available first, and then later down the line water. Worked perfectly for me, because I could take a few sips of powerade, and wash it down with a few sips of water. I didn't want to run with a lot of liquid sloshing around in my stomach so tiny sips worked best for me. There were several spots for spectators to watch and cheer us on, which does a lot for motivation. My family was waiting for me at miles 5, 7 and 10. I got teary eyed when I saw my son holding up a poster for me. Now I know how my husband felt at all the races where we watched him and cheered for him. I know exactly how much it meant to him, because it meant the world to me. After I saw my support team at mile 5, I ran to mile 6 and I choked down a couple of power bar gel cap thingys and washed them down with a bit of water. These made me feel nauseous by mile 10, which means I'm going to have to find something different for White Rock. (I had planned to take sport beans with me, but couldn't find them anywhere in Rockwall on Saturday) I felt pretty good, and energetic for most of the race, and was at about a 9:40 pace until about mile 10. I could feel myself slowing down a little, and by mile 11 I was feeling slower and fighting a side stitch. I was also feeling the heat. It was hotter than it had been all week, and the last 2 miles of the race were not shaded. I was naseous, hot, and fatigued,and I knew that even if I walked the last 2 miles I would finish faster than my goal time. But I continued to run. I pictured in my mind the two miles it takes me to get home on a training run, when it's an easy coast to the house. I kept thinking this is a race, run it like a race. In 20 minutes you'll be done. In 4 songs you'll be done. I pictured myself crossing the finish line with a smile on my face. I pictured my support team, husband, kids and my dad all waiting to give me a big hug at the end. I pictured my medal. I was thirsty, but didn't want the added discomfort of water so I envisioned how wonderful a bottle of water would taste and feel after I was done. I reminded myself that I have run farther than 13.1 miles before, that this was a short distance for me. By the time I turned the corner and headed the down the stretch to the finish I had picked up my pace. I spotted my family, gave them a big wave and crossed the finish line with a huge smile. I was hot, sweaty, salty, lightheaded, parched and exhausted. I had given it my all, and had finished 15 minutes faster than my goal time. I did it ! I felt like doing a victory dance. I felt such a huge sense of pride and accomplishment, I don't think I stopped smiling the whole day. The actual race results show that I finished 28 out 86 in my age group and 217 overall out of 506. A good solid middle of the pack runner. I hope to keep improving my time and shave 5 minutes off my half time by the spring. Comparing where I am now to where I was a year ago is amazing to me. I ran the Turkey trot last Thanksgiviving which was my first distance longer than a 5K. 8 miles at about at 12 minute pace. Now I can run 13.1 miles at about a 10 minute pace. I certainly don't expect to run my marathon that quickly, and I'm not setting my goal until I get closer to race day and know what I can coax my body to do at much longer distances. I think yesterday's race was a great experience to help me prepare for a full marathon.

Pre Race.

A lot of miles have been run since I nervously signed up for Heels and Hills back in June. Each and every step I have run since that day has helped me prepare. Every step I have run has made me stronger both physically and mentally. All those early mornings, short and long and in between runs, the dedication to it, all of it will pay off tomorrow. I started getting a little nervous yesterday on the drive in to work. And today, as I hydrate, eat a few extra carbs, revise my playlist and relax I'm still a little nervous. But really, there isn't anything to be nervous about. I'll just be getting up and doing what I have done most every weekend which is run a long distance. Just at a faster pace, with people around to cheer me on, and with a few hundred other runners. I'm not worried about the 13.1 miles. I've run that and farther several times, and I feel comfortable with it. I've got my family support team coming to watch, and my dad drove up from Austin just to see me run. I was very excited yesterday when I picked up my packet. Something about being there with all the other people who were planning to do this too made me happy. Happy to know there are other people like me, who love this sport, and feel that sense of peace and accomplishment after a run. They'll all be out there with me, and we'll be in it together. And when it's all over, and I cross the finish, no matter how long it takes me, when I can proudly wear my medal, I'll know I have won.

Running Blind

Got up at 5:30 to run 3 miles, and there was a chill in the air. I just love this weather, even though I know it won't last long. I was glad to have found a pair of capri length running tights to keep my legs warm this morning. These had a drawstring waist, and I made sure to buy some small enough not to fall down, which was the problem I had last winter with the running tights. I'll have to invest in at least one more pair for the winter months. I definitely prefer running in tights because once they are on they stay put, unlike the shorts which are always moving and shifting around. The Garmin petered out about 5 minutes into my run. I must not have recharged it after I ran long on Sunday, so it just died and I had a blank screen for the rest of the run. Luckily for me, I know most of my run routes for different distances, so I knew exactly where to run that would take me 3 miles. I have no idea of what my pace was, which was felt a little odd for me. I just ran what felt right for me this morning. Since it was a short training run, pacing wasn't all that important, just needed to make sure I wasn't racing on a training run. Gotta save what speed I posses for the race course. 1 more short run, 2 rest days and then it's race day.

I love Fall

Today was a very short, and quick 4 mile afternoon run. Didn't get in a morning run today due to the rainy forecast, and I was really waiting for the front to blow in. It was a cool and breezy 69 degrees, and overcast, which made for perfect running weather. I ran a very fast-for-me pace and didn't even break a sweat because the temperature was so comfortable. I just ran the bridge since it's relatively flat, and it's a nice easy old stand by for the distance. What's great about these shorter distances is I don't need much gear. I love any run that's less than an hour because the fuel belt isn't necessary, there's just not much need for me to rehydrate before then. Plus with the cooler temperature, I sweat way less and need less replenishment of fluids than in the sweltering summer. I so wish the awesome weather would stick around, but it's already predicted to be back in the 80's by race day. The coolish weather did get me thinking I've got to start looking around for some decent running tights and locate my cold weather gear so it'll be ready for the week of winter that may happen mid December...

