My Life

PR for pizza....Who knew?

2008-07-22T15:35:00.000-07:00

That's right. Apparently you just have to dangle the promise of pizza at the end of a race & I'm gonna do a PR. Here's the breakdown:

Mile 1: 9:06
Mile 2: 9:07
Mile 3: 8:44(could smell the pizza..It was the proverbial carrot on a stick)
Mile .1: 1:01(was knockin' peeps outta my way to GET to the pizza..;-))..(sorry M,beer just doesn't do it for me but hey whateva' works for you,go for it!)

Finish time was 28:00. Over a minute faster than my previous week's time. How ya like me now?..lol AND,it was a good 10 degrees warmer(about 95 at the 7:00 race time compared to the mid-80's of the past 2 races).

Last night marks the last in this series & it's going to be my last race this summer. Definitely looking forward to building up distance & working on my speed in the relative comfort of the treadmill when it's above 90 outside. I may do a winter race(depending on my finances) but this is it until I start training for the 10k(held next year). Hope everyone is staying cool & catch ya on the flip side!

2nd 5k race report

2008-07-15T15:40:00.000-07:00

Ok so I've done another 5k. And as you can see from the sidebar my time is about 36 seconds slower than last week. Yeah.. Here's the splits:

Mile 1: 9:37
Mile 2: 9:27
Mile 3: 9:01
Mile .1: 7:39

Negative splits again baby! Anyway despite running on too little sleep & a pms-induced migraine,I'm happy w/ my overall performance. I actually had little bit left over to push towards the end as you can see. And right now w/ everything that's been going on w/ my living situation I take whatever time I can get. I wanted thank all those who sent me much love on my race results last week. You guys totally rock!

Next week is the last race in the series & there's pizza at the end. Wonder how fast I'll finish that one so I can stuff my face & undo all the work in the end?..;-) (Kisses)

7 seconds faster

2008-07-08T15:42:00.000-07:00

Yeah I've become one of those bloggers that only post every once in a while. So much going on but I wanted to give a short race report(I know it's been so long you probably don't realize that I had a 5k yesterday).

Yesterday's was the first of a 3-5k race series. We basically ran thru a subdivision w/ a few long cul-de-sacs thrown in for fun. Here's the breakdown:

Mile 1: 9:12
Mile 2: 9:20(tried to slow up a little. Realized Mile 1 was a little fast)
Mile 3: 8:58(umm....yeah there was a downhill..there were cars coming..umm..ok,I booked it)
Mile .11: 8:12(not EVEN gonna offer an excuse for this one)

Finish time was 28:51. Even though I'm about 30 seconds slower than my time last year for this first race,I beat my last 5k(Race for the cure) by several seconds! That's huge considering that last year I hadn't been injured yet. Overall I am pleased w/ time & weather wasn't too shabby. High 80's cloudy w/ a storm a-brewin'. Next week will probably be in the mid-90's & blistering hot so I really enjoyed the temps yesterday.

Don't know if I'm gonna post again this week so I hope everyone has a good one!

Misc.

2008-06-30T16:04:00.000-07:00

Well some progress has been made on my living situation. Even though my credit score is pretty good,I've got a little too much debt(who doesn't these days) for the amount of income I have & that's what's providing to be challenge in getting me pre-approved. My lender has been trying to work on a plan to reduce that(because in the long run regardless if I rent or try to own I need to have this monkey off my back).

But I am exploring lease-w/ the option to buy. It would get my foot in the door in terms of the housing market while working on getting a down payment. The way it works is that part of the rent would be put into an account to build up over the course of a year or more to be put towards closing costs if I chose to buy the place that I'm renting. Of course,I would need to chose a place that I really like so it give me motivation to buy. So I have looked at a couple of condos in my area & just waiting to hear what my lender says in terms of financing for me.

On the running front,I have signed up for my yearly 3-5k race series coming up this Monday(as you can see from sidebar). They are held for 3 consecutive Mondays in July in subdivision w/ lots of cul-de-sacs(hence the name). The races start at 7pm so hopefully it would be a smidge cooler,but I doubt it. Last year it was still in the low 90's by the time the race started but good thing was,there were a lot of homeowners out there w/ hoses & sprinklers drenching us during the course of the race. So let's hope they are generous w/ their water again!..until next time...

Still here...

2008-06-23T15:42:00.000-07:00

Yeah I'm still alive. Been groovin' on the road,getting my speed up(slowly) & rockin' the x-training. Playing the waiting the game w/ my living situation. Working on getting my financial house in order so I can,Lord-willing, buy my own place. Got a little over 2 months to make this happen otherwise I'm going to be renting for a year or 2(it's way too expensive to do month-to-month). But wanted to pop in & give ya'll an update,cause I know that you're just waiting on the edge of your seat for a post from me..;-) ((Hugs))

Miss me?

2008-06-17T15:53:00.000-07:00

I know,it's been a minute since I last posted(or commented on your blogs-my deepest apologies). Lots of things going on. Some I hinted to here. Let's just say I've started the process. Running has been going good. Did speed work on Friday & had my 4miler yesterday.

Got a chance to try out my gym in its new location. Other than the fact that they switched the cardio area to the ground floor(made sense since you tend to get more heated doing cardio & heat rises & all that) & put the weight machines on the 2nd floor,I can work wit' it. But get this,they have some weight machines out of order already! They've only been opened a few days. Doesn't look too good when they touring w/ prospective members but oh well. At least when they were in the old building,they had the excuse of we're moving to brand new place w/ all new equipment..umm yeah.

Posting might be sparse here over the next few days but know that I'm trying to get my life in order & I'm makin' moves...Later

Movin' on

2008-06-12T15:28:00.000-07:00

So the heat,where my gym is currently located & even me are moving. First the heat. Looks like we're going to be in the low 90's tomorrow(instead of the furnace that we had earlier this week) which should be a little better for my speed work.

Next my gym is moving about a couple of miles of where it is currently. They have built a spankin' brand new-bigger(supposed to be around a 100,000 sq. feet) than all the other gyms in the area. All I know is they will have an indoor track(sweet but too bad they couldn't have been opened on Monday or tomorrow-they won't be opened for business until Sat.).

Finally me. My lease is currently coming up for a renewal & I need to get into a cheaper place. Plus I'll have my Dad moving in w/ me for a bit. I know everyone is getting into buying a house but I have to admit that I'm kinda(read a lot) apprehensive about the financial commitment. I grew up in apartments & was never told about how important it is to own. But of course now that I have been on my own for nearly a decade everybody & their mother is trying to get me to buy. I don't have any money saved up & I know that can help greatly towards lowering the final amount. But I don't want to be one of the many who are right now going thru foreclosure in a few years cause I can't keep up w/ the payments. If anyone has any advise,clue me in.

Until next time...

The heat...

2008-06-10T15:42:00.000-07:00

Ok,I'm certifiable. I..am..completely..INSANE. Wanna know why? I ran yesterday. 100 degrees/heat index 105. 4 miles in 39:21/avg. pace 9:49. Lawdy hav' mercy. Even the devil wasn't laughing yesterday. I think he was passed out from the heat! Funny thing there were times when I thought- Maybe I should walk,you know bring me heart rate down out of "heart attack" zone. But then I thought I'll just be out here longer than I really want. So I pushed thru to the end. I know,I don't have/use the good sense God gave me.

But there maybe some relief soon. Weatherman predicting the east coast heat wave will HOPEFULLY be easing up tomorrow. But of course I have swimming tomorrow so it would be cooler tomorrow. Until then....

Now I know what hell feels like...

2008-06-06T15:44:00.000-07:00

Tempo run(5x/3min @9:29pace-w/ 11:11 recovery jog btwn each set)...3+ miles total...95 degrees/heat index 100...Heaven help me it was HOT!! I think at one point I saw the devil laughing at my a$$ as I tried to bang out my run. There was just enough breeze to tease(really just pissed me off) cause just when I thought there was some relief...THERE WASN'T. I know what you all are thinking. Why would I do any type of speed work in the summer? Well I got a 3 5k race series coming up in a month & I didn't realize when I was planning my running(getting my pace & distance up after my injury) that I would be doing it throughout the WHOLE summer.

Don't get me wrong,I ran last summer so it's not like I haven't done any heat training but after the fall/winter running it's easy to forget how hot your body can really feel out in that. So anyway I figure that I'll take this month to do some concentrated speed work,do my race series & then do the rest of my speed work/tempo on the mill if it's too hot.

G,the leg has been holding up well & I hope your tempo run went ok in this heat as well. Well I hope everyone stays cool(or at least be camped out in front of the A.C.) this weekend! (Toodles)

Got to keep my balls..

2008-06-05T15:45:00.000-07:00

Bwahahaaa...Yeah I was at the gym tonight & sent death rays to anyone who even thought about taking one of them. So my workout tonight went off w/o a hitch. Hey I was an only child. I DON'T share well..;-)

So M wondered how I dropped 48secs from Mile 1(9:55) to Mile 4(9:07) on my long run on Monday. I have to say...that...I...have...no...idea. Honestly I was haulin' bootie. Probably since it was hotter than hades I was just ready to get the run over w/ so I can get in some A.C.! I know I gotta watch that this summer if I don't want to overtax myself. Heat stroke,heck even heat exhaustion is no joke.

Speaking of heat & speed got my first speed work session(tempo run) tomorrow. Supposed to be in the mid-90's. Pray for me.

Those beyotches stole my balls!

2008-06-03T15:38:00.000-07:00

Let me set the scene. Imagine me at the gym. Doing my thang. Just finishing up one exercise & heading toward the stability balls. Then to my horror,these rather young things just prance(yes,they pranced..shut up) up & took them all. I just look at them & say as nicely as I can.."Hey I was just about to use one of those". They looked back at me & said in a grating, sweet voice.."We need them for a class". No compromise & say hey let's leave one for one of the many(like me) who are NOT taking a class. It's just like oh well we got to them first,sucks to be you. I tell ya I wanted to stick the balls where the sun wouldn't even think about shining! Alrighty I'm done w/ my rant.

I did manage to bang out my 4miler yesterday(kinda wish I could have run today too after I got "robbed" at the gym). Finished in 38:14/avg. pace 9:35. Check out these splits:

Mile 1: 9:55
Mile 2: 9:33
Mile 3: 9:32
Mile 4: 9:07(somebody DEFINITELY lit a fire under my a$$)

It's been a long time since I've negative splits like that. I was shocked at that last mile. Did not think I could go below & hold a 9:15pace for longer than a few hundred feet since my injury. Obviously I underestimated my legs.

I've got swimming tomorrow. At least I'm not using any balls in the pool! (Kisses)

I'm "melting"...

2008-06-01T09:06:00.000-07:00

How about I'm ready for the hot weather to be over w/? And it's not even officially summer yet. Did my 2miler on Friday in the nice 80 degree heat(thank goodness there was a good breeze & low humidity). Finished 19:21/avg. pace 9:37. And let me tell you,I felt like I was a puddle of sweat by the end of it(believe me,I SWEAT-no healthy glow or lightly perspiring so that's sayin' something).

Picked up a couple of nice things at Victoria's Secret at their semi-annual sale yesterday. I heart their bras even though they are a bit on the $$ side. Let's face it their undies aren't cheap either but hey,what can I say? Got champagne taste w/ a beer budget.

So looks like there's a consensus w/ me not spending the money on x-trainers & to stick w/ wearing my running kicks to the gym. I have to admit I did look at some x-trainers yesterday when I was out & about but honestly I think I'm going w/ the majority & when it's time to replace my running shoes that I use at the gym,I'm going w/ a cheapie pair from Walmart or someplace like that. Thanks so much for the advice guys!

