Will Run For Ice Cream

Well that was awful... it was one of the worst runs ever. Not because anything 'hurt' but because I was struggling mentally to stay on the treadmill. It felt like I had been on there forever ( said with a nasally whine ). And I had only gone 2 miles. I still had 6 more to go. I thought more than once about just quitting. I had so much other stuff that needed to get done. I don't have time for this (I kept hearing myself say). So I walked some to break it up. Then I ran. Then I walked and so on and so on. Finally I found a TV show that caught my attention. It was some maternity something with high risk pregnancies. I can't say that the last 6 miles were easy but I got caught up in the struggling babies fight to live that I was at least distracted enough to keep moving. I wanted to run outside, but the windchill was 22. It wasn't the cold so much that kept me in but the ice. We had a solid sheet of ice right outside my front door, with patches of ice all over the si...

That's the question I've been asking myself lately... How bad do you want it? I'm not sure I have the answer. And only testing my will power and motivation will give me the answer. I signed up for the marathon. The training begins - and it snows. I LOVE snow. But I'm not a fan of running in the cold or long distances on the treadmill. How bad do I want it? I also want to drop a few recently added pounds and develop some muscle tone. I love chocolate and sweets. I hate strength training. How bad do I want it? I've signed up for some personal training and some classes at the gym. I'm starting my eating plan tomorrow. I have a 5 mile run planned on the treadmill tomorrow morning. Of course at the moment my belly is full of Christmas candy and fatty foods. So it's easy to say I'll start my eating plan and my workout plans. When the cravings start and I start bargaining with myself 'just one - one piece that's all' or when I'm tire...

This time it will be different... training that is. As I mentioned previously, the first time around was very complicated. I was seeking approval, acceptance, friendship, a place to belong... This time I'll be training for different reasons. It will be more about pushing myself, watching myself reach new goals, reaching small accomplishments and becoming a stronger me. I think in a way, it might also be a little harder. Partly because, well duh, it's winter. The thought of bundling up and heading out into the cold really doesn't seem appealing to me. And partly because there is a big chance I will be doing this mostly on my own. I below to a great group called the River Runners, and usually there are weekly runs. I've enjoyed the runs I've been able to run with them. The problem is that I need to do most of my long runs on Sunday. To be fair to hubby, I try to keep Saturday open so he can hunt or do things that he can't normally do on Sunday. So that leaves me...

So, I had follow up appt today. I wasn't sure what to expect since my foot was kindof sore from the hilly run on Sunday. I did manage to run 3 miles this morning before my appointment. It felt 'ok' but was tender to the touch. During my exam, he pressed and pressed and pressed  harder and harder. I never really flinched. I could feel it. It was tender, but I told him more 'uncomfortable' over pain. It however is still a little 'uncomfortable' since this morning's exam. I was told to stretch, stretch, stretch before and after running. Also, he advised icing immediately after my run. He also said no 'hills' for while. He thought I said could I wear heels. I was like, dr, do I look like the girl that wears heels? (Since he's never seen me in anything other than sweatpants and a racing tshirt. It's the southern accent that he didn't realize at first that I said hills. Can I do hills? :)  The answer was not for a couple of weeks. My ...

I didn't really want to get out today and run. Are you noticing a theme here?? But I told myself that it was today or it wasn't happening. The dreadmill just wasn't an option today. I couldn't stand the thoughts of trying to do 4-5 miles on the belt.  It was in the low 40's, cloudy, had been misting rain, and overall just bleh outside. But I rolled the bottoms of my feet with a golf ball. I stretched my calves. I stretched my IT band. And then I put on my running gear.  I have to say I really like my  Brooks Women's LSD Lite Jacket II . It's lightweight and super reflective. All geared up, out the door I went.  I started out running at a comfortable pace (10's). The last time I ran this route I ran the first portion in the 9's but I was trying to take it easy. I just wanted to run at a slow comfortable pace. This was my first run outside longer than 3 miles and I was adding in hills. It took a little less than a mile before I felt it.......