Reflections

Yesterday at church, a friend mentioned that he needs to start his day with God's word. That it helps set a good tone for the day for him. And it got me thinking about how I set the tone for my day with a run. The mornings when I get up and run first, before I do anything are the best mornings for me. They set a good tone for my day. Why ? Because those days when I set aside time to run, I'm running with God in my head and in my heart. The days where I'm working through my issues in my head ? Those are the days I'm working through them with God. I'm listening for that voice in my head that leads me in a good direction. I can look back at my training runs from last fall, and compare them to now and there is a world of difference. It used to be that I just got up to do a task, to complete the mileage, to work towards a goal. This year, I am completing the mileage, and working towards a goal. But there's a whole lot more joy in it because I'm no longer doing it alone. I mentioned before that I don't like to run with a partner, but I realized that every day I do run with a partner, because God is always right there with me, guiding me along. I may be the one moving my feet, but with each step I take, God is moving my heart.

Last Long Run

Yesterday was my last long run before the half . The 10 miles felt short and easy which makes me think I'm in good position to enjoy my first half marathon. I'm glad I started and finished the half training plan early. It gave me time to move on to full marathon training, and gave me several chances to run longer than just the 10 miles that completes the training. If I had only run as far as 10 miles before the half, I would have finished, but doubt I would have enjoyed it. One of my toughest training runs turned out to be the week I ran 12 miles, and I would have hated to have felt that way during the race. Now that I have run past 13.1 on a few occasions, it makes 13.1 seem a shorter and easier distance for me to run. I have also learned over time that running a negative split works best for me on the long distances,( which I'm sure will come in handy for the full).
This week I tried sport beans as fuel and really liked them. It's just jellybeans made for energy replacement, and I like the flavor and texture better than the gels I have tried. Also I like that I can pop a few at a time, instead of all at once like the gel. This is easier on my stomach. I was even able to eat a couple prior to my run and I definitely enjoyed the energy boost. Usually I can't run comfortably with anything in my stomach.
The new skirt/shorts combo works very well for me, no chafing anywhere and felt very comfortable. I realized yesterday that what isn't comfortable is the way the fuel belt shifts around when I run. Probably because I've been wearing the Captain's fuel belt, and as I've lost weight during training, it's gotten looser and looser. So I'll have to go get my own in a smaller size.
The older Garmin I've been using gave me a lot of trouble yesterday. It didn't detect a GPS signal for the first three miles of my run, so I had no idea what my pace was. Which is ok when it's just a training run, and it eventually caught up and gave me the data I needed. I just don't want that to happen during a race, because I could end up starting too fast or not fast enough. I mentioned this to the Captain last night, and he had a big surpise for me. Apparently a new Garmin is on it's way to me ! I am so excited, and can't believe he just surprised me out of the blue. Thanks again honey ! Can't wait to try it out.

Gently

Yesterday's morning run was a nice, gentle, relaxing 5 mile run. It was just barely misting out, which made the roads a little slick. I certainly didn't want to slip around on the wet pavement and was very careful with my steps. I didn't focus on pacing other than keeping it steady. I really was mostly in my head during this run, working out the usual things I work through in my head, so by the time I got home, I was in a really good place. I should try to work in a little cross training between now and Sunday, but it's not a high priority this weekend, since I'm tapering. Looking forward to my 10 mile long run Sunday since it'll be my last before the race. I really can't believe it's 1 week away. It seemed so far away when I signed up back in June, and now the time has literally run away from me. I can't wait.

Shoes and a Swift Short Run

I went to purchase some new running shoes yesterday, and took the Captain's suggestion that I try Luke's Locker in Dallas. It is now my new favorite store. The top floor is entirely dedicated to footwear, and the bottom floor is for attire and accessories. Every employee was very knowledgeable about what they carried, and gave me several good recommendations for the gear that I was looking for. As far as the shoe issue, I ended up with the same size and model of Saucony that I was currently running in. ( excpet now they are blue and silver instead of yellow and gray). The woman who fitted me took one look at the bottom of my shoes and told me I was overdue for a new pair. I had put too many miles on them, and the cushioning had worn down which was causing my toe to hit hard on the front on the shoe. The shoe I have been training in is perfect for my stride, I just wore them too long. She also recommended I try something called a toe cap which she wears. It's a cushioned rubber sleeve that fits over the toe and helps keep the toe from hitting or rubbing the inside of the shoe. She also said with the amount of miles I'm putting on my shoes I need a second pair. So I'm going back in October for pair number 2. It'll help my shoes last longer, and it's better for my feet. Plus it will give me an ample amount of time to break them in before White Rock. Her final recommendation for me was to invest in some good comfortable open toe shoes to wear when I'm not running. Which I have already done. Two pair's of Born, and two Clark's Artisan. They are all very comfortable and cuter than most comfort shoes. And I've got one pair of Cole Haan heels that are very comfortable. Not sure what I'll find for winter, but it lasts about 1 week where I live anyway.
I was able to find a good solution for the skirt as well. They have what's called a race belt skirt that has snaps in the front to attach my bib number. It doesn't have built in shorts, so I can wear it over the compression shorts I already have. In the winter I can wear it over running tights. I also bought a pocket that clips onto my waistband so I can carry whatever gel I decide to race with. I am trying sport beans this week to see how well I like those.
Had a fantastic 3 mile run this morning. It went by so fast, I felt like I blinked and I was finished. I had fun with it, and ran it at a very quick but still comfortable pace. My 5K training pace now is faster than what used to be my 5K race pace. It's definitely encouraging to see the minutes per mile decrease over time. I would love to run a 5K race sometime between the Half and Full Marathons just to see how well I would run a 5K race. I also felt like my improvement in pace could be attributed to springy new shoes, and better form. I think I'm going to keep concentrating on form for these shorter runs, and hope that will continue to help improve my pace.