I've got my usual long run(4miles) tomorrow but this week I start my speed work(tempo run on Fri.). Even though it does feel like I've been getting faster all along since I've started back running after my injury. I'm really looking forward to doing some concentrated speed work & also to see how far I can take this part of my training to hopefully make me a better, more efficient runner. (Toodles)

Question?

2008-05-29T16:00:00.000-07:00

Love it that it's almost the weekend already(gotta love those short work weeks due to the Monday holiday). Did my usual x-training at the gym tonight. No surprises there. I've got my short run(2miler) tomorrow in the mid-80 degree heat. Thank goodness it's only 2 miles. But I know that even my long runs will be in this heat soon enough.

Wanted to throw this question out there. How many of you actually have x-training shoes? I'm using some relatively old running shoes to wear to the gym when I do the ellip & weights but I debating on whether or not I actually need x-trainers. I know that they are supposed to be designed a bit differently but not sure if I'm looking to spend the moolah for them. Also eventually I will wear out the running shoes & REALLY don't want to spend even more money(considering x-trainers are relatively cheaper compared to running kicks) on new running shoes to replace them when I'm not actually going to be using them for running. Decisions,decisions...

They're keepers after all

2008-05-26T08:30:00.000-07:00

Looks like my new running kicks can handle the road(& me for that matter) after all. Did my 4miler this morning in 38:58/avg. pace:9:38. No blisters or pain anywhere else for that matter.

I know everyone is probably in food coma(from all the hot dogs & burgers-so this post is short) but I wanted to wish everyone a safe & happy Memorial Day!

The long & short of it

2008-05-25T08:36:00.000-07:00

Don't ya just love 3 day weekends? Nothing but laziness & sloth(I mean look,I haven't posted since Wed.) until Tuesday. Anyway a little bit of catchup. Did my 2miler on Friday. And I wasn't alone. Looks like I was willing to bend. Yeah,the r.b. & I ran together. I didn't wait until 5 or 6 to run but 1/2 hour later than what I normally do. The issue that I have w/ waiting is that not only do I run but I also do some strength training afterwards & I just don't want to put off doing my whole exercise routine(run included) for an hour or more. I mean it's not like I have a significant other(don't remind me) or kids where I can fill up the time doing something else. I would be just sitting waiting for the r.b. And Lisa,I don't see a prob(no issue of safety-yet,but you never can be too sure) w/ running solo. In fact I had been running that way for several months before I met the r.b. I love the advantages of doing my own thing,in my own time & not having to consider someone else. But I also love the benefits of running w/ someone else,having another person to b!tch to & whatnot.

Anyway the run was good. Finished in 19:16/avg. pace 9:30. I decided to set my Garmin for 9:30 instead of 9:55 just to see if my legs(former injured one esp.) could handle the faster pace. I knew I could & would slow down if I felt any pain. Didn't feel anything at all & haven't felt anything for the rest of the weekend. So I believe I have a new pace for my shorter runs.

Also managed to try out my new running shorts. They worked good for the short distance(even though I did feel self-conscious at first,not used to having shorts THAT short). I even joked to my r.b. that it almost felt like I was running in my underwear.

And I have finally replaced my running kicks. Picked up these babies...

They are the Mizuno Wave Inspire 4. Let me tell you there's a BIG difference between these & my Nikes. For one,the Nikes are a lot cushier but it's a more neutral shoe(I need something w/ light motion control). Also these are a lot stiffer(due to the motion control). Ran for about 10mins on the tread this morning & I have to say that I like em'. Didn't think that I would because of the less cushion they have a bit more stability(I know,that's the point..;-)) that makes me feel more sure of my footing. I'll be taking them on the road for my 4miler tomorrow so I'll report back how they handle it.

Hope everyone is enjoying the extra time off & I'll catch ya the flip side!

This & that

2008-05-21T16:11:00.000-07:00

Did the swim thing today & I have to say I think I'm getting stronger. My stroke still leaves something to be desired,but I'm feeling more comfy in the water.

In answer to Red's comment about whether or not I have a running club in my area,I do & actually I'm a member. But I have not gone to any meetings(they don't meet at a good time for me). When I first started running,I posted to their website looking for a running bud & no one responded. I get off a little earlier than most folks around here(4pm) & I'm not willing to wait until 5 or 6 to run. But maybe I'll try again or maybe not(may try running solo for a while). We'll see.

And then there was one

2008-05-19T15:41:00.000-07:00

Well it's happened. The r.b. & I have parted ways. It was a amicable split. Who am I kidding? She dumped me! Said I was too inflexible about our running schedule. Claimed that I wasn't willing to bend,to compromise & run when she could fit us in. Ok,enough w/ the dramatics. But it's true her job has gotten crazy it was just too hard for her to meet at our regular time & I didn't want to meet later so I am runnin' on my own again. I have to admit that I'll miss running w/ her though & hopefully her job will settle down & we can tear up the road together again.

Speaking of tearing up the road,I did 3.5 miles today. Temps were low 70's,low humidity,good stiff breeze partly cloudy. Here are me splits:

Mile 1: 10:11
Mile 2: 9:46
Mile 3: 9:49
Mile .5: 9:11

Finished in 34:40/avg. 9:48pace. I had set my Garmin to alert me when I went faster than 9:55. Well you see how well that worked(for the record it did alert me,& I promptly ignored it). I'm thinking that might be a bit slow but then again I have to consider the distance. So I might play around w/ that pace a little but not too much because I'm still adding distance & trying to not to do speed.

And Steve,as far as I know you can't legally buy another human in this country but I would be too chicken to do an extreme makeover!

Running solo

2008-05-18T13:24:00.000-07:00

So it's Sunday already. Where did the weekend go? Anyway did my 2miler w/o the r.b. on Friday. Finished in 19:20/avg. pace 9:35. Actually my 1st mile was around 10min & the 2nd mile was a good minute faster. Was I sleepwalkin' the 1st half?! I definitely pushed myself & I thought that my leg was going to be pissed at me but not a peep for the rest of the weekend.

Managed to pick up these at Target..

Too bad I couldn't get the body to go w/ the bra & shorts. Definitely needed a new sports bra(I have several in multiple colors & my red one was way past it's prime). I got the running shorts in the blue you see there & black.

I have a confession to make though. These are the first running shorts that I have bought. I know,I know how can I call myself a runner w/o running shorts!? I do have running tees,singlets,jackets,capris..etc. but no shorts. I have..hate to say the word..cotton. I do have some that are made of poly-blend but they don't wick. Most of the running shorts that I have seen have the built in undies. Which I know that would be the one place that you want to keep cool,but I like my underwear(even though they don't wick). The ones I bought yesterday are the first I've seen w/o them. Even though they are a little shorter than what I'm used to they felt good(even ran in place for a few mins in the dressing room). I know the true test is when I take them on real run so I will report back.

I wanted thank those who gave their opinion on which fins I should get. I believe I'm going w/ the red Zoomers. Hopefully they'll work out. I hope everyone had a good weekend. ((Hugs))

Business as usual

2008-05-15T16:04:00.000-07:00

Things have been going along good here. Been doing the x-training thang for the past few days. But I do have a question to ask. I normally use swim fins that my club provides but I'm looking into getting my own. Here's a couple that I'm looking at...

The red ones on top are by Zoomers. They say the way how their designed is supposed to reduce ankle strain(the short length). The multiple pic on the bottom are by Tritan. Both are roughly the same price(around $20). Don't want to spend too much but I do want something that will last thru at least one season. I have a decent kick & good running muscles but I don't how this equates in the water. Any suggestions,advice,info would be mucho appreciated!

Got my short run(2miler) tomorrow(t.g.i.f.). Good luck to all those who may be racing/running this weekend. Manana

Who ordered a cold run?

2008-05-13T15:59:00.000-07:00

Alrighty,yesterday's run was..shall we say..a bit chilly. Now you know I'm ALL for a cool run,but considering the fact it was a good 20 degrees cooler than it normally is this time of year(it was in the low 50's) was a shock! I had to dig out my cool-weather running gear. Managed to bang out 3 miles in 29:29/avg. pace 9:44. Also ran w/ the r.b. so that always make the run more fun(hey a rhyme..;-))

As you can see on the side bar I do have tentatively another race roughly 2 weeks from now but I'm not sure if I want to run it. My leg has been feeling good but I'm not sure if I want to push it just yet by racing again. I really want to concentrate on getting my distance back & building up my speed the right way. The r.b. is thinking about running it & I told her that I would be her cheering section. May sport some pigtails,poms-poms, & a cheer leading skirt just for her. She said she might just register just to see that! I've never spectated at a race before so I think it will be fun.

I wanted give thanks to all those who gave me mad props on my race this past weekend. It really means a lot coming from you(knowing the challenges that you have faced) & I will always be amazed by the outpouring of support from the running community. You guys rock!

5k race recap

2008-05-11T09:20:00.000-07:00

Well even though I didn't PR(last year's time was 28:41) I am proud of my time this year(28:58). I ran conservative & smart race. Plus I ran the whole(no run/walk combo) way. No pain from the leg the entire time. But this was technically a harder course than last year. They moved the course to a new location which provided a bigger space for the starting line(there were 9,000 participants compared to about 3,000 last year). But this year's course was a LOT hillier. Now normally that would not be a problem but I haven't done hills in about a month since my injury,so let's just say they were a unexpected surprise. They were some steep downhills & one uphill that although was not steep was gradual that went on forever. Here are my splits:

Mile 1: 9:36(had to maneuver around the walkers,strollers & people who thought that this was a chance to sight see)
Mile 2: 9:13(hilly part,some downhill & that monster uphill that felt like I was still on it 2 days later)
Mile 3: 9:14
Mile .1: 7:47(wicked downhill. You would think this would be a good thing at the end,but the grade was steep & unexpected).

Couldn't have asked for better weather(in the mid 50's & partly cloudy). Started w/ the r.b. but she was pulling away too much & I wanted do the race w/o pain & more importantly not have pain afterwards so I told her to go ahead. She however didn't fair as good on the course & to walk some due to stitches. But she did finish about 2mins ahead of me.

So far I have had no pain today(thank God) but I think instead of adding another 1/2 mile for my long run tomorrow,I'm going to stick w/ just 3miles(since I raced yesterday & give my legs a chance to recover a little more). I hope everyone is having a good Mother's Day weekend & ((Hugs)) to all the moms out there today.

Race anniversary

2008-05-09T14:43:00.000-07:00

Well I'm prepping for my 5k tomorrow. Some mixed emotions here. It's one year ago that I started racing & I feel like I have ran(pun intended) the gamut in this year. From starting w/ run/walk combo to running for miles at a time to training,getting injured but finishing my 1st 10k,I have had a full year!

I wondered whether I'll be walking some tomorrow realizing that I walked(some of the race) the first time a year ago. Even though it will bittersweet if I do(I thought after a year I'd be runnin' that thang) I know that it's because I'm getting my running legs back from my injury & there's no shame in that. So I will stay positive because I know that there will be plenty of people out there who are going thru bigger ailments than I had,that will be grateful just to be there.

Graduated!!

2008-05-06T16:27:00.000-07:00

Yup,I don't hav ta go ta pt no mo'. I still will do some of the exercises that challenge my balance & coordination,but I is freeee!! Can you tell I'm really happy about this? Anyway if I have any probs or questions I can pop my head in from time to time but that's it.