You'd think after all of my whining about not being able to run, that the idea of getting up to run 4 miles today would be the best feeling in the world... NOT. I started bargaining with myself. I could get up later and try to do it at the gym (but I knew that wouldn't happen because I needed to get the last of the Christmas shopping done). Or, I could just totally skip today and do it tomorrow (but I need to run 4 on Sunday and wanted 2 days of rest in between). Finally, I got myself up and downstairs to the basement to get on the treadmill. Finally about 3 miles in and yes it took 3 miles before I was glad that I was doing the 4 mile run, I felt a sense of accomplishment for getting up and running today. The foot... well... it didn't really start hurting until about 3.5 miles and I don't want to say hurt or pain.. but more uncomfortable/twinges/pulling/slight burning in the arch. I stretched and iced and it's a little tender to the touch now on the outside of ...

I think this is the most fun I've ever had in a race. I was running with a friend who was running her first 5K. We'd never run together so I wasn't sure about her pace. She did great. And I was having a blast running in a race again. Her goal was to run the entire race and she did it. We even did it with negative splits. Although it wasn't the best weather (40's and light rain), it was still a nice race. I'm so glad I did this and hope she finds a love for running. Even though it was cold and rainy, I still got my ice cream.

So far so good after my 3 mile run yesterday. I still have a few 'twinges' here and there, but I'm hoping that it's all ok. I go back to the dr in a couple of weeks for a followup.  But I'm running a 5K this weekend with someone who is doing their first 5K. I'm looking forward to it. I pulled out my old running log and looked up my first race ever. It was October 2002. And I was surprised that my first 5K resulted in a 28:xx race. I was definitely much slower (and older) when I came back to running after I had Lil Man.  This race on Sunday isn't about 'time' at all. I'm running it for the pure enjoyment of running a race with someone who is experiencing their first race. I hope my foot holds out. If it doesn't, the agreed upon deal is that she is to go on ahead of me and finish her race. If all systems are go, our plan is to run it together.  I'm looking forward to it. 

It was a little more difficult than I expected. But it felt good to run farther than a mile. I felt some twinges in both arches and a little tender on the side of my foot, but overall I think it's ok. I stretched and now I'm icing. Rest day tomorrow and run again on Thursday. I'm not sure if I will stay with 2 miles or try for 2.5. I'll see how it feels on Thursday. This is the afterglow of a 2 mile run after not running for 3 weeks!

Why does it seem like every time I turn around someone is chewing my rear for running? Seriously, I took 3 WEEKS off. I had 2 WEEKS in the boot (granted I did take it off a few days early but that was because it was causing other issues). The dr told me 2 weeks in the boot, then start with a half a mile and start back slowly. I'm doing what the dr told me to do. He didn't say wear the boot for 2 weeks then sit around for 18 more. No, he said, wear the boot, start back slow and ease back into it. But I guess the bigger question is, why do I really care what other people think? It is such a character flaw of mine that I get so hung up on others' approval of my actions. Currently I'm still trying to explain, convince, state my case that I was allowed to try running. No, I don't know if I'm ever going to train for another marathon. Maybe it was a mistake to train in the first place.  I don't know. Currently I'm not sure of much when it comes to runni...

I can't lie, that felt great! Well, yeah I still had a little pain in my arch. It feels more like a tugging, pulling, burning sensation. It started easing up a little around .75 mile. I'm not sure if it was hurting less or if the endorphins were kicking in and I was ignoring it. I did NOT want to stop at 1 mile. I almost kept going, but I listened to the nagging voice in my head that I had to be smart and stop. So I stopped at a mile. I FINALLY broke a light sweat while running. It's been over 3 weeks since I've been able to do that. It felt great. I'm currently icing the foot. My plan is to rest tomorrow (maybe do the rowing machine at the gym depending on how my day is going). And run 2 miles on Tuesday. 2 on Tuesday has a ring to it doesn't it? ;) Unless  the pain gets worse as the day goes on. So here's to hoping that there isn't any more pain as the day goes on.

So I took the boot off yesterday. It was a little early, but it was causing issues with my ankle. And my other foot was getting sore from overcompensating. Anywho, I didn't plan on running. But (said with a whine) it was a VERY stressful day. So I ran half a mile - no pain while running which was great. But I woke up in the night with burning/pulling along the arch. Grrr.... I also remembered that I did planks with Lil Man siting on my back. He loves doing up/down. So I'm thinking putting the pressure on my foot probably wasn't the best for it either. I'm not back in the boot (yet) today. I'm in my tennis shoes. I feel twinges of pain every now and then. I'm just trying to rest it as much as possible with running after Lil Man. Fingers crossed the pain will subside today instead of increasing!