Joyful

Today was my first run of the two week taper prior to the half marathon. This just means I'm decreasing my weekly mileage and intensity so I can let my muscles rest and repair before the race. So today was a nice, easy 5 miles. As I have mentioned, I was less than enthusiastic after last weeks long run, and I was hoping today would help me rekindle my love. About midway through, on my favorite downhill stretch, I stretched my arms out wide as I ran and felt a cool breeze against my skin, and there it was. The joy had returned. I wasn't thinking about how many miles I had covered, or still had left. I didn't care what pace the Garmin told me I was running. There was no struggle, no pain, just peace. Just me going down the road, as I have many times before, and feeling that old comfortable happy feeling of having a really great run. I can't wait to get back out there and do it again tomorrow !

rain,runs and races

I've still got that last long run on my mind today, and I thought jotting down some things I learned from it would be a good way to start my week of training. 1. Running long is probably best done in the morning when my stomach is empty. 2. Too much liquid intake during any kind of run can cause stomach discomfort. 3. Eat a smaller amount of power bar gel cap thingys, or possibly try a different form of energy replacement. 4. Try as often as possible to have a rest day or gentle cross train day the day before the long run. 5. Look into adding some more stretches to my routine, especially for my calves, and 6.eat more bananas.
I've got less than two weeks until my half marathon, so I'm scaling back the amount of miles per week to taper before my race. I'll be using the last two weeks of the Hal Hidgon Novice Half Marathon training that I completed over the summer. I'll switch back over to my full marathon training after the race (provided I don't come to my senses and decide that half distance is as far as I want to race.). I'm looking forward to taking it a little easier, and seeing the results on September 27. Who knows, maybe I'll even miss running for 3 plus hours.
I've got another issue with the big toe, and started some antibiotics yesterday to help clear up an infection. After the half I'm going to go back to the podiatrist and have her take another look at the toenail, and hope she won't have to take any more off. The problem is the same I had last year, on the same toe, but now on the left side of the toe instead of the right. I'm getting new shoes tomorrow, and am going to make sure I get fitted with a shoe that has the biggest toe box I can find. Maybe something similar to a clown shoe. Somehow that toe has got to be hitting my shoe pretty hard to cause so much damage. I'm already wearing one size bigger running shoe than street shoes, so I wonder if I need to go up another half size ? I'll let the experts at Run On help on on this one. I had planned to visit the Rockwall Running Center, but I really think I need Run On's expertise and wide shoe selection at this point.
I'm counting my triathlon spectating as the cross training for the weekend. I enjoyed watching the Captain race ( despite the pouring rain) and look forward to reading his race report. Walking around the UNT campus with both kids to watch different pieces of the competition I think counts as some pretty good gentle exercise.
Today I'm feeling very lucky and greatful to have such great friends and family. They have all given me so much inspiration and encouragement during my training and it helps keep me going. I appreciate you all so much !

Misery

so after consulting the weather forecast, I decided my best chance for getting in my 17 miles was to try and do it at about 6 pm last night. There was plenty of thunder but 0 raindrops falling. The captain wasn't a big proponent of my plan, I think he was concerned about me getting struck by lightening. So I promised to stay in the neighborhood and cut it short if I saw lightening or a thunderstorm deluge. It was very humid and sticky out, but nice to run while there was some light in the sky. I started off way too fast and was left with a definte lack of energy by the time I was at about mile 12. I had snaked my way through the neighborhood, never getting much farther than 2 miles away from the house, just in case the sky opened up. So by mile 12 I was about .75 miles away from home and I considered calling it and heading home. My stomach was hurting from the power bar gel cap thingys ( which I later found out from the Captain that I should have eaten 3 instead of 6. Good to know for next time.) And I couldn't get the sweet taste of the gatorade mix out of my mouth. I think I need to take more water and less Gatorade. Water seems to quench my thirst better. I made it to the water fountain at the park next to my house and dumped some gatorade out and refilled my fuel belt bottle with water. I made the mistake of drinking too much water which added to the discomfort in my stomach. After the water stop at the park, I decided I was going to forge on and attempt to complete my 17 miles. The last 5 miles were not the most pleaseant 5 miles I've ever run, but I kept telling myself I could finish. At about mile 16 I started to have an excruciating, made me want to cry calf cramp. I tried stretching, adjusting my form, and more stretching which did nothing to alleviate the pain. By 16.45 miles I started walking with the hope that I could walk out the cramp and start running again. Never happended. By the time I made it to my street I was worried that the stomach pain was going to culminate in something much worse, and knew I desperately needed to make home to my own bathroom. After all was said and done I ended up at 16.80 miles. I was very dissapointed that I couldn't finish the final 2 tenths of a mile, but the urgent churning in my stomach wasn't going to let me go any further. The Captain said I looked pale and green upon my return. He did me the kindess of pouring what felt like an iceberg in the tub in order to soothe out the calf cramp. It was so cold I grabbed a towel to scream into so I wouldn't wake the kids. Calf felt better but I was feeling hypothermic, and so I poured some epsom salt in and adjusted the temperature warmer while I drank my chocolate milk to recover. Unfortuneatly the milk didn't stay with me for very long. Note to self, sip milk slowly next time. After I crawled into bed I had a long talk with my husband about how I felt after this long run. I was discouraged and miserable. Everything hurt, and I felt like I had failed myself by not being able to run the full distance. After a good night's rest things seem a lot different. I have regained use of my legs, and my color has returned to normal. I'm proud that I went as far as I did. I was just a training run, not the real race. So I can take what I learned from this run, toughen up and use the knowledge for future running. Hopefully my next long run will be more pleasant.

Rest,Rain and running

Rest day, wonderful rest day. Ahhh. Last night I had a long relaxing soak in a warm Epsom bath with a nice glass of red wine. My muscles weren't very sore this week, but it's starting to become my Thursday night ritual that I look foward to. It's a nice reward for getting my ass up before dawn 4 days a week. This morning the alarm didn't go off until 6:10 and I enjoyed every blissful moment of sleeping in. Again, a nice reward for training all week. Tomorrow I have a 17 mile run scheduled. The doppler radar has rain scheduled. Delkus of news 8 has tweeted a 100% chance of rain tomorrow. Weather channel.com says 80 % chance of rain. This forecast initially led me into a little bit of a panic, because I really don't want to miss my long run this week, and I don't see how I would fit it in on any other day. By my calculations, it's going to take me a little over 3 hours to run this distance, which means if I get rained out tomorrow I would have to get up at 3 am on a workday to get it done. I just don't see that as an option. Sunday the captain has a race, so no Sunday morning option for me to reschedule. So I started researching running in the rain, and was surprised to find that many runners prefer to run in the rain (without lightening or Thunderstorms of course). I got to thinking about it, and I remember that early on in the summer I really loved running through sprinklers when people would water the lawn, so what would be so bad about raindrops if they would keep me cool on my run ? Plus the rain will keep the temperature down, and it might be the coolest weather I've seen since about March. So now I'm actually looking forward to a little rainy running. Which just might chase the rainclouds away.