Did my usual 2 mile pool jog today & I swear I saw the hairiest man in existence! I kept looking to see if it was a sweater he was wearing. Ok,can we say manscape,please. Steve has nothing on this guy.

Gina that perfect runner's place also needs volunteers w/ water,Gatorade,whatever fuel we need & a guy named Sven to massage our sore muscles after we're done!

Holy moly it's HOT!!

2008-05-05T15:49:00.000-07:00

Even though it was in the upper 70's & low humidity it was sunny & very little wind. Today's 3miler was a mite toasty. And I know I'm gonna be praying for these temps come August. Alrighty here are the splits:

Mile 1: 9:22
Mile 2: 9:33(went a little fast on that first mile tried to cut back)
Mile 3: 9:41(Better,see most runners want that negative split but I'm going against the grain w/ a POSITIVE split..;-))

Leg felt good the entire time but I was definitely a little more winded on this run. Ran w/ the r.b. & she went a little faster(I wanted to do a 9:45pace..oh well) than I had planned. I've got pt tomorrow(I'm hoping this the last appointment) & the gym. (Toodles)

Run

2008-05-04T09:47:00.000-07:00

So I didn't have to drag the r.b. back home on our 2miler on Friday. Howeva her friend didn't fair as well. He ended up getting a stitch about a mile into our run. Poor guy! He did manage to finish but I thought he may have needed the dragging back home. I had stitches when I ran for P.E. class in high school(many decades ago) so I definitely felt his pain. Finished the 2miler in 20:11/avg. pace 9:59. I'm getting faster. No pain from the leg for the whole weekend so I'll be doing 3 miles on Monday.

I've got a the Race for the Cure 5k coming up this Saturday so that(tomorrow's 3miler) will be my only long run(or run in general) before the event. I'll be running in memory of my Aunt who lost the battle a couple of months ago. She was a 3 year breast cancer survivor & it was because of this event that I started running in the first place. So this marks 1 year that I have running/racing & I had hoped that she was going to be still w/ us so that I could show her how far I had come(from doing the race the first time w/ a 5min run/1min walk to running the entire thing). But I know that she is looking down on me & I pray that I will make her proud. I know it's going to be an emotional day for me & I don't know how much running I am going to do but I am hoping to finish w/ a smile on my face. (Kisses)

Little post

2008-05-01T16:08:00.000-07:00

Things have been going good here. Did my 2mile pool jog & swum some laps yesterday. Did my 2x/week ellip & upper body weight training tonight. Tomorrow I have 2miles on the road w/ the r.b. & her friend who is a newbie to running. Hopefully we can impart some wisdom & keep him injury free!..;-) Told my r.b. to remember to bring water for herself(she has a bad habit of not doing that) which isn't a big deal in the winter & she's not going far but it's going to be in low 80's & even though we're going a short distance dehydration can be sneaky. Besides I told her,I'm not dragging her butt back home! ((Hugs))

Back in the dentist chair

2008-04-29T13:23:00.000-07:00

So I found myself back there again today to alleviate the pain I had been having since my fill-in(2 weeks ago). My dentist filed down my tooth a bit so that it would have less of a crevice for foods to fall into & grate against my tooth. She also said that I would have to baby it more & if I wanted to continue to eat my pre-workout snack(1/2c of Kashi Go Lean cereal) that to do it on one side of mouth to break it down more before moving it to the affected side(lovely). But if I continue to have pain then I'm going to be looking for another snack to eat before my workouts. Which totally bums me out because this food is pretty high in fiber & protein plus I can leave it in the car when I eat it on the way to the gym. She did recommend a protein shake but honestly I'm not sure because it's not like I can leave that in the car. So we'll see.

Did the ellip thing at the gym w/ some upper body strength training. Tomorrow is swim day. Maybe I should do a little imbibing of my own tonight!..:-)

Wet run

2008-04-28T15:35:00.000-07:00

Gotta love it when you have rain on a run. Actually it was heavier in the beginning then gradually got lighter until it stopped when my run ended. Was able to do 2 1/2 miles in 24:46. Here are the splits:

Mile 1: 10:32
Mile 2: 9:47
1/2 mile: 4:27(wouldn't that be something if I could do that pace for the ENTIRE run?!)

I'll be taking a half a day off tomorrow to deal w/ my broken tooth again. I got a fill-in almost 2 weeks ago but unfortunately I'm still having pain when I eat something crunch and/or chewy. Talked w/ my dentist's office they suspect it might be a bad alignment. So hopefully all I will need is a re-adjustment. I want to be to eat cereal on BOTH sides of my mouth w/o wincing in pain!

M,I hear ya on getting older & taking longer to recover after night of imbibing. Used to be I could drink all night & be up w/ the sunrise the next day. But now after a couple of drinks,I'm ready for bed & don't EVEN talk to me the next day!..;-)

Candles,movies & food(oh & a 2miler)..

2008-04-27T09:11:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone is having a good weekend(mine wasn't as romantic as my title sounds but I had fun). Ran 2 miles on Friday. Had some mild cramping in the middle of the run but it went away fairly quickly. Could have been the way I planted my leg at that moment. Finish time 20:42/avg. pace 10:13. My leg has been feeling good for the rest of the weekend. So hopefully tomorrow I can add a 1/2 mile to my 2miler!

Got my hair done Saturday & did a little retail therapy(had to celebrate making it thru my 1st week back to running..;-)). Picked up a pair of dark blue cargo style linen/cotton pants that I had been looking for forever. Stopped by Bath & Body Works picked up some candles..

Love this scent. Not too fruity or sweet but a clean scent. I also got some Cucumber Melon body wash & lotion. I'm not a floral or overly sweet scent girl. I tend to lean towards more crisp scents(think citrus) so I'm surprised that I like this. Burning the candle now & w/ the dreary weather we're having here,it really makes my place smell good!

Also went to Best Buy & bought these...

(Jennifer Beals has certainly come a long way since Flashdance-for those who aren't familiar w/ this t.v. series it's about the lives & loves of a L.A. lesbian community. Very well written show)

(I heart Catherine Zeta. The guy isn't bad lookin' either.)

The movie is cute & some funny parts & some sad ones(surprisingly) & it definitely made me hungry. I give it 2 thumbs up but I wouldn't watch it on an empty stomach..;-)

Speaking of food,I better get started on my big meal that I make for the week. Got some chorizo & garlic flavored chicken sausage defrosting in the fridge that I'm going to saute & then add to a can of black beans & a whole box of instant brown rice cooked in chicken stock w/ a little onion & fresh garlic thrown in. Makes a big pot of it that I can eat(along w/a simple salad) off of all week. Yum.

Pool jogging

2008-04-23T16:30:00.000-07:00

No stiffness today. Leg feels good but still undecided what mileage I'm going to do on Friday. Managed to do 2 miles of pool jogging tonight. My pt said to roughly take the same amount of time that I would do the mileage on the road & do it in the pool. So I went conservative(20 mins). Yeah...My muscles are worked! After that I just did some regular laps. And Gina,I'm starving!

M,runnin' is the only thing I got to keep me sane!..man I need to get more batteries..;-)

W/ that said I'm off to have some dinner..((Smooches))

The morning after

2008-04-22T16:25:00.000-07:00

Pretty evocative title? Yeah,well considering the last time I got some,yesterday's run was orgasmic. And heck a lot less risk,right? Anyway woke up this morning w/ a slight stiffness but nothing too bad. I actually expected it so I wasn't disappointed. X-trained for tonight & for the next 2 days but too early to decide whether I'm going to do 1 or 2 miles on Friday. Here's to a couple of hopefully pain-free days! But I know not too push too soon so even if I don't have anymore pain I may still only do 1 mile on Friday. Trying to listen to my body this time & be smarter about my running.

I wanted to thank everyone who congratulated me on my run yesterday. I think maybe it was all of you whispering in my ear yesterday(you got this)..;-).

Gina,I'm going to try pool-jogging for 2 miles tomorrow. I think I've become addicted..;-)

Whoa.....

2008-04-21T15:42:00.000-07:00

Today's run. My first run since my 2 week running break to let my leg heal from the slight stress fracture. All I can say is....Whoa.. 2 miles in mid-60's w/ a light wind & drizzle. Finish time 20:44/Mile 1 10:43/Mile 2 9:49. Talk about your negative splits,baby! When I started I felt a light twinge as if my ankle was saying: I know this chick ain't tryin' to run..

But the twinge quickly disappeared. And then I felt nothing. NOTHING people for 2 glorious miles! There was a point in my run where everything clicked. You know the feeling when you hit the sweet spot. It's like your breathing,your legs,your arms,your heartbeat become one. It feels like your flying like every step is effortless. I swear,when I looked up in the sky the clouds had parted like someone up there was watching my back & whispering in my ear: you got this. Sorry for the mush,but after all that I had put my poor body thru(by forcing it run thru the worst of my injury),I worked hard at x-training & the pt during my break to deserve this run. I know not all runs are going to be like this. Heck,I could wake up tomorrow & my leg could be in pain & could be limping but I know this run is a start.

So depending on how my leg feels tomorrow will determine what I do on Friday(either 1-2 miles). I normally x-train on Tues. & Thurs & will swim on Wed. My pt thinks that's a good plan for my first week of running. I'm outeeee....

No lollipop..:-(

2008-04-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

Ok so I don't know any dentist that will give an adult patient a lollipop after a visit these days so I guess it was wishful thinking. On second that considering the fact my mouth got the lovely needle(could they make them any longer?!) full of Novocaine having anything in mouth is cause for instant drool. I'm not supposed to eat for a few hours(not that I could anyway) but I can drink water(lovely). But the tooth is fixed so that's all that matters.

I'm just glad that I scheduled the dental appointment after my workout. Cause even when I drink water I can't do it out of a regular cup(I normally drink out my water bottle anyway) & even that I have to hold my head to the side as I swallow. Which makes for a odd image right now.

I've been invited out to happy hour this evening w/ the r.b. so here's to more numbing substances! ((Smooches))..on second thought you might not like the drool..oh wth..we're all friends here...;-)

I passed!

2008-04-17T16:43:00.000-07:00

So in addition to the usual x-training I had my pt appointment. He did series of flexibility & agility tests w/ both legs & I passed w/ flying colors! I have to say that's the first test that I have "aced" w/o "studying" for it..;-) So I'm set to run 1 1/2 to 2 miles on Monday. And providing how that goes he's ok w/ me slowly(as in 1/2 mile increments per run if I'm feeling good/per week if not) building up my distance. Since I'm going to be running about 2 to maybe 3x/week we're talking max 3miles(to have a little base for my 5k on May 10th).

Gina, 30 laps before you felt totally worked?!? Man I only did it for 2 laps. I've got some catching up to do! Trust me my coordination is not great either. I've been known to fall when standing completely still.

Jen don't let my & Gina's experience turn you off to pool running. It DEFINITELY works & it's the best alternative to running.

Annette I got the ball roller from my sports doc. But I have seen them at places like Bath & Body Works stores.

Well I've got the day off tomorrow. Gym early in the morning then a dentist appointment to get a chipped tooth fixed...ugghh..Maybe I'll get a lollipop..((Hugs))

Playing catchup

2008-04-16T16:35:00.000-07:00

I've been doing my x-training faithfully. Went swimming this evening. It was nice to work out the kinks although my toes cramped up w/in the first few mins because I was wearing flippers & weren't quite used to the stiffness. But gradually my feet relaxed & it was all gravy. Even did a little pool jogging. yeah..Let's just say that's something that I definitely need to work on.

Lisa asked about the foam roller that I have been using. Actually what I use is a massage ball roller like the one below...

