I'm still alive

just barely. No postings since February- ridiculous! But that's just been the way it's been going. Not so hot. I really need to get back on my game, past all the injuries and excuses! Right now I am just trying to get back into some type of routine, but I really need to add cross training and weight training as well.

training calendar

Anyone know of a good training calendar I could post on here? I've been manually adding the mileage on the left there, but it's a pain, and it doesn't show my other workouts, so I look like a total slacker.

I have been running 3 x a week, but I had planned on 4 x. Life is just getting in the way. Makes me wonder how I would ever have time to train for a marathon.

Return of the Shin Splints

My shin is feeling that old familiar feeling again. It's not too bad, but it's just threatening to hurt again. And my mileage is not high at all which is kinda scary. I found some exercises & stretches that is supposed to help. My goal is to do those and some stretching every day and see if that helps. Including going back to stretching my calves for 3 minutes, 3 times a day.

muscle soreness

I worked out Thursday night for the first time in quite a while. Super sore today! Still tons of snow on the ground, but the streets are clear so I'm headed outside for a 3 miler. So glad I got my base built up in January with no major problems. February will add back in the longer runs, which I am really looking forward to. Hope the streets will remain clear so I can do them outside. Nothing more boring than running for over an hour on the treadmill!

Strength Training

I did wind up running outside yesterday morning. It was actually around 15 degrees. It wasn't too bad, and I was glad I finally got off the treadmill for a change. My focus for the next 30 days or so is to get back to my strength training as well. I can tell a difference in my arms & abs (weak!) and know how much it helped my running in the past.

BRR!

The streets are finally cleared off enough to run. Thought about running outside this weekend, as I really need to get some time in outside. But brrr... iI just noticed it's only supposed to get up to 21 today. On second thought...

A "Duh" Moment

I had the ultimate "duh" moment on my way home today. I got new shoes about a month ago. Just about the time I started running again. So, I started up again from scratch on new shoes. DUH! Instead, I should have been rotating my shoes out until I adjusted to the new shoes. I knew that, but I just forgot. So, I'm going to try rotating them now and maybe that will help. The ol' shin splints are trying to come back - damn them! So I'm not sure if it's the new shoes or just the body rebelling against running again, but either way, that was a stupid way to handle the new shoes.

Back in the saddle...

After about a 6 week running hiatus, I am back in the saddle again. I think it was good to give my body a chance to heal and rest, but I really didn't plan on taking that long off. I had some personal stuff going on and was super busy. Anyway, I am starting off slow in an effort to AVOID INJURY!!! But I will say when I ran 1 mile on Christmas Day I thought I was in big trouble. It is so hard to start over again, which should give me big motivation to never stop running! Having said that, I'm happy with how it's progessing and getting easier every day. It won't take long to get back in shape. My legs are still strong, and could go all day. It's the lungs that need to keep up!

I've decided to post only miles run and not all my other workouts to keep it simple. I ran about 500 miles in 2008 and would like to be closer to 700 or 800 this year.

Still here!

I'm still alive! I haven't updated this page in a while, but I promised to be better about it!! I've now signed up for the Mini Marathon in May, and the Drumstick Dash again this Thanksgiving. So time to get back to some serious training. No more injuries, no more excuses!

Race Report (Sort of)

I did something yesterday that I've never done before, and hopefully will never do again. I dropped out of the race.

First, I ran into some bad traffic on the way down. Completely unexpected, so I missed the start of the race. I thought I could cross over the start with the walkers, but by the time I got parked & up to the start line, everyone had gone. Very disappointing. So I went ahead and joined in with the crowd and started running at what turned out to be the 2 mile marker. And it just so happens that I was running with much faster runners, so I was running too fast a pace to maintain, which is never good. I finally slowed to a more sustainable pace, and then of course, everyone was passing me, which is never good psychologically. As I continued to run, my knee started hurting again. I started thinking about running another 8 miles, and crossing the finish knowing I had not officially run the full 1/2 marathon. I also was concerned about my knee, and the fact that I had just overcome my back injury, and it still isn't 100%. So I made the decision to pull out of the race in order to prevent another injury which could take me out of running for the next few weeks. I wound up running about 5 miles. Plus I just don't think my heart was in it.