Good bye 4 miles

Had a great 4 mile run this morning. One of my fastest training paces so far for this distance, and it felt great.
Yesterday, I noticed a little less energy in the morning so I thought about what I ate the night before. Turns out I did not eat enough calories or carbs at dinner. We had gone to a school picnic for my son, and with the heat and both kids wanting to play on the playgroud, my sandwich mostly remained untouched. Last night I made sure there was a better balance at dinner with a little homemade stir fry and steamed rice and it certainly helped this morning. Good energy and focus, which made my run that much better for me. Next week the 4 mile run turns into a 5 mile run, just like my 7 mile turned into an 8 mile. Just means getting up a few extra minutes earlier. I still am really interested in running the Rib Rub 5K on Saturday. It just sounds way to fun to miss, and it seems like every runner in Rockwall is going to be there. Maybe I can find a way to work it into my training schedule anyway.
Tomorrow is a rest day, and so I actually do get a little extra rest. Instead of getting up at 4:15 or 5 am like I've done the other three days of this workweek I can sleep in until 6:15. Next week I'm going to visit the Rockwall Running center and get a second pair of running shoes. I've got my half coming up in 2 weeks and would like to start phasing in another shoe. I really like the Saucony I've got now. My feet don't feel fatigued after a run like they did with my New Balance. RRC doesn't carry my current shoe, so I hope they can fit me with something similar or even better than my current kicks. I really do like to be able to support local retailers when it's possible.

4:15 am

My scheduled distance for today was 8 miles which meant my alarm went off at 4:15 am. It actually felt easier to wake up this morning than yesterday at 5. Most likely because I wasn't coming off of a 3 day weekend. It still felt pretty humid out, but since I trained outside all summer, I wasn't really bothered by it. I am however reaaaaallllly looking forward to some cooler weather. Which may happen around January when it's my off season. I ran a little bit of a different route, I guess having a headlamp helped me feel bold enough to test out some new roads in the dark. I wasn't really focused on my pacing today, so I was pleaseantly surprised to see my pace time was still a pretty swift pace. There's a nice Rib Rub 5K in my little town this Saturday, and I really would love to run it. Rockwall has a great community of runners, and I really enjoy seeing everyone I know through various outlets come together for a race. The issue is that Saturday is the only day I have open for a long run. And I know how imporatant that long run is for training. So, I'm choosing the long run over the fun run, but hoping to meet everyone afterwards for some ribs. After running 17 miles I will have earned them.

Yesterday was my usual post long run rest day, and I enjoyed it. A rest day doesn't mean I nap all day, it just means it's a day when I don't run or do any other exercise so my muscles can rest. I usually plan to have a rest day just before and just after a long run, but sometimes rest days get juggled around based on what happens in life. A few weeks ago I was sick one day, so I swapped out a run day for a rest day. Still got all 5 workouts done for the week, they just weren't in the order I had planned.

Today was my usual Tuesday morning 4 mile run. I ran a hilly route, but opposite the direction I usually take, which is actually more challenging because the uphills are a little tougher. I wanted to practice my uphill form, and am really finding my uphill pace is picking up as I work on leaning the right direction and working different muscles to get me up that hill. For me, practicing better form seems to be helping me run more effeciently which leads to a quicker pace without getting fatigued. I know that many novice runners try to run too fast too soon, and train at too fast of a pace because it feels so good to go faster. But that can lead to overtraining, which just causes the runner to feel tired and fatigued. That leads to missing runs due to a lack of energy or even worse an injury. So I'm still trying to be careful of how fast I train. I'm in no danger of breaking a land speed record, but I still need to keep my pace at the right speed for my level of running ability.

Lately I've had a couple people ask me to run with them, and I have't accepted the offer. While I usually enjoy being social, running is something I prefer to do alone. I enjoy the solitude.There is precisely one person I will race with, and that's the Captain. That's because we've had years of working together as a team, and running together works well with us. He's very good at encouraging me to push myself to be my best. He motivated me through my first 8 mile race last year, and again during a 5K where I achieved a PB. But I think if I trained or raced with anyone else right now I would get distracted and not be able to focus on my task at hand. I've worked pretty darn hard all summer towards a goal, and I don't really want anyone next to me to break my concentration. I look foward to meeting up with my friends at the finish line, no matter who gets there first, but between the start and then, it's just me and the road.

Sunrise

I chose walking for yesterday's cross training. My son had a soccer game which conflicted with my usual swim class, so later in the day I packed up my 19 month old daughter in the good jogging stroller and walked a few brisk miles around the neighborhood. She got a little restless towards the end so I unbuckled her and we chased each other up and down the sidewalk with both of us giggling.

This morning my long run was only 11 miles. I was sleepy when the alarm went off at 5:15, and I briefly considered sleeping in. But discipline and determination kicked in and got me up and out the door. I ran another negative split, running my second half about 10 minutes faster than my first half. I had a lot on my mind this morning; the annoyances and distractions of everyday life. So I prayed for about the first 5.5 miles for the negative thoughts and feelings to be gone from my head and my heart. By the time I started on my second 5.5 miles I was at the pond and the sun was rising, casting a pinkish hue throughout the sky. It was reflected in the pond, which was so calm and still it just mirrored the sky. And sitting right in the middle of that calm pink water was a heron, just as peaceful as could be. It took my breath away, and I felt all of the negativity melt away, leaving me much lighter in spirit, and somehow faster on my feet. I had my power gel caps with a water chaser at the halfway mark also, though I didn't really need them for the short distance. I will keep using them on my long training runs to make sure they will work for me during a race. And I need to get used to chewing while running. Which I currently prefer to squeezing a tube of gagginly sweet gelatinous Gu into my throat. As I was beginning my final three miles, chugging up one of the more challenging hills on my route I spotted a man out of the corner of my eye. We had passed each other earlier in the morning, and he looked vaguely familar. He pulled his headphones off, told me I was doing a great job, and then gave me some pointers for running uphill. I thanked him, he was off, and I had some new notes on form. I gave it a try and immediately felt the difference in the effort it took to get myself uphill. When I arrived home I relayed the story of the running superhero who showed up in my moment of struggle, and we concluded that he was probably one of the coaches from the local running center. Whoever he was, I am eternally grateful for the pointers. Overall today's run was fantastic. I ran it at my fastest training pace yet (for a long run) which really gives me confidence for my upcoming half. I am so so glad that I have had several longer runs before I'll run that 13.1 miles. I will be able to enjoy the race more knowing it's not the first time I'll cover that distance, and I have a pretty good idea of where to set my goal for pacing.