It fits in the palm of my hand & I can really dig in between my shin bone & calf muscle to get at the one that tight. I only use it for a couple of mins(because it's hard to keep the pressure w/ such a small device) but really that's all the time that's needed to loosen up the muscle. It's been a godsend.

Gina the leg has been feeling pretty good although I still haven't ran on it yet(this upcoming Monday..YES!!). I know that will be the true test so we're counting down the days.

M,gotta love that spell check!

So I guess that's it for now. More you-know-what at the tomorrow. *Kisses*

Monday x-training

2008-04-14T16:15:00.000-07:00

I went...I sweated...I went home...I do have to say since I've been on this running break I've noticed that when I do my deep tissue massage w/ my ball roller my muscle is not cramped at all. But still do it as more of a preventative measure than anything. I know the real test is when I start running again(next week...WOOHOO!!)

Red thanks for disagreeing about the "girls" not being around the knees..;-) Funny thing is I was wearing one of my better sports bras! You know the kind where the elastic isn't shot to hell & you actually look decent.

And Kim maybe next time I get a photo w/ "them" on the upswing!

((Hugs))

Race photos

2008-04-11T16:19:00.000-07:00

Race pics from my 1st 10k are here! Ok obviously I get excited over the littlest things,I'm on a running break,sue me..So for your viewing pleasure(or pain,amusement take your pick)

This is apparently before my stress fracture reared its ugly head..Got the head up & a smile for the camera..

Alright right towards the end..giving it that final push..But man could the "girls" be any closer to my knees?..Also injured leg was pretty tight at that point..I remember at this point wanting to throw up...

At the finish line(thank GOD!)..I'm the goofball in the gray tee & dark shorts w/ the white hat in the center w/ my hands raised thinking..Hallelujah I can GET OUT OF THE RAIN..

Sorry for the broken pixels but don't have the moolah to pay for photo quality so I just copied & pasted. I realize that now everyone who sees these has a pretty good idea what I look like. I think I'll go drown my sorrows in some Ben & Jerry's..;)

X-training(day 3)

2008-04-09T16:40:00.000-07:00

I decided to do something crazy tonight w/ the ellip. I went from an average resistance level of 5.3(spread over a 31min period)....to get this...wait for it....6.2!!! I know,where do I come up w/ this stuff? But while I was at the gym I thought about totally overhauling my strength training routine. I'm finding that I'm getting in a rut w/ doing same weights,same reps for months now. I know my body is no longer challenged so I don't know why I am so hesitant to push further. Lazy I guess. I use Sparkpeople to log my workouts but I can't put any dates on it as far as how long I've been doing a particular exercise at a certain weight/rep. I was thinking about using an Excel sheet but I don't wanna have to go yet to another place(I also use Sparkpeople to log my food) to log my daily activity. If anyone knows of one place on the net that I could do both,hook a sista up!

I wanted to thank Gina for saying that I'll still have readers after this running hiatus. Gina I remember reading your older posts about out for months but I have to say that you are more entertaining to read than I am.

M,I've heard about those swim mp3 players. I think they're cool but I'd be afraid of my head getting a shock when I hit the water!

Well you know the drill for tomorrow. I'm outeeee.

X-training(day 2 but no ouchie)

2008-04-08T16:38:00.000-07:00

That's right I did the ellip tonight at the gym. No evil bike. Also did my usual upper body strength training. Even though the privates & how shall we say..the "crook of my butt"(tailbone..yeah I know there's a visual) is still tender. A good time was had by all. Doesn't get any better than this folks...Heaven help me if I have to fill the next 2 weeks of "x-training posts". I'm going to lose the few readers I have! Anyone know where I can get a life?

1st x-training day(ouchie!!)

2008-04-07T16:18:00.000-07:00

Well I spent some time w/ the bike at the gym. And let's just say my privates aren't too happy w/ me right now! I spent 35mins w/ the cycle of death & that was 35mins too long. It feels like someone had batting practice down there. Luckily I only I have to do this today(my PT wanted me to ease back into doing the ellip after my race this past Sat.) Since it was too cool out for me to do the pool(my gym's pool is indoors but I would have to go out w/ a wet head since I am too lazy to drag my hair paraphernalia to the gym & if the temps are low,then no swim);I chose the bike. But tomorrow it's ellip all the way baby!

I talked w/ my PT tonight about a running plan to get back on the road after my injury. I do have a 5k(Race for the Cure) coming on May 10th. I had planned on treating it as a training run(& may have to do some walking during it). He thinks that if I take the next 2 weeks off & keep my cardio up(by doing ellip and/or pool running) then start off doing 2 miles/3x a week that I would be fine for my next race. I pray that will be enough time but if not then I could walk more & run less for the race.

I know you're thinking why I am so bent on doing this but I'm running in memory of my aunt who lost the battle w/ breast cancer a few months ago & it's important to me that I do this race. In fact this event will mark my 1 year anniversary of racing.

Well I've got more you-know-what at the gym tomorrow evening. I'm out.

58:14(100th post)..blood,sweat, & tears

2008-04-05T15:34:00.000-07:00

(start of the race,my wave is first tiny sign after the big Ukrop's banner in front. 31,158 runners there about 24,055 that finished)

This day has been unbelievable. So many thoughts were going thru my head as I prepared,waited & finally ran my 1st 10k. Here's a recap:

Morning of:

Woke up an hour before my alarm went off & realized that I never cut it on. Oh well I was too excited to go back to sleep so I just turned on the news to watch the weather & just laid in bed. Finally got up,did quick rinse w/ some mouthwash & then waited for my r.b. to show up so we could head to the race.

At the race:

Scored a really good parking spot. My wave wasn't due to start until 8:53 but we got there at 8 which was good given the size of the event(31,000 runners) & parking was going to be a bear. The r.b. & I checked our jackets & just hung out & people watched until the start. Saw some interesting characters(really need to get a camera). There was a costume contest held by the local paper & runners were encouraged to dress up. Saw gorilla & a banana,Austin Powers & a "Richard Simmons & Co.". Couldn't imagine running in costume but since this was a fun run for those of us not competing for cash(we had elites & Olympic hopefuls),why not?

At the start:

Temps were in the 60's w/ a light drizzle. It was awe inspiring to be in the midst of that many runners at once.

And we're off:

Mile 1: 9:28(alrighty we're a little speedy here but feeling good)

Mile 2: 9:12(okaaaay was there a downhill? Anyway at this point I started to feel the first twinges of my "light" stress fracture rear it's ugly head)

Mile 3: 9:22(better but considering I thought I was going to be doing 10min/pace this is too fast. But oh well. Did walk thru a water stop. Twinges still there but don't get any worse.)

Mile 4: 9:23(This is where my r.b. started to pull ahead & I told her run her race & I will run mine. She felt bad about leaving me but I knew I couldn't nor wouldn't hold her back)

Mile 5: 9:28(Starting to flag a little bit but still felt good energy-wise. Still the ever-present twinge but never progressed to full on pain.)

Mile 6: 9:16(In the home stretch baby! I can see the finish line but it's still a ways off. It almost feels like at this point the closer I get,the further away IT seems to get!)

Mile 0.2: 8:04(Sprint it home! Been a LOONNG time since I've seen a number 8 in my pace. Oh how I've missed thee. I believed there was a tear that mixed in w/ sweat over that number)

Official chip time 58:14/place 7191/age place 318 /gender place 2393/avg pace 9:22. I hope get some race pics here next week when the become available.

Overall even though I went faster than what I had planned(even my r.b. wanted to run a conservative 9:45min/mile but you see that didn't happen) I still felt good throughout the race. In fact for the first couple of miles I experienced no pain at all. At all(remember that just a few weeks ago I was jazzed about how I went 5mins w/ no pain). I know that was due to me not running on it since Monday & now I know I need this time off to get my leg back in shape. I do have some stiffness now as I sit & type this & it is tender to walk on but nothing that I didn't expect to happen. I'll be doing some pt tomorrow(therapist wanted me to take today off cause he figured my legs would get enough action doing the race itself) & then it's x-training for the next few weeks.

I even managed to donate blood today too. There's local muffler shop that works w/ the Va blood services to do blood drives several times a year & if you donate he'll give you a free oil change. Of course I wore my race tee to the drive & all the nurses were like "I can't believe you ran 6 some miles & now you're here donating blood" What can I say I like to give & there's nothing like a free oil change!

Finally it's my 100th post! Very nice how I planned it to coincide w/ my 10k race report..;-) Well I'm sure I've rambled enough. I hope everyone is having a good weekend & I'm off to baby my legs. *Smooches*

Race Day eve

2008-04-04T16:56:00.000-07:00

So I've got my bib(#6879),got the chip,got the pins,got the case of the nerves. The expo was cool & picked up a new summer running hat & tech tee. Got my race outfit together(short-sleeve t & shorts,Garmin & heart rate monitor). I plan on carrying a fuel belt w/ 20oz of water. Other than the requisite shoes & socks,I'm set. I wanted to thank all those who have wished me well. Here's the link if anyone wants to follow: http://www.sportsbackers.org/ Although I know who would want to be up 8:30 on a Sat. morn if they weren't running. Please think of me as turning over in your nice comfy,dry beds tomorrow. *Kisses*

2 days & counting

2008-04-03T16:44:00.000-07:00

Well we're down to 2 days until the race. I keep seeing the ads for it on tv & I'm getting excited! Had a pt appointment after my x-training tonight. He said that I could reduce some of the exercises since I have made a a lot of progress w/ them & they becoming much easier. YES!! I can't wait to get back to regular workouts.

I'm going to the race expo tomorrow to pick up my bib & packets & scope out the competition. Kidding. I believe you can follow my bib # online & I'll try to post the link(for all 4 of my readers..;-)) tomorrow. It's supposed to be in the high 60's & raining on race day. Slip & slide time. Hopefully not. ((Hugs))

Little post

2008-04-02T16:34:00.000-07:00

Well I decided to do another ellip session instead of swimming tonight. No test fire alarm so I was able to do my entire cardio uninterrupted. Yea.. I also did about 30mins of lower bod weight training in addition to my pt. Man my legs are sore!

Gina thinking of my race(30,000 racers) as a BIG training group is not a bad idea. Hopefully I won't be left behind!..;-)

Fire! Fire!

2008-04-01T15:56:00.000-07:00

Not really. But guess what did happen when I was more than half-way into my ellip session at the gym? A damn test fire alarm. I understand the need to test because fires don't happen when it's convenient for the victims. But come on..At 4something in the afternoon AND I didn't need to stop because one of the gym employees got confused & thought it was a real fire. Oh well.

Did my last run(2miler) yesterday w/ the r.b. Finished in 19:50. Here are my splits:

Mile 1: 10:01
Mile 2: 9:39

Not too shabby. Can't decide whether I'm going to do more ellip tomorrow or swim since I am now in taper madness. We'll see.

And Gina,I like the idea of ignoring the crowds for my race on Sat. & just thinking of it as a training run but there's going to be more 30,000 racers there so I am going to have to do some MAJOR blocking out!..;-)

Don't hate me because I have one

2008-03-31T04:56:00.000-07:00

So apparently the jury is split on me having my new "toy". What can say I Steve? Never say never. And Robin,I know I'm weak. Doesn't it take a strong person to admit that?..;-) I promise every once in a while I'll run w/o it,just to keep it real.

Well I am in the final stretch this week for my race. I'm only going to be running a couple of miles today & then no more until the race. I've got to get a fill-in for a broken tooth on Friday & pick up my race packet. Plus I've got a pt appointment on Thurs. for real good,deep stretch/massage.

Only 4 more days to go!