Based on the way I feel today (physically), I made the right decision. My knee still hurts, my ankle on the same side hurts, and the very low part of my shin on the same side is extremely sore. Psychologically, I'm pretty bummed out. But I think I need to get healthy & healed first. I knew I wasn't really prepared for this race. My training had been haphazard, and then I was recovering from injury, so perhaps I shouldn't have even gone down there. I will never again enter a race I'm not fully prepared for. I will also be back at that same race next year and will KILL it.

Half Marathon???

I'm going for it! My back is still a little dicey, but I ran 5 miles Wednesday night and felt pretty darn good, so I am going to attempt the race tomorrow morning. My NEW goal is just to finish the darn thing, running as much of it as I can. I am not too hopeful to get a new PR, but the course will be less crowded than the Mini was in May, and it's going to be nice & cool tomorrow morning, so you never know what will happen... on the flip side my training & diet has been not nearly as good as it was for May, and then I'm recovering from injury, so it's hard to say...

Race report to follow...

Another quick post

i hurt my back and i'm hoping i recover in time for next weekend. We'll see what happens...

quick post

Just a quick post to state, yes, I am still alive. Just really busy. Only a week and a half before the half marathon. HUGE huge huge blister on my big toe which is a pain (literally) and quite annoying so close to the race. Other than that, I'm on track for the half!

Is running contagious? and other random thoughts

First, my daughter, now 2 people at work have started running! Craziness...

My daughter is doing well. She is only doing about a mile each run, but her time has improved drastically and she is at about a 10:00 mile. She said it is getting easier (they always say listen to your mother, right?). Anyway, she did the mile in gym today and it was 12:50! What?!?! The problem is, during her training runs at home, she runs the whole way. At school, she runs with other people and starts out way too fast, then has to walk some of it. She actually admitted that's what happened today, and that she KNEW she was running too fast. So I said, well... then didn't you tell yourself, gee I better slow down? Then there was some discussion about her convoluted theory on getting too fast and then getting a worse grade. Some kind of junior high logic that I didn't quite follow. Still, it's so much fun to see her starting to be able to feel her pace. And her speed... ugh, it's mind blowing. She will very shortly be running too fast for me to keep up with her. Honestly, I hope that she does beat my butt! She is the one person that I feel no need to compete with, and I can honestly be happy in her success :) My husband, on the other hand... it burns my hide that he's passed me up (on speed anyway-- i still got him on distance).

Lastly, on a sad note, my lower back is killing me. I'm not sure what I did, but it's been bothering me off & on since Saturday. It felt better Sunday morning, so I ran my 9.3 miles, and then it started hurting again. Supposed to do 5 some time this week and 11 on Friday, so I really need it to get better. Half marathon is right around the corner!!

Motivation? I got yer motivation right here!

5K last night, got to run with all the downtown lights as the backdrop, pretty cool. Totally sucked on my time, though. First time EVER that my 5K time has not improved -- UGH! Bummer deal. I felt really good, and paced myself extremely well (Garmin graph shows very even pace throughout the race). I dunno... maybe that was the problem. But I really did feel like I pushed through the entire race. I also kind of question the time a little because according to my Garmin, I should have been around 28:50 but the chip time was 29:29. I didn't care for their timing method, and like the Champion Chips better.

Less than 4 weeks until the half marathon. Time to get serious. 10 mile run planned for tomorrow morning.

So... motivation has been seriously lacking lately, as evidenced by the recent lack of workouts, eating like crap, etc. Last night did give me a big wake up call, though. A) 5K time has slipped B) uh, half marathon in 4 weeks, dummy C) feeling "heavy", running "slow" D) pants don't be fitting so well E) feeling grouchy & crappy F) did i mention 4 weeks until 13.1????