A Perfect Fit

Today is a rest day. Time for my muscles to rest a recover from the run workouts I've done this week. I rolled my ankle the other morning, and I've got some swelling on the outside of my ankle. It's gone down considerably with Espsom soaks and ibuprofen, and it doesn't really hurt. I'll take it easy on cross training tomorrow to make sure it's rested enough for my long run on Sunday. I've been examining my footfalls when I run, and I have suspected for awhile that my pronation was getting worse. It really seems like my foot hits the pavement almost on the side of my foot instead of the bottom of my foot. I think it's the reason I rolled my ankle. I really am interested in getting some Vibram 5 fingers to help correct the problem. These are supposed to be close to running barefoot, and help strenghten the foot muscles to correct the pronation. I'm going to wait to give these a try in the off season when I'm just doing recovery running and not trying to build up base miles for a marathon. The Captain has expressed an interest in them for himself for Triathlon training, so maybe he'll be the brave one of the family to give them a shot first. Although, as I have learned, just because something works in training for one person, doesn't mean it will necessarily work for another. I wouldn't expect everyone who runs to like wearing a headlamp, Garmin, Ipod shuffle, a hat, double layer Wright socks, dry fit shirt, Saucony shoes, blousy shorts and a fuel belt. That's my gear, and what I find useful for me. So even if the Captain likes his Vibrams I may not. He is a big proponent of low heartrate training, so I tried it. And hated every minute of it. And over time I have learned little tips here and there from him, some I loved and some I didn't. What it's helped me remember is to always be an indivdual, my own athlete and true to myself. I don't need to copycat someone else to enjoy my sport. I just need to find what works for me.

Paces

I was sitting in a meeting after school today, trying my best to concentrate on what was being said, but all I could hear were the minutes until my escape ticking in my head. I would nod and smile, take a few notes as if I was paying attention, but in my head I was doing mental math. If I run at x pace then it will take me y amount of time to run 4 miles. If this meeting takes w amount of minutes, and it takes me z minutes to drive home, will I have time to run before I take my son to soccer practice ? I mentally willed the thermometer to read below 90. So when the meeting ended promptly at 3:45 I raced to the parking lot, checked the weather on my trusty Iphone and was happily suprised when I saw 88 degrees pop up on the little screen. It was even a little overcast and breezy when I made it out the door and started my first mile.
I usually run in the morning before work, but today was the Captain's day to get up early for a workout. ( the Captain being my husband.) I knew I could either take a rest day today and run early tomorrow or if time and weather permitted run between work and soccer and have my glorious rest day tomorrow. So I was excited to run today, knowing it meant a little extra time in the sack in the a.m., and planned to reward myself with a nice glass of red wine and a soak in the tub this evening. Afternoon runs usually seem to be quicker for me. I think it must be extra energy from having breakfast and lunch prior to the run, however I am very careful not to eat between lunch and my run as it can be pretty uncomfortable to run with much on my stomach. I raced out of the driveway at breakneck speed, and ran my first mile at race pace & then slowed down to my comfortable short run training pace for the next three miles. Yes, there are different paces for different runs. Race pace is my fastest pace, which I usually reserve for actual races, unless my training plan calls for a run at race pace. Short run pace is a tad slower, sorta long run pace is in the middle and long run pace for me is about as slow as it gets. The reason being that I don't want to wear myself out with overtraining working as hard as I can every training run. That will lead to injury and fatigue. Neither are any fun. The long run is simply to train my body for endurance and it raises my risk of injury to run it too quickly. The short runs are faster for me because by now I've learned how much energy it take run each distance and know that I can finish these runs quickly, safely and enjoyably. I really look forward to each type of run and each type of pace, and really don't get too bogged down in how fast any of them are. While I usually have a goal in mind when I head out, there are days when I easily achieve it, days when I struggle, and days where my body signals me I need to take it a little easier. Today was a good fast fun day. I'm so glad that meeting ended on time.

Competition

Ran 7 easy miles this morning. There are some days I want to go out and hit it hard, and other days where a leisurely pace suits me. This morning was one of those days. Instead of concentrating on my pace today, I concentrated on me. I spent those 7 miles in truly reflecting on personal growth. I read an article the other day about how running can be addictive for some people, which can be destructive for them, and I got to wondering if running could be a negative influence in my own life. Running feeds into my competitive nature. I can compete with each previous training time to get a little faster. I can compete with other runners on their pace times, and definitely am competing with other runners when I race. Yesterday I was behind another runner going uphill and I ran that much faster just to see if I could pass him. I even told my husband my goal was to one day beat his half marathon time. Now I thought I was merely setting a goal, and that by making his PB my goal that he would feel flattered. I knew how hard he worked to get there and I wanted to try and get there too. But the problem with competition is that someone has to lose. And in marriage, we are partners, teammates, and best friends. And so in effect I was telling my best friend I wanted him to lose instead of portraying to him how much I admired his achievement. We all have encountered those people in our lives that compete with us on every level, the ones who have to try and one up us at every turn. People who somehow become an amplified shadow of yourself. And those people annoy me to no end. And then I turned around and became one of them.
So how do I keep running and not let my competitive nature be destructive ? I keep it in check, and make sure that my teammate, partner and best friend knows that I don't want him to lose. I stop trying to best his record, and set my own goals based on what I can do. I let him know that I do admire his achievement, and I'm going to work hard to make my own achievement without comparison to his. I start competing with myself and stop competing against other.