Secret product review

2008-03-30T10:14:00.000-07:00

I have a secret. I'm almost ashamed to admit it. I broke down.....and.....got....this.....

I know what you're saying. But Dana you were so against having one. You liked not having yet another gadget to use when you run. And you would be right. I mean lamented over & over to my R.B. about not wanting to get one. What made me decide to get one was considering the fact that I have this light stress fracture due to going too fast too soon & increasing my distance at the same time. And I figured I would benefit from knowing my pace while I'm running rather than go mile marker to mile marker after the fact. Like I told my r.b.(who is also dealing w/ a stress fracture),the watch cannot physically make me slow down. Only I can do that. All it can do is give me the info & it's up to me to decide what to do w/ it. So once my leg is healed I'll work on building my pace more slowly(could use some advise in this area. I know about increasing your distance 10% each week but what about speed?) & hopefully the Garmin can keep me on track w/ that.

W/ that said,I have had a chance to use it for a couple of runs last week. The buttons are really hard to push but I'm getting used to them. It was interesting to see my pace while I was running(so much so that I had to work a little a harder to pay more attention to the road & less to the watch). I used it on my 4miler on Fri. Other than the fact that it lost the satellite about a 1/2 mile into my run,it's been cool to have.

Mile 1(1st half): 11:02(that's when the satellite dropped)
Mile 1(2nd half): 9:18(Ok going a little fast. I was still pissed that the it dropped the signal)
Mile 2: 9:50(Better)
Mile 3: 9:53
Mile 4: 9:19

Of course I have 1 more run(2miles) on Monday & then no more running(yeah I know,why did I get a Garmin right before I have to go on a running break? What can I say,my timing is priceless) until my leg is healed more. I'm going to be x-training Tues. thru Thurs. of this week & then my race on Saturday. After that I do have a 5k on the 2nd Sat. of May & hopefully w/ a month of not running my leg will be well enough to run that.

Hopefully I haven't lost too much running cred by bowing down to technology. Cause ya know every once in a while you know I'm gonna hav' ta kick it ole' skool & go "naked"!..;-)

Shirtless runner

2008-03-27T04:26:00.000-07:00

And no it wasn't me. No need to blind people while they're driving & scare small children. I saw a rather nice looking specimen of male runner out yesterday when I was doing my 2miler. He was running towards me but I had to turn off on a side road before we could pass each other. Darn. But let's just say what I did see...Yowza.. Might explain why I ran my 2nd mile slightly faster than my first..;-) Finished my run in 20:09/avg pace 10:03.

And Gina whatever do you mean by it sometimes takes getting a stress fracture to get that rest? *insert eyes blinking innocently*

Anywho I got you know what today at the gym. Gosh,I'm going to have to find a different way of saying that once I'm doing it all the time. I'm outee.

Better

2008-03-26T04:28:00.000-07:00

So yesterday's post was full of piss-offendness(yeah I just made that word up. Sue me), I figured today's post should be better(maybe..;-))

Did my x-training last night. Went as planned. I've got a 2mile quickie(relatively speaking) today. I'm actually kind of looking forward to just doing x-training & no running after my race next week. I can't believe I said that. But in a weird way I look forward to the break from running & to do something different for a while. Plus I want to get back to running basically pain free & not having to deal w/ extra-tight muscles(due to the fracture not the normal tightness) after a run. I can't wait to get back to not having to do roughly another 30mins of exercise(pt) on top of my normal workout routine(which is about 40mins itself).

But I know once I stop running,it's not going to take long for me to get the itch to get back out there. ((Hugs))

Missing...in...

2008-03-25T04:36:00.000-07:00

Yeah I know that I have been missing in action for a days. So let me give ya run down on what's been up w/ me:

Friday: Did my 3miler(actually I did 3.24) but w/o the R.B. Finish time 31:30/avg pace 10:15.

Saturday: Just hung around. Ran some errands.

Sunday: I...was...in...tax...HELL!!! Finally decided to do my taxes. Started about 9am figured I can get it knocked out in an hour. I used one of the online programs(H & R Block Taxcut). So they do all the calculations for you(after you plug in the numbers). As you know I am single & no kiddies so it should be pretty simple? Right? AND I should get a refund like I always have? Right again? WRONG. You see where this is going?

Several hours later I came to the sickening realization that I...OWE. How, may you ask. Well apparently Uncle Sam didn't take out enough(as if that's even possible). And then you may wonder well how come he didn't take out enough? Well folks it seems that on my employee W4 there were 3 allowances(deductions) on the form. Well I know I didn't get married in the past year & unless I suddenly became the Virgin Mary(ha!) then I didn't have any little ones. How did my job get that number? Well your guess is as good as mine.

In addition I also have an extra $5 coming out just so I won't owe. But w/ the 3 allowances it wasn't enough to offset it. I have corrected the form but I gotta give good ole' Sammy $374. Which compared to some others that's doesn't seem like a lot but when you don't have that exactly lying around it might as well be millions.

Did you know that if you want to setup a payment plan to pay taxes you owe,the IRS charges a setup(What exactly do they setup? I don't know) fee of $100? I didn't. Now if you owe thousands then the fee would be a drop in the bucket. But for my situation it's not worth it. And that fee doesn't go towards the bill. So I will be filing an extension but..MAN this bites! I had planned on using my refund(ha! again) to cover my moving expenses when I leave my current apartment(trying to get into a cheaper place).

So yesterday I had 6 miles to do. And the R.B. was w/ me(she's going thru a similar thing w/ taxes-found out she owed more than she thought she would for state and she's getting back a smaller refund(I wish I had THAT prob) than she expected from federal). So we were both needing to work off some serious stress. We finished the run in 1 hour/avg. pace of 10:00. It's been a few weeks since we've run together & it was good to catch up & b!tch about our taxes.

Sorry for the long post. I guess that's what happens when you don't blog for a few days. I've got the usual 2x/week x-training today. My race is now 11 days away. I'm starting to get really excited! And Robin,I also giggled when I was talking about player condoms. *Kisses*

Player(a) condom?

2008-03-21T04:27:00.000-07:00

X-training at the gym workout went as planned last night. I've got 3miles for today hopefully w/ the R.B. I'll update the stats later.

I mentioned in my previous post about needing something to protect my mp3 from the rain. Annette said she clips hers to her shorts. I normally wear mine w/ an armband. I've tried doing the shorts thing but it's a little too heavy. This is what mine looks like..
It's a Creative Zen vision 60gb. It also has a built-in FM tuner(which explains the slight bulk)

Red mentioned one of her running partners going the condom route. Interesting concept,I wonder if I should get some glow-in-the dark ones for those dark runs?..;-) But you know that's too depressing that the only reason nowadays I would buy condoms is for my player. Ok,I need to get "some"(read: sex)...Soon..

And on that note I wish you a happy T.G.I.F. ((Hugs))

Totally spaced on a title

2008-03-20T04:32:00.000-07:00

We actually didn't have the gale force winds that the weather man predicted yesterday for my 3miler. Honestly,I wish it was windier. It was in the mid-70's so I had on shorts,singlet & a jacket. Yes, I said a jacket. It's a wind-breaker & I know you think I'm crazy for wearing it w/ those temps but I needed to protect my mp3 from the rain..that never happened. So when the wind blew it felt great but when it didn't I roasted a bit. Total time 31:56/avg pace 10:20.

I have tried looking for a water-proof pouch for my player but the only thing out there are for iPods. So if anyone knows of something I can use,let me know cause when I have to wear a jacket in the summer during a possible rainstorm I'm going to be hotter than I was yesterday!

And just to let you know(cause I know it would TOTALLY make your day) I did not forget to pack my workout clothes for the gym today. See,the world will now be safe from my flying "appendages". *Smooches*

I got your Victoria's Secret

2008-03-19T04:44:00.000-07:00

A funny(yet not) thing happened to me at the gym last night. I was in the locker room,opening my gym bag so I could change into my workout clothes. Guess what? They weren't there. Forgot to pack them. I did however have my track pants & cotton shirt that I put on after my workout. But no sports bra or shorts. So I had a few choices:

Go home & get the workout gear-It would take 20mins round trip,my workouts take an hour & half & I had a pt appointment right after which I would have been late for.
Workout in track pants,cotton t & my regular bra-I won't even talk about working out in a cotton shirt. But my regular bra? It's a Victoria's Secret(although not so secret if I end up using it). Not a lacy number,fairly substantial but not a sports bra.
Workout w/o the bra-Uhhh..SO not an option. Way to endowed. I'll be poking my as well every one's eye out!

So what to do? I made the executive decision to wear the cotton t,track pants & regular bra. And ya know what? It wasn't too bad(I was on the ellip for 31 mins). I mean there was some bouncing but not as much as I thought there would be. Now had I been running that would have been a different story. But definitely gave Vickie a workout.

Let this be a lesson. Never try to multi-task while packing your gym bag. I bet the Victoria's Secret product testers never thought to put one of their bras thru an hour at the gym!

Gina thanks for reminding me that the slow times I am putting in now are not indicative of my true potential. And I guess that what makes it hard to take. I know what my body is capable of & I've had reality give me a b!tch slap thru this injury.

Robin I know that you are going thru your own pain & I wish I could take away some of your knee trouble(might take my mind off my fracture!..;-))

Supposed to have 3 miler today but they are calling for gale force winds(up to 40mph) along w/ rain. The rain I can handle but not sure about the high winds. So we'll see. Happy hump day!

Stuff

2008-03-18T07:43:00.000-07:00

My r.b. found out yesterday from the doc that she has a healing stress fracture. Must be something in the air. She's running the 10k w/ me so we both will be taking it slow. Speaking of speed(or lack thereof) did my 4 miles yesterday in 40:37/avg. pace 10:06. Red,it definitely wasn't as warm as it was on Fri but I'll take it.

Both Lisa & April mentioned that I shouldn't worry about my speed right now. And I have to say that's been easier said than done. Mentally as well as physically I'm used to going a lot faster. But I know it's not about speed but just getting time on the road & letting myself heal(as much as I can w/ me running on it). It's hard for me to stop comparing my times pre-fracture as oppose to now. Especially since I log all of my runs & w/ a click of the mouse can access the info. Ain't technology great?

Well I got the usual 2x/week x-training today. Gosh,I don't know what I'm gong to talk about once back off from running entirely & x-training 5x/week. Have a good Tues. everyone!

R.B.'s half-mary

2008-03-17T04:37:00.000-07:00

So my R.B. ran her 1st half-mary at the Shamrock Marathon in Va Beach yesterday. She did it in 2:02. I am SO proud of her! She had been dealing w/ some numb/tingling pain(she's seeing a sports doc today about it) in her left shin off/on for the past few weeks. But my girl rocked! She does have another one coming up in May(Nashville I think) that I know w/ enough rest to let her leg heal more she may be able to pull a sub-2 hour time.

Gina I guess the one thing that I have been afraid of is losing all the speed & endurance that I have built up by taking time off. But I realize that by continuing to run on an injury that's trying to heal that I losing it anyway. Even though my endurance is still there my speed definitely is not. But hopefully I am getting better about listening to my body & will take the time off. But come back to me after the race & I'm climbing the walls from not running!

Red it was kind of nice to run in shorts on Fri. Get some sun on my skin(should have remembered to put some sun block on..oh well). But it's back to pants(or at least capris) today for my 4miler. It's only supposed to be in the mid-50's. *Kisses*

Not a rainy run after all

2008-03-16T13:10:00.000-07:00

So I didn't have to run in the rain on Fri. Oh darn.. But it was warm enough to run in a sleeveless tank & shorts. Did the 5miler in 50:32/avg. pace 10:20. Only about a minute slower than my last 5miler. Because of my injury I had been slowing down by several mins on all of my runs so hopefully I am on the mend.