Guess I know I can run the 13, so I haven't been too worried about pushing myself, and following the training so strict this time. But, I definitely feel "out of shape" and I am, compared to what I was before. Yet, I'm completing my long runs with relative ease. Still, I had said that I wanted to improve my half marathon time, and after last night, I'm kind of worried! Maybe I won't be able to beat my last time! YIKES!

5 is the new 3?

I just had a pretty nice 5 mile run. I was tired from working all day and was really procrastinating, but I finally forced myself out the door. And thank goodness I did. It was a really nice run. (cooler weather rocks!)

Then I realized that 5 miles feels suspiciously like 3 used to. Hmmm... is "5" my new "3"? Except I can't run 5 miles in 30 minutes. That would be nice. Gosh, I wish I was a lot faster mainly for the fact that longer runs take so darned long! Training for these longer races is just so time consuming, so the thought of finding TIME to train for a marathon some day seems far fetched. Plus, it's kind of a crazy idea, right?

Back on Track

I am back on track with my eating situation. Thank goodness! I had a really good week, so I feel like I am finally moving in the right direction, and I lost almost all the extra poundage I had put on during my junk food frenzy of the last few weeks. One more week like this one and I'll be in good shape.

Food is fuel. Running has taught me this lesson probably more than any other. I can definitely feel the difference when I am "eating clean" versus pigging out. If I am not eating right I feel like 100 pounds heavier when I run and just darn sluggish. Food is fuel, people!! I'm tellin' ya...

Funky Toenails

Something is wrong with one of my toenails. It's a funny color and it hurts when I press on it. I've heard of runners whose toenails turn black & fall off. In a sick, twisted sort of way, I was kind of excited when my toenail started looking weird. If my toenail turns black then I can call myself a real runner!! whoo hoo!

Actually, I am not running near enough miles for that to happen. And it would be darn painful and probably make running kinda difficult, just a guess...

I did run 7 miles Sunday and it was AWESOME. In a painful, gut renching, air sucking, energy draining, goodlordpleasehelpme kind of way. ha ha! Truthfully, it was a little hard. But I fought through it. A little humid, and definitely warmish, so I stopped a couple of times for a drink. But I compared my time to the 7 miles I ran training for the last 1/2 marathon and I shaved off 1 minute. Not too shabby, consider I ran that first one straight through with no stops.

Watched the Olympic Men's Marathon Saturday night which got me fired up for my Sunday run. Those guys ran the marathon twice as fast as me, for twice the distance. Wowser! While we were watching, I said my goal for the next half would be however long it took them to run the full, but then they ran it in 2:06 something, and I don't think I can pull that off!! Maybe 2:15?? We'll soon see... Stay tuned.

sick..

I haven't been feeling too well this week, so not only have I NOT run, I haven't done much of anything. After being out of town last weekend and eating out way too much, then laying around the last couple of days, I am feeling rather fat! Though hubby assures me I am not fat, I'm not convinced. I feel like I am totally out of shape. ugh. And I'm supposed to run 7 miles Sunday, so I better squeeze a least a couple of runs in before then.

Another PR... Really!

I know, I can hardly believe it myself. I ran a 5K this weekend while I was on a mini-vacation out of town. It was a little warmer out than I would have liked and by the end of the race, I thought I might barf. When I reached mile 1, there was a volunteer who called out 8:35. Holy crap, really??? Well, no wonder I was dying! So I slowed down considerably during mile 2. Or at least I think I did. I left my Garmin at home so I was running blind, which was also a little different because I always ALWAYS run with it. Plus I stopped to drink at the 2nd water station and walked for a bit which I never do either! I was HOT! Anyway, during the last mile, I was upset because A) I was convinced I was really bombing and B) I was convinced they had threw in a couple of extra miles without telling us and C) I was mad at myself because I'm a distance runner, not a speedy runner, so why the blazes was I running a 5K??

Needless to say, I struggled with this one but when I reached mile 3 they called out the time again and I realized that if I pushed it, I would PR again. Yes, again! So basically, I have shaved yet another minute off my 5K time. When oh when will the madness end?

(hopefully never)