Swifty

Had some beautiful weather this morning for my 4 mile run. I was a little groggy getting up at 5 a.m. but I managed to get up and get going. Ran a flatter old route that I haven't run in awhile, at a swift for me pace. But I remember now why I abandoned the old flat route. I find it to be on the boring side. I missed the challenge of running uphill and the joy of the downhill glide. And it's just a little too tempted to zone out and not pay close attention to my task at hand. Especially on a short run. I chose flat for today because I was still a little sore from Sunday and wanted to give my muscles just a little more time to recover. Definitely need another nice Epson soak tonight.
My troublesome toe has flared up again, which means a visit to my favorite specialist, the podiatrist. I'm hesistant to go because I only have 4 weeks until the half and I don't want to have any down time between now and then. It actually doesn't hurt when I run, it's just during the rest of the day. But last time I tried to fight my way through it with the hope that it would heal on its own I ended up with a much bigger problem. Keeping my fingers crossed it's something small, with an easy fix.

Rest Day

Today is a rest day for me, no running or cross training. Just letting my muscles recover and repair from being pushed 15 miles yesterday. I keep track of my mileage every month mostly so I'll know how many miles I've put on my shoes and when they'll need to be replaced. This month I ran 111 miles. It's a huge jump from last month for a couple of reasons. I went on vacation in July and took an entire week of rest, which I have read is perfectly fine to do on occasion. And in August I switched over to full marathon training. I was a little tentative about committing myself to training for a full marathon, knowing how tough it can be after watching my husband train for 2. But now that I've started running distances in the double digits and have been able to see my own progress from week to week I realize it's just a matter of building up my endurance by running those miles every week. I look forward to going on that long run, and love how it feels after I've achieved a new longer distance. I also look foward to the step back week when my long run is shorter than the previous one because it helps me see my progress. Suddenly the distance that kicked my butt a few weeks ago is now an easy shorter distance for me. So I'm going to continue with the Marathon training, and I think I'll be brave this week and actually sign up for one.

Ran 15 miles this morning, my longest run yet. The weather was beautiful and it made for a very pleasant 15 miles. Yesterday I added a few items to my list of running gear which made my life easier. The first was compression shorts. I wore these under my regular running shorts and am happy to report that I had 0 amount of chafing anywhere. I looked at running skirts, but most of the shorts attached are pretty short, I needed something longer that would stay in place. And I wore them under my regular shorts for the same reason I always wear a shirt and don't just run in a jog bra. I'm a pretty modest person, and I think only my husband needs to see that much of me. The other item I purchased yesterday is a headlamp. I found one that I can attach to the bill of my cap and has a few different light settings. It was super helpful in the pitch blackness at 5 am. I don't know how I've managed my early morning runs without it. I also bought a new hat since I have already worn out the one I started the summer with. It has a built in sweatband which really helps keep my eyes from stinging.
I had a pretty good pace this morning, and managed to run the second 7.5 miles about 20 minutes faster than the first 7.5. I don't bother to post my minutes per mile average here because I highly doubt it makes a big difference to my 1 reader how fast I run. I'm not training for the Olympics or trying to beat a land speed record, and I keep track of my paces for each run elsewhere to measure my progress. I'm not looking for a pat on the back or accolades based on how fast I run each day, I'm just looking for my own personal improvement.
I am really trying to focus on improving my form, which means getting my feet off the ground. I don't want to be shuffling along, just barely keeping one foot off the ground at a time. I find that when I get those feet up and work on better form I actually run faster and with more energy. Tried the Power Gel Caps today about halfway through and found these to be a better source of glycogen renewal than the gel I had last week. They tasted better, agreed with my tummy better and were overall easier to get down. Takes a little more water to wash them down afterward, but once the water was in my mouth the flavor was almost like drinking a coke. I felt much better today at the end of the run than last week after 14. I wasn't to the point of exhaustion and overall today seemed much easier. Still had a little bit of muscle cramp in my calves, but less severe this time. Going to make sure I get my 1 banana per day in to help alleviate that. Also I can really tell the Glucosamine Chrondroitin makes a difference in how my knees feel. Looking forward to another good week of training, this week is a step back week so next week's long run will be shorter again.

Swim like a fish

Went to my usual Saturday morning swim class and as always enjoyed it. My calves were a little sore, so the stretching was great this morning. Did some new exercises today. Had to hang from the deck and do several crunches, which was challenging and I know I'll be feeling tomorrow. The best new one we did was in groups of 3. Two people hold each end of a noodle, and the third person sits on it while they swing her. It was good core work, and fun.
Hubby was accross the pool at his Masters class again today, and is heading to the lake for and open water swim. It's a nice Saturday morning activity to each go to our swim class and take the whole family to the Y. The kids love to go play in the childwatch, and I like the example it sets for them that Mom and Dad are both active. My 5 year usually asks if he can run with one of us, and seems interested in working towards entering a kids triathlon. ( I think 6 is the starting age).
I am definitely feeling the benefits of eating healthier, and eating a better ratio of carbs especially before my sorta long and long runs. This afternoon will be a good time to plan out this week's menu along with training days and times with hubby. Seems like once it's planned out it all fits together rather seemlessly, and any adjustments can be made as needed.
Still having some issues with the toe and footwear. It's still a little tender where the toenail once was. Wearing close-toed shoes to work puts pressure on it, and my comfy flip flops aren't really appropriate for work. So I'm on a hunt for "comfort" shoes. What I found so far leaves me less than thrilled. Basically there are 3 categories of "comfort" shoes. Manly, Hippie, and Frumpy. None of these fits my style. I had to wear some awful awful shoes from those catergories when I was pregnant and I vowed never again. I've looked at Born, Aerosoles, Clarks etc and haven't really found much that would go with my wardrobe. I'm not giving up hope, and until then I think I'll keep my Reefs in my classroom...