Red I wanted to give you an update. I don't have a complete stress fracture according to my doc. Just the beginnings(or almost) fracture. I agree that if I had a complete one I wouldn't be running period. But honestly I probably shouldn't be running at all even w/ an almost one until I completely heal but I've got a race in now two weeks. Gulp.. So a runnin' I go. But I have kept my speed down & built my mileage back up slowly. My leg has slowly been getting better & I know that I won't be going for any fast times at the race. I'm just going to take it slow & walk if I need to & enjoy my 1st 10k. My pt agrees that if I do that & not try to push it that I won't cause any further damage.

W/ all that said once I'm done w/ that race I may take a week or maybe 2(or possibly 3) & just x-train to let my leg heal more before I get back to running. Cause I have another race in May(Race for the Cure 5k) & I know that I need let my leg heal more than I have let it(w/ me constantly running on it) before I get back to running again.

I hope everyone had a good weekend out there in blogland & catch ya on the flip side.

Rainy run?

2008-03-14T04:40:00.000-07:00

Not much too say in this post. Just glad it's Friday. I've got my usual 5miler this afternoon. I may be doing it in the rain(how fun). I'll let you know the stats later. *Hugs*

This & that

2008-03-13T05:02:00.000-07:00

Another 2 mile run. Another double digit pace(avg.10:20 pace/total time 20:47). Some pain as usual but nothing severe. Gosh I'm starting to sound like a broken record!..;-).

Wanted to give some love to a new commenter on this blog. Gina has done a bunch of races & a few tri's is training for the Kona IM in 2015. She too dealt w/ stress fracture last year & her posts about it has helped deal w/ mine.

Same x-training/different day. *I'm outee*

Going deep

2008-03-12T04:46:00.000-07:00

Yeah I know..Provocative title but git yer mind outta the gutta. I had my pt appointment yesterday. He focused on the "soft tissue"(think muscle not joint) stretching that included about a 20min deep tissue massage. He had me lying on my stomach w/ my right leg bent at a 90 degree angle. He had me in that position because when he first started it was going to be really painful(no kidding) & I might involuntarily kick him. I'm thinking..how often have you had that happen?. But Oh...my...God...for the 1st couple of mins I had to keep biting my lip from crying out. Yup he found the sweet spot. But eventually my leg gave up the goods & relaxed. After it was over I wanted to ask him was it good for him to?..;-)

We also talked about my race a bit more. He felt I could run the race but not to go all out. Keep my pace really slow,enjoy my surroundings & don't worry about times. Because if I try to go fast(which honestly I can't) I could end up doing more damage. This definitely made me feel better. Anyway since this is my 1st 10k it would naturally be a PR right? Plus I figured w/ all that I have learned thru having this injury & I could come back next year(cause yes I will be running this race again) & hopefully run for a faster time.

Speaking of running,I've got a 2miler today. *Later*

Running company

2008-03-11T04:43:00.000-07:00

Even though I couldn't run w/ the R.B. yesterday(due to her having to help out another friend of hers),I actually had quite a bit of company when I ran yesterday. I saw a total of 4 runners! Now to some of you that may not be that big of a deal. But since I've been running for a year I've only seen 2 runners. Now I don't run on trails(yet),I run thru subdivisions. I was wondering if any of those people got outside to exercise(doesn't have to be running) or do they go to gyms or have home gyms or what. But anyway it definitely gave me the warm fuzzies to give the runner's nod to those I came across.

So I mentioned yesterday that I had 6 miles to do & I would stop if the pain got too bad. Well I am happy to say that for the first couple of mins I felt no pain at all. Usually as soon as I step one foot out the door my right calf gets a small knot that accompanies me for my entire run. Doesn't get any worse,just let's me know it's there. It felt so weird to have no pain,I almost did stop! Unfortunately it didn't last long as my injured leg remembered it's place & cheerfully reminded me of it. But I did complete the run for a total time of 1:02/avg. pace 10:25. I'm in the double digits now!

I've got x-training & a pt appointment today & I hoping to focus on the right leg since my left leg's tendinitis has been getting better & my right leg(stress fracture) is causing me the most trouble. *Byeeee*

Realizations

2008-03-10T07:21:00.000-07:00

I've got a 6miler today. But as usual I'll cut it short if pain gets bad. I am noticing that w/ each run the pain(calf tightness) isn't getting any worse(good thing) but is still there. So I guess that's progress!

Robin mentioned needing a new running plan in regards to dealing w/ her knee pain & G.I. issues. She realized that she needed to change something in her running otherwise she will continue to leave herself open to injury.

I also came to the same realization. Why does it take having an injury to get us to see that what we may be doing is wrong? Now I realize that I'm somewhat a newbie to running(1 year this month) but it's not like I'm new to exercise in general. I just figured that if I started slow(doing Galloway run/walk combo) that I would be ok. But somewhere along the way I realize that I could run longer than 5 mins & jumped one day from doing 5min run/40sec walk to running for an entire 30mins the next. I believe that coupled w/ a month later training for a 10k(went from avg. 6miles a week to 13) may have been my downfall. I increased both distance & speed at roughly the same time & I have read that you should do on or the other.

I've learned a painful lesson from all this but I pray this will make me a smarter & stronger runner. *Hugs*

Recap

2008-03-09T11:13:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone's weekend is going good. Other than being extremely windy yesterday(we had 20-30mph winds here in Va) it was a good day. Did some grocery shopping & bought a couple of books from Borders. Spent some time in Radio Shack & upgraded my phone. I used to have this model(mine was an espresso color-no offense but I don't do pink)..

(pic courtesy of Sprint.com)

I came away w/ this model..

(pic courtesy of Sprint.com)

I was debating between the one you see above(Motorola Razr V3m) & this year's model(which is a Motorola Razr V9) but it's also twice the price of the one I got. After my rebate($150-for being a too lazy to switch carriers..cough..loyal customer) the V9 would have cost me $229,the V3m cost me $69. No brainer there. Spent the evening switching over my address book from the old phone to the new one. Anyone find that when doing that you discover numbers you didn't know you had? There must have been at 5 people that I hadn't talked to in years that didn't make it to my new phone. Why was I still holding on to their number? Oh well..

So I mentioned in Friday's post about how I wasn't going to do anymore tempo runs. Well ever since my injury of course my times have been getting slower. Well after the pt told me to change my stride & my doc told me to slow down while I am trying to heal,I realize that there isn't any way for me to continue to work on my tempo pace. I know that I won't get any faster due to my injury & stride change in time for it to make a difference at the 10k(it's in a little less than a month).

My Fri. run ended up being 5 miles. In the rain...In the wind...Uphill...W/ a fracture... Just kiddin' about the uphill part unfortunately. I had basically a knot in right calf(where the fracture is) the whole way but felt ok. Finish time was 49:25/avg. pace 9:50.

My fastest 5mile tempo run was 41:30. So at least several mins slower. But you know what? It doesn't matter to me anymore. Right now is about me learning a whole new way of running so the can I hopefully prevent future injuries. It's about taking each run one at a time until & I get to the race. Because I had been in training for the past 2 months I have done the 10k distance & then some a few times now. So I know that I have a good base to finish. Now I realize that the injury throws a wrench into it but just as long as I keep my pace slow,build up distance again(slowly),do my pt,x-train & rest when I'm supposed to,hopefully I will be ok for the race. Because I'm not looking for any fast times(never was to be honest),just looking to have fun & finish it should be all good. *Kisses*

Usual x-training & restaurant review

2008-03-07T05:05:00.000-08:00

Same x-training,different day. No surprises. Very little pain. I know you guys really needed to know that..;-)

Went out w/ a co-worker/friend last night. Tried out Qdoba Mexican Grill. I got this(w/o the shell,grilled chix,lite sour cream,tomato & corn salsa)....

My friend got this..But he didn't eat the tortilla.

They weren't bad but I have had better Mexican(Nacho Mama's-local place/killer-read: they actually get the tequila near the drink-margarita).

(See doesn't this look like a fun place?)

Anyway we also tried some of their queso dip & it was thinner then we would have thought & preferred. Qdoba doesn't serve alcohol although may be they should because it might have made the food taste better or we would have been too drunk to care. Their prices range from $5-$7 so relatively cheap but flavor nor the quality was there. Actually when my friend was ordering his burrito & he had to convince the server that the amount of beef that was on the "assembly line" wasn't enough to fill his order(it was literally a couple of tablespoons left). Sad.

I've got 5 miles on tap for today but this is my longest run this week(3 instead of my scheduled 6 on Mon. & my usual 2 on Tues.) since the doc diagnosed me last week w/ a light stress fracture. So I'm going to take it easy on speed(no more tempo runs but more on that later) & I'll shoot for about 4 & take it from there.

Go wish Robin lots of fun w/ her hubby at their 12k fun run trail race this weekend. Happy T.G.I.F. ya'll!

Fun

2008-03-06T04:32:00.000-08:00

Feeling a little pain last night & this morning after my 2miler. Mainly just stiffness in the ankle area. Started out a little faster than I had wanted to but I had some work issues on my mind that was/is causing me some stress. But I quickly realized what I was doing & slowed my pace & breathing down. Finished in 19:48/avg. pace 9:51. I think my feet may be getting the hang of landing more on the mid-foot to toe & less heel striking. Plus apparently my bod likes the slower paces running. Go figure.

Lisa reminded me yesterday another just as important if not more important aspect of my doing the 10k. That "F" is for fun. Thanks for reminding me that overall I need to enjoy the race. Because I am never gonna have a 1st 10k.

Got the usual Thurs. x-training. *I'm outee*

Failing or finisher?

2008-03-05T05:24:00.000-08:00

Got an email yesterday letting me know what wave I'm going to be in at the 10k. It's going to be wave "F". At first I thought why couldn't I have "A" or "B"? Ya know "F" standing for failing. But then I thought I could turn this into a positive & w/ all the injuries I'm dealing w/ I will look at the letter "F" as a finisher because I will be blessed to be able to do that after this. So no predicted paces or end time. My goal is to complete it.

W/ that said I've a 2mile shortie today. *Hugs*

Slow run

2008-03-04T05:17:00.000-08:00

I didn't think it was possible to go slower than last Friday's run. But apparently it is. Yesterday's run was 3 miles in 29:39/avg. pace 9:37. I always thought that it would feel like I was just barely moving at that pace but I was wrong. Even though it was about 1 min slower than what I normally go,it definitely felt I was moving fairly fast. I wasn't as winded as normally am afterwards. There was some pain during the run & some afterwards but not as intense as it has been in the past few weeks.

So I talked w/ my pt yesterday about setting up my next appointment as well as possibly changing out my shoes now(rather than after my race in a month). He said that between the pt,modifying my stride that's enough changes for right now & if there is any new pain(let's hope not!) or the existing pain doesn't get any better we won't be able to tell if it's from stride changes,shoe changes,pt or what. So I'll be running in my Nikes at the race & then we'll see after that.

M,I have thought about trail running but because I am trying to change the way how I run,it's probably not a good idea to totally change the terrain as well. But I would be up for looking at some local trails to run once I'm healed & I'm done w/ my race.

Robin,I wish you the best of luck w/ your Thurs. run. I'll have a box of Kleenex ready but I don't think you'll need it. Because as you know,even a bad run is still a good run because you were physically able to do it.

X-training today. *Byeeee*

W/ the speed of a turtle but the step of a gazelle

2008-03-03T07:50:00.000-08:00

Well it looks like that I'll be doing my Mon. run by myself today. My R.B.'s shins have been feeling a bit wonky(we think sympathy pain from my stress fracture) & she has a half-mary next Sat. So she taking today off. Me,on the other hand will be doing a turtle but gazelle like run today. Woke up w/ some stiffness in the right leg but hasn't progressed to full-on limp inducing pain so far. Originally I had a 6 miler scheduled for today but the doc wants me to cut that in half. So I'm going for 3(was going to do 4 w/ the R.B. but it's probably a good thing that she bowed out & I don't do more than what I am supposed to).

I'm starting to feel like animal kingdom here(w/ the turtle & gazelle references) but apparently running like "me" isn't getting the job done. Good luck to everyone on the road,tread,ellip,..etc..*buh-bye*

I do run,run

2008-03-02T09:25:00.000-08:00

Yup,you read the title right. I did a run! Talked w/ the doc on Friday. She said that I had the beginnings of a light stress fracture. She didn't think that I needed a spec(bone-she said they are the same thing) scan. She did talk about doing a walking boot but only if I was still having pain when I walked. Also she corrected my technique w/ the massage roller. Apparently I wasn't applying enough pressure to really break up the tight muscles(which was contributing to the pain). She was ok w/ me doing a short run. But I had to take it s..l..o..w.. Almost a jog,just above a walk. Think trudging but gazelle like(no heel striking).

So I set out w/ the R.B. for 3 miles. We set the pace between 9:00-9:15.

Miles splits:

Mile 1: 8:57(oops a little fast,but gimmie a break I'm used to going much faster than this)
Mile 2: 9:10(better)
Mile 3: 9:00(like that negative split)

I did feel a little stiffness towards the middle of the run but not enough to make me stop although my r.b. kind of sped up a little & I told her to slow down! Never thought I would be the one to say that. Definitely felt some painful stiffness after the run but did the roller & felt a little better afterwards. Had some pain while I was running errands yesterday but got better by the end of the day.

I told the doc that I have a long run scheduled for Monday(6miler). She wants me to cut in half so I can ease back into training. I'm gonna do between 3-4 depending on how I feel during the day before the run.

Some of you commented on the dynamic stretching that I mentioned in a previous post. My pt recommended that I do certain movements to target the muscles used in running to warm up. Think running in place w/ high knees,running place while doing kick backs(trying to touch your butt w/ your heels),leg swings(stand on one leg while swinging the other back & forth from the hip). It takes about 5 mins to do them.

According to some studies dynamic(active) is more beneficial than static stretching because your making your muscles mimic the movements of running(but more exaggerated) w/o actually doing the run itself. The static stretching lengthens the muscles which isn't a bad thing but it makes them a little too limber & unable to handle the pounding force of running. Static stretching is good for after the run to break up the tightness built up from a run. There's tons of articles out there on net on this topic & I have to admit my legs(outside of my left ankle tendinitis & right leg stress fracture) don't feel quite as tight as they used at the start of a run after doing dynamic stretching as oppose to static.

Anyway this post has gone on long enough. I hope everyone is having a good weekend & thanks for listening. *Smooches*

Getting felt up

2008-02-29T05:27:00.000-08:00

Finally heard from the doc. I'm going to see her today & she's going to feel me up like my pt did. This is the most action I have had in a while. We're going to talk about whether I'll need a spec scan(I guess kind of like a bone scan but more accurate than an x-ray to catch smaller fractures). The pain is getting significantly less w/ each day. Still some stiffness when I get up to move after sitting for a while. Felt no pain when I did the ellip last night.

Based on what the doc says I will either have more x-training or possibly a short run(I've got 3 miles scheduled). I know that I don't want to push it but on the other hand I do want to push it if you get my drift.

M, it would blow if I end up having to buy another pair of shoes right now. That would make the 3rd pair in 3 months. I wonder if I could start a charity to raise money for new shoes? You all would contribute? Right? And I heard the same thing about stretching providing no benefits before you run. My pt showed me some dynamic stretching moves that's supposed to be better. He said that I could save static(like quad stretches) stretching for after the run.

Robin I would totally rock the Ab Lab test right now. Bring it!

Remaining positive

2008-02-28T04:52:00.000-08:00

Thanks for all the positive vibes & well wishes. I know a lot of you out there have been through what I'm going through now & it helps knowing I can vent & you know my pain.

In response to M's comment of possibly needing new running kicks to help the problem,I wish it were that easy. The shoes that I have now I just bought them around the 2nd week of Dec. last year. I have roughly 190 miles on them. So even though the pt said to me a few weeks ago when it was time to replace them that I would need something w/ more motion control,he didn't suggest that replace them now.

Speaking of, my pt hadn't heard from my doc yesterday. So still no word on that front. Did the ellip last night while trying not to feel down about it or jealous of the runners on the treadmills right in front of me. I felt less pain yesterday & I am able to walk around a bit better w/o limping. Which is a good thing.

Robin,I could sure use some mental diversion right now..;-) More x-training tonight. *Hugs*

Cancelled run/sad post

2008-02-27T07:42:00.000-08:00

I had been thinking about what to write in this post. So many thoughts are going thru my head right now...

I spoke w/ the pt yesterday about right leg pain. He poked & prodded. He talked to me about shin splints & thinks that's it's possible this is what I may have. However because the pain is getting worse & ice/over the counter drugs aren't helping & he can't do an x-ray he's going to talk to the doc today about it & then give me a call. But he does want me to cancel my run(I had 3 miles to do). So instead I'm going to be hitting the elliptical for the same amount of time(roughly 26mins) that it would take me to do the distance on the road.

If left untreated the shin splint could result in a stress fracture(if I don't have one already). But the tricky thing w/ fractures is that they are hard to catch in an x-ray & sometimes bone scans can be unreliable.

The pt didn't say that I wouldn't be able to do my 10k in April but if I go to the doc & she says I have a fracture that means sitting out for several weeks(the race is April 5th). There would be no way for me to run it. I just feel all this training I did would be for nothing to mention I have already paid for the race. The pt did did say it may be possible to have my spot transferred to next year,refunded(I highly doubt it), or sell it. That just depressed me even more.

I know that I could walk it(especially after a month of not running). But honestly that would not only take me twice as long(no offense to those who do walk in races) but I would just feel frustrated afterwards because I trained to run the thing not walk it. Ya want to know what's funny(but yet sad) is that on my way to work I drove past a runner & almost sobbed out loud?

So I'll be at the gym today doing the ellip thang instead of my usual run. I'm out.

Less pain?

2008-02-26T04:31:00.000-08:00

So yesterday's 4miler wasn't as painful as I thought it would be. My legs felt strong & my energy was good. Don't get me wrong there was some pain. But not bad enough to stop me from running. Of course once I did stop(w/ a time of 35:28/avg. pace 8:47) the pain did increase. And unfortunately by the time I woke up this morning,I was definitely hobbling. Usually my pain is worse after being still for long periods of time(sitting at work,sleeping,etc).

I suspect that my pt is going to tell me today to go back to the doc to see whether I have a fracture or something else. Which means another co-pay not to mention paying for any tests that may have to be done. I do have insurance but it's still a bite.

X-training today(thank goodness) followed by my pt appointment. *Hugs*

Missing weekend

2008-02-25T04:31:00.000-08:00

It's Monday already? Where did the weekend go? Maybe I can file a missing "persons" report. Something like this..

"WANTED
Missing Saturday & Sunday
Last seen after Friday
If found please call xxx-xxxx."

I wanted to thank everyone for their kind comments after my rant yesterday. I'm feeling a little better(emotionally not physically unfortunately). I've been thinking that I've been training for the 10k since last December but have been running for now over a year so if I end up having to take some time off to heal then I have no other choice but I will be ok. I am just praying that I can still do the 10k in April. My pt appointment is tomorrow so I will talk w/ him & keep you posted.

I do have a 4miler today(yes I know I am a glutton for punishment). If I feel a great amount of pain then I will stop. I know others have taken ibuprofen before a run & I have tried that & it doesn't do a thing for me. I pray that this run is somewhat pain-free. *Kisses*

My 1st misquote...

2008-02-24T08:28:00.000-08:00

Hey Robin I knew what you meant by summer being here soon enough. Not that you couldn't wait for it to get here. My bad..:-/

Speaking of the weather(again) it turned out to be just cloudy(but no rain) & cold for my Fri. 5mile tempo run. The sun actually tried to come out. Which would have warm things up pretty quickly considering I had on my cold weather gear & I would have been stripping faster than a teen on prom night! Anyway I finished w/ a time of 44:30 w/ a pace of 8:47.

Remember when I mentioned the shin splints in my right leg a few weeks back? Well unfortunately the pain still has not gone away. I tried icing & Advil & I thought some of my pt exercises would help but none of it is. I also said that I noticed my times have been getting slower but I thought it was due to me changing my stride. And while I know that may have something to do w/ it I know it may be largely due to some of the pain that I am feeling on my runs. It's not enough to stop me running completely but when I'm done my leg is feeling pretty bad.

I've got a pt appointment this week & I'm going to ask him about it. I'm hoping that I don't have to go back to the doc & worse stop running completely. But we'll see what happens. I swear if it's not one thing it's another w/ my body.

Sorry to end this post on a sour note but I'm worried & pissed that I might have caused some real damage that may keep me from completing my 1st 10k. I hope everyone has had a good weekend & I'm off.

Weathering the storm

2008-02-22T04:26:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's workout went off as planned. Sweat,rinse, repeat(on Tues.) Looks like it's going to be a cold & rainy 5miler today. Fun!

Oh & Steve you didn't hear any complaints from me on my Wed. run. I've run in worse(or at least worse for VA) conditions & I know that you do on a regular basis. I just know now not to put too much stock in what weather.com says the temps are before I leave work for my run. Just need to wait until I get outside to see what the temps really are. Hope you're enjoying that burrito!

Robin commented how she couldn't wait for summer to get here. Well I personally can! So not a warm weather girl. I'll take cold,wind,ice,sleet,snow over blazing temps any day! Happy T.G.I.F. everybody.

Take my breath away

2008-02-21T04:29:00.000-08:00

I know that's a title of an 80's song but somehow it's appropriate for what happened yesterday. Stepped out to do my 2miler. No stomach issues to speak of(trust me,I thought about running w/ some tp & I know that 2miles isn't that far but when you have one of those "moments" even 2 steps away from a bathroom is too far!).

Started running & literally for the 1st couple of minutes I couldn't breathe. It wasn't that windy about 9mph(I've run in windier conditions) but it was cooler than what weather.com was saying(they had temps in the low 50's). But it felt a lot colder(considering that when I ran on Monday morning it was in the low 60's-it was in the mid 40's yesterday). Gotta love VA weather! The wind started to die down about halfway thru my run but then it started sleeting. Don't ya just love the feeling of needles hitting your face as you run? I know that I do. Managed to finish the run w/ a time of 17:53/pace 8:47.

I've noticed that my times have been slower since I started changing the way how I run. But I rather do it right(hopefully becoming a more efficient runner plus avoid injury) & be slower than to be fast but wrong & end up at the doc again.

X-training today & here's to it being almost Friday. *Smooches*

Bloated elliptical

2008-02-20T04:49:00.000-08:00

I know strange title,but a little back story. Monday night I experienced some shall we say stomach issues that had me running to bathroom right after eating. I was thinking maybe it was my dinner. But I didn't have anything out of the ordinary for me. Just whole wheat penne w/ meat sauce & some extra broccoli thrown in. But it didn't hang out in my in body long before making an appearance on the other end. Sorry for the graphic but I figure we're friends here.