TGIF

Well, I made it through the first week back at school and so far the training schedule has worked pretty well. Had to shift some runs to different days due to illness and hubby's work travel, but I was able to fit them in and enjoy them. This morning I ran 7 miles on my usual route, which meant I left the house at 4:45. I felt very energetic, despite the early hour. My pace was 5 seconds faster than my 9 miler a few weeks back, which gives me a fairly good goal to keep in mind for the half marathon, which is only 4 weeks away. I was comparing my training now to where I was last year at this time, and wow have I come a long way. I remember my husband asking me to run the Turkey trot with him and being pretty nervous when he informed me it was an 8 mile race. Now I'm to a point in my training where 8 miles seems an easy distance. I'm much more motivated this season. Somewhere along the way I lost my fear of endurance running, and it turned into a challenge I look forward to meeting. It just seems easier for me, and I know it's all those hours I put in just running. Last spring if you had asked me if I wanted to run a half marathon I would have said definitely not. Now I've run past that distance and am considering a full marathon. And thinking I might like it.
This morning I ran my usual 7 mile route. I find great comfort in running an old tried and true route in the dark. I've run it enough times to remember where the dips and cracks in the pavement are, which sprinklers are likely to be on, and who's yippy dog is likely to bark. And it helps me picture in my mind where I'll be at certain mile marks. I did add a little extra lap onto the front end so I would have a small cool down walk back to the house after the 7 were completed. I think this will help prevent some of the muscle cramping that happened last week.

As for gear: I found the perfect sports bra at Kohls. A miraculous wonder in that I only have to wear one of these at a time. It keeps everything in place and no chafing anywhere. The downside is that it was on sale and I only found one in my size. I'm also on the hunt for the perfect race bottom. I'm thinking perhaps I'll give the running skirt another try. But I'm going to look long and hard to find one with long shorts underneath that stay put. The last one I had sucked. Hoping to hit REI this weekend to get a headlamp, and thinking I may find a long skirt there too.

Cold Front

So the weatherman has been promising a cold front all week. For me that meant an afternoon high of 89 degrees and an afternoon run I could look forward to. Hubby was out of town on business overnight, so I couldn't run before work, and I was actually dreading having to run indoors on the treadmill. It's boring, tedious and repetitive. But having been sick earlier in the week, my rest days had already been used. Then the clouds rolled in and the temperature cooled to just under 90 degrees and I decided I would chance it and run outside. And I'm so glad I did. It's nice to occasionally get to run when it's bright and sunny ( instead of running with the vampires in the wee early hours before daylight) and to be able to see where exactly I'm going. I used the daylight as an opportunity to explore a new route, one with lots of shade and relatively flat since I wanted to save my legs for the hills on my 7 mile run in the morning. Today's pace was much quicker than yesterday which I'll attribute to a few things.
A. I spent the entire run upright and not lying on the ground or falling towards said ground.
B. It was still fairly warm out and I was ready to be in the haven of the air conditioning soon.
C. I was enjoying myself.
Letter C I think is the key to every run. I read an article today that said 30% of runners let a run affect their day if it's a bad run. Which I found surprising. I've had plenty of challenging runs in all types of temperatures, and I've only ever abandoned 1 run. It was early on in my running career (please note that I am using the word career very sarcastically here) and I had just been hospitalized. Needless to say I wasn't in tip top physical shape yet. But even then I wouldn't say that run or any other run has affected my mood in a negative way. Each time I hit a snafu, or it doesn't go as planned ( i.e. falling on my face at 5 am) I take it as a lesson learned and find a way to use it to improve my training. I still figure I'm ahead of all those other people who didn't get out of bed for a run, or couldn't. The fact that I can and do is something I am always thankful for.

Falling Down

After yesterday's sick day, I was really looking forward to my 4 mile run. I still felt a litte dehydrated and definitely had less than my usual amount of energy this morning. I could feel myself slowly losing steam as I reached the top of my second hill just a little before mile 2. As soon as I was over the hill it happened. I caught the tip of my shoe in an unven part of the sidewalk, and fell flat on my face. It seemed like it happened in slow motion, because I thought I was bringing myself upright was going to balance myself. However my momentum was going in a downward motion towards the curb. Scraped my knee, shoulder, hand and now have a swollen pinky. All minor, and I'm so thankful I didn't crash down any harder on my knee. Mostly it rattled me, and I was embarassed. I didn't trip in the dark either, I was under the brightest streetlight in the whole neighborhood, right at the entrance where all lights are blazing. Once I was able to recover and put my Garmin back together I was back on track. The last two miles were run at a bit of a slower pace, and my overall time was slower than usual, (though part of that time was spent lying prone on the sidewalk assesing my minor injuries.) Goes to show that running tired, or below my 100% health can be dangerous.

I am considering getting a headlamp to wear on these early morning jaunts. Even with streetlights at every corner, there are some big stretches of dark in my nieghborhood. Fuel Belt makes one that sells for a little over $20.00 and I think it would be a worthwhile accessory to add to my gear. Plus I am thinking the Mr. could wear it when he goes on an early morning bike ride as well. The trick will be finding out who sells one. If not I can always order it online. Just don't want to have to wait for it.

Sick Day

I was all set for my morning run when the unthinkable happened. I was suddenly struck down with a stomach bug. And even then, for a brief moment, I was contemplating giving a run a try anyway. Perhaps I could sweat it out, perhaps I could just be in denial that I am sick and think away feeling bad. But as I was putting on my shoes I came to the conclusion that the pain in my tummy was indeed here to stay at least for awhile and I had to put on my jammies and crawl back in bed. I'm still setting my alarm for a nice early time in the am, hoping that I will be miraculously cured by then.
An interesting thing happened yesterday, after I finished writing about how following a training plan closely is important I got a message from a friend of mine. He had injured his calf muscle on a run 5 mile run. What makes the injury significant is that his training program called for a 4 mile run, and the injury happened at mile 4.5. He simply misread how far he was supposed to run. He's training for a half Marathon in November, and is worried that being sidelined from injury will cause him not to be able to complete the training and he'll miss his race. He's been running for awhile, (this is his second attempt at a half marathon)and is using the same Higdon Novice program I used to train for the half. It's a good example of what can happen when the body gets pushed just a litle farther than it's ready for. I hope for him that his injury heals soon and he's still able to run his race. For me it's a good reminder that even though I've been running off and on for a few years, and consistenly for the past year, that I'm still at novice level because I have yet to complete a half or a full marathon. Which is why I'm steering clear of speedwork, and just sticking to completing my base miles each week.

Weekend Roundup

81 miles run so far in August. Got rained out on Friday, and I just couldn't bear the idea of a treadmill run, so I took a much needed extra day of rest. However, I don't want to make a habit of skipping out on or modifying my workouts. There is a reason that training programs are set up the way they are. Higdon is an expert runner with years and years of marathon experience, and he's set up a program that is geared to offer success if it's followed correctly. I want to avoid injury, and be able to meet the goal I've set. I read carefully the guidelines for choosing and executing my training program and plan to stick to those guidelines as much as possible.

Saturday was a cross train day, and I chose my usual swim class which is always enjoyable. I was still a little sore from Thursday's long run and the stretching we did helped a great deal. Hubby had a triathlon on Sunday, and I feel almost like I got a little extra cross training in while toting the kids from spot to spot to be able to watch him in all the events. Today was the first day of school for me and my kindergartener, and so I chose to make Monday my first rest day of the week. I realized that I'm going to need a calendar and to sit down every week with the spouse to plan out training schedules, kids activities, social and church activities and menus. I definitely like to be organized, and planning things out weekly seems to make the most sense for us. Also, I'm really trying to get refocused on healthy eating habits this week as I start establishing routines for the family and myself with the new school year. If I could lean up a little by eating healthier I would probably run more efficiently. And for me it's much easier to incorporate the healthy eating as part of my daily routine.

14 Mile Thursday

Today I ran got up at 5:15 am and ran 14 miles. My pacing was about 10 seconds per mile over my goal, but since it was my first time to run longer than half a marathon I was perfectly fine with it. I find that I have to set a goal as far as pacing goes or I'll lollygag around and suddenly I'm practically walking at a 13 min pace. It gave me a good idea of what my Half Marathon race will be like in September and how to set my goal pace for it. Some people set their goals for their first endurance race as just to finish. I could finish a half or a full marathon by just walking, although it would take a while. I could say I finished a Marathon this week by logging over 30 miles in training runs. But it isn't the same experience to just finish as it is to set a goal to work towards. Maybe some people are afraid they won't finish in their goal time and they'll be let down so they just say finishing is their goal to accomplish. And it is it's own accomplishment, but what's the point of getting out and working hard during training runs if the goal is just to cross the finish line ? I'm not competing against the other racers, but I am competing against what I know I can do. In this day and age of everyone gets a pat on the back for just trying, and kids get trophies just for being on the team, I think we all may have lost sight of the idea of picking a specific goal to work towards, and to work hard to reach that goal. Not just to finish, but to finish well. Not just to participate, but to participate to the best of your ability. So I'm not out there with the idea that even if I just walk a 13 minute pace I've achieved something. I'm out there with the idea that I want to finish in a certain amount of time, and if I don't, then I'll work that much harder to do it at the next race, and I'll cross that finish line running at my goal pace.

As for today's run, it was long and I was fatigued by the end. I broke it up into "legs" this time. Did a leg around Coastal until it was light enough to head over towards Quail Run. My next milestone was at mile 7 to take a gel. I had been warned about the gel and just how gross they are. But no amount of warning could prepare me for the sugary, syrupy, gooey, slimy mess that assuaulted my taste buds with that gel. I quickly chased it down with water, but suffered what I'll call guburps the rest of the run. I didn't enjoy having to keep tasting it for the next 7 miles. My next goal was to refill my water at mile 10, and then head for home knowing mile 13.1 was my next goal to accomplish. Had a little gatorade to commemorate that event, and then I slogged the last .9 mile until I hit 14. As soon as I got in the house my calves cramped up and I was in agony until I got iced down in the tub. Had some chocolate milk and a banana to recover. It went much better than my 12 mile run, even though I'm sure to be sore and tired by the end of today. Tomorrow I'm supposed to run 4 miles, and those are going to be some slow easy 4 miles.

7 mile Tuesday.

Was a little harder to get up at 5:30 this morning, but this will be my later sleep time next week for short runs so I better get used to it. Good pace, need to work out my route a little better. I ran out of sidewalk on Lakeshore so I had to turn around sooner than I anticipated. I need to get some type shot blocks, jellybeans etc for energy replacement for Thursday's long run, and probably could use something reflective to wear when it's dark out. I'm not afraid of some scary attacker ( though wearing a red flashing light would make it easier for one to find me ), but would like to be visible to cars, even though I usually try to stay on the sidewalk. The thing I fear on the early morning run is wildlife. I've seen dead skunks, snakes and armadillos so I know they are around the greenbelts in the neighborhood. I certainly don't want to be the one that disturbs one of those creatures by sneaking up on it in the pre-dawn hours. The worst live animal I came accross was a frog that I stepped on. Apparently fairly lightly as it was able to hop away. This morning I was terrified when I heard rustling in the brush and then laughed at myself as it turned out to be a bunny both times. And no it's wasn't the scary bunny from the Monty Python movies. Speaking of laughter, I got caught not once, but twice by the same cyclist while I was playing air guitar, and air drums. He got a good laugh at me as he pedalled past both times. Now I'm the crazy lady with wild swinging arms who runs in the neighborhood. Oh well.
I enjoyed the run, kept a good pace and am looking forward to a rest day tomorrow. Thursday will be my longest run yet.

Test Run

This week my training goes up in mileage, which means short runs are now 4 miles. This was also a test run to see how long it takes me to get in a run, get myself ready, help get the kids ready and get everyone out the door to make it to work and school on time. We have a later start this week since it's workweek so I can ease myself into getting up earlier. A little over 41 minutes for the run and precisely 40 minutes to shower and get everyone dressed and ready. Not bad. What I've had to sacrifice is part of the beauty regime, no more blow drying and straightening my hair on run days. I seriously doubt 5th graders will care whether my hair is frizzy and damp when I start the day, and isn't that why ponytail holders were invented ? My quest to find comfortable shoes for work has left me feeling bewildered. I know I need to baby my feet and keep them comfy during the day, epecially since I stand so much. But every shoe I try on that feels like little clouds of cushion and joy are just plain UGLY. And I mean wear them to an Indigo girls concert UGLY. I can't quite make the leap to clodhopper granola shoes just yet. I'm still convinced there is a gem of a shoe that whill be kind to my tootsies and kind to the eye. All of my flip flops have cushion and arch support ( Teva and Reef) and I'm tempted to see how long I can get away with wearing them to work. I mean how often does my principal really look at my feet ?
As for the run today, it was a little tough to get up early, but I was thankful to be running before the sun started to beat down. Still keeping concentration on my pace, and finding it works very well.