So I thought maybe that was the end of it but my tummy felt off a day yesterday. Everything that I ate stayed in but something wasn't right. Talked to my R.B. & she said that she had to take her Mom to the doc because she was having flu-like symptoms. But her food was coming up. Of course when finished our run yesterday I remember giving her a high-5. Of course I came home & showered but it was after I did my pt exercises.

That leads us to x-training at the gym. 31 mins of bloated fun on the elliptical. I was praying that I wouldn't have to jump off in the middle cause ya know it's hard sometimes to get started again after that. Good times,people.

Feel better today & I've got a 2mile quickie. But if something happens it may be real quick. *Kisses from afar*

Quickie post

2008-02-19T04:32:00.000-08:00

Back at work today. Who else hates coming back to work after a 3-day weekend. ugghhh.. Anyway at least the work seems shorter. Ya know always looking for the silver lining!

Got the usual x-training today. Not much else to say so I'm out!

Warm 7miler

2008-02-18T09:32:00.000-08:00

Don't ya love 3-day weekends? Well for those fortunate enough to have them. Did my 7 miles this morning w/ the R.B. in a balmy 64 degrees. Thank goodness for the wind because it would have felt a lot warmer. My friend couldn't find her Garmin so we did the mileage w/o knowing what our pace was during the run. Which is something that I am used to since I don't have one but it drove her crazy. We managed to finish the run w/ a time of 1:01:35/avg. pace of 8:47. We were definitely pleased w/ that! She also let me know that my footfalls sounded heavy in the beginning but gradually lightened up.

Speaking of footfalls,Red mentioned that it sounded like I was using the Pose method(landing mid-foot instead of the heel) when running. I believe that I have read about it somewhere(probably from her blog). I have to admit that I didn't think too much of it until my PT told me that I needed to change the way how I run to become more efficient & avoid future injury. So hopefully like Red says,that practice will make perfect!

I hope everyone has a good holiday(for those that are off) & a good work day(for those who had go in). *Hugs*

Mother/daughter bonding

2008-02-17T07:54:00.000-08:00

You read the title right. I spoke briefly over the Christmas holiday how my relationship w/ Mom has been strained over the years. But I have trying to be more open to spending time w/ her. I spent some time w/ her a few weeks ago on my birthday & she told me how she was looking for a new hairdresser. I recommended my hairdresser who I have been going to for 5 years now(yes once I find a good one,I stick w/ it).

Well she made an appointment for yesterday(same day as mine) & we spent time together at the hair salon. Her hair turned out really good & she'll be going back to my hairdresser. Afterwards we had an early lunch at California Pizza Kitchen. My mom got a Santa Fe Pizza while I got the Hawaiian. Both were good & we were certainly stuffed!

I'm having lunch w/ friend from church today & hopefully later I will get around to doing my taxes. I hope everyone is having a relaxing weekend. *Kisses*

Run softly & carry a big.....

2008-02-15T04:24:00.000-08:00

Ok so I couldn't think of a clever way to end that phrase. But the point is today during my tempo run I am to run less like horse & more like a gazelle. Should be interesting. I can imagine the look I am going to get from drivers & such as I am skipping the light fantastic down the road. My pt told a few days ago that it takes as much as 10 weeks for a runner to completely change the way they run. Of course I'm thinking that my 10k is in 7 weeks I don't have that long! But then I realize it's not like I'm going to stop running after the 10k & this will benefit me in the long term.

So w/ that said wish me luck as I channel my inner gazelle on today's run. Happy T.G.I.F. everybody!

*Update*

So did channeling my inner gazelle work? Well my calf muscles feel a little sore(probably placed a litte too much emphasis on running on my toes). It felt awkward at first & there were times that I let my heel hit the ground first. But I tried to keep steps as soft & light as I could. My finish time was 42:53 w/ a pace of 8:32. About 1:30 slower than my previous runs but my legs feel better & I just overall think I didn't waste as much energy. So the gazelle running is a keeper!

Being watched

2008-02-14T05:46:00.000-08:00

Is kind of creepy but in a good way. Got my 15 mins of fame yesterday w/ the pt videotaping my 2 mile treadmill run. He started towards the end of my run cause you're really into your groove by then. He got back(ummm..HELLO my butt looked HUGE!) & side shots.

What he found is that I pro-nate although not a lot but enough to possibly cause the tendinitis. So the exercises that he gave me is supposed to help w/ strengthening my hips,calves & ankles(it's all connected,baby). He also said that I tend to do the heel strike method. Apparently about 80% of people run like this. Good thing I'm not alone. Anyway he wants me to land more mid-foot to toe. That helps the muscles absorb more of the shock(& react accordingly) than the bones. In addition to the pro-nating & the heel striking I also sound like a Klydesdale(sp?) when running. I need to have a lighter footfall to be a more efficient runner. Think more gazelle & less horse.

Oh & to top things off the next time I need new running kicks I need some w/ more motion control. So the Nikes I have now are out because they are more neutral.

All in all good feedback from the pt about my gait(also got even more pt exercises to do at home).

April asked about what stretching I do for my shins. I got this stretch from Runner's World. You stand facing either chair or wall(for balance) take either right or left foot behind the leg that standing. Make sure your the foot that's behind the other is on it's toes. Then you start squating(as if you are about to take a seat) but lean forward slightly. You should feel a slight pull in your shins of the leg that you're balanced on. Hold for a count of 10-15secs. then repeat for the other side. Generally that does help but my bad case of shin splints on Tuesday may been caused from me landing so heavily on my feet.

Got the usual 2x/week x-training tonight. Sorry for the long post(if you're still w/ me) & thanks for hangin'.

X-training & Walmart

2008-02-13T07:33:00.000-08:00

Did my x-training yesterday. Felt a whisper of shin splint in my right leg but it went away. I had already decided that if I felt a lot of pain,I was only going to 16 mins on the ellip & the rest of my cardio on the bike. But I was basically pain free throughout.

After they gym I stopped by Walmart last night to do some grocery shopping. The one in my area has decided to go "green" by selling canvas shopping bags. Theirs are black. I bought several a while back & they are definitely better than the plastic ones. Unfortunately it's hard to use them at the self-checkouts. The computer that runs the area is already preprogrammed w/ plastic bags so they know when you set something on the sensor & whether or not you've scanned it. Well when you try to put their canvas bags down,it thinks that you trying to checkout something that you have not scanned(like you're stealing) & the clerk has to bypass the option to make it continue. Yet one more thing to make shopping there even more of a chore!

I've got 2 miles tonight but it's going to be done on a treadmill videotaped by my pt. He's going to study my gait & offer some suggestions in regards to my injury. Never been analyzed while running so I feel a little self-conscious like I need to hold perfect posture the whole time. But I realize that I need to run like I normally do so he can help me. Thanks for listening.

Shin splints

2008-02-12T04:49:00.000-08:00

Did 6miles yesterday w/ the R.B. in 52:16/pace 8:50. Had some ankle twinges in the beginning but that went away. Howeva I did have some shin splints afterwards. It was just a light pain right after my run but I stretched,did my pt thang,& iced my left ankle. Went to bed,got up(operative words being got up) & had severe pain. I was hobbling around like an old lady! We had one good size hill yesterday(but nothing that I have not ran before). My R.B. noticed that my footfalls were really heavy. That may have something to do w/ the pain. Did some icing this a.m. & will be taking some Advil.

I have had fairly tame shin splints before but nothing this bad. Good thing I've got x-training today. Later..

Ankle & retail therapy

2008-02-11T04:33:00.000-08:00

Well as it turns out my ankle was fairly quiet on my 5 mile tempo run on Friday. But I was really careful how I placed my feet during the run. Did the whole run in 41:11/pace 8:21. Did my pt exercises,stretched,iced afterwards. Didn't really hear a peep out of it for the rest of the weekend.

I did talk to my PT's assistant & she advised that I may want to lay off running for few days while I am doing pt & my ankle is trying to heal. She did think that because I was doing exercises targeted to the injured area that could be the reason for the flare-up. But I don't want to lay off running & honestly when I ran Mon. night(6miles) & Wed. morning(2miles) & there was no pain the next day. When I did those pt exercises on Thurs(after my x-training),I felt the pain on Friday. I am inclined to think that may be the cause rather than the running. But I will talk w/ the PT as well when I see him this Wed.(he's going to videotape me running). If he flat-out says take a few days off from running & do some other cardio,then I will do it. If not, Ima keep on running!

In other news,did some light retail therapy this weekend & bought this book..

Given the fact that I just turned 35(last Wed.) & still single,I thought it was appropriate. Haven't read it yet but it looks like a fun book. I'll let you know. Had lunch w/ the R.B. on Sat. & she gave me a $25 Dick's Sporting Goods gift card. She said it was to go towards the Garmin fund. Ha Ha. I think she might be disappointed when I use it on running clothes instead.

Wanted to give a shout-out to Donald for stopping by my blog. He actually has a funny Garmin story that's hilarious. I've got a 6miler today followed w/ some core work. Happy Monday y'all!

More pain?

2008-02-08T04:28:00.000-08:00

So I did my pt exercises last night after my x-training. My left ankle flared up a little(of course I wasn't in pain before I started). Did the roller massage & icing afterwards. Woke up this morning w/ my left ankle pissed. I'm thinking that maybe since I was doing exercises to target the area that's why I have more pain now. At least that's what I'm hoping & not that my injury is getting worse. But I will confirm w/ the pt to be sure.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes. You guys rock! This birthday was very low key. Got a card,taken out for some b-day meals(w/ one coming up next Saturday w/ my mom at California Pizza Kitchen-I heart that place).

Well I've got my 5mile tempo run after work & it looks like I am going to have to be careful when I do it. If I'm still in pain this afternoon,I'll stretch & ice it before I go. Wish me luck.

1st PT appointment & no pedicure

2008-02-07T04:24:00.001-08:00

I ended up spending most of my birthday yesterday after my appointment w/ my 1st cousin's 1 year old girl. She is so cute & sweet! So no birthday pedicure but that's ok(really didn't need to spend the $$ anyway).

Is it ok to say that I think my physical therapist is hot? Well even it's not,he sure is! Of course he's married(to another pt no less!). But his wife is really nice & runs marathons. So my pt gives me a bunch stretching exercises to do at home for my tendinitis(inside left ankle) & my sore Achilles tendons(on both ankles). Man I just need new ankles! Anyway he discovered that apparently I must have some stress to my Achilles tendon some time ago because a "bone callous" had grown over both of them. But w/ the exercises hopefully my ankles can be strengthened again. Also he wants to videotape(get your mind outta the gutter) me running to analyze my gait & make recommendations if necessary.

So all in all I feel good about my appointment & the course of treatment. But I have to admit w/ all the exercises he gave me it's almost like I'm doing another workout when I get done w/ my first one!

Speaking of workouts,I've got x-training today. I'm out.

2mile Birthday run

2008-02-06T07:37:00.000-08:00

Yup,you read the title right. Today is my birthday. I am the ripe old age of....35. It feel weird saying that I'm that age. It's like when I was kid I imagined myself as a senior citizen wondering what I would be doing & what not. And I have pictured myself as an adult but in my 20's never in my mid-30's. Let's see,35 years on this planet & what do I have to show for it? I graduated high school(went further than my dad did which is an accomplishment itself),sky dived,ran a race(w/o someone paying me or chasing me w/ a gun),traveled to Brazil for high school band trip. While I did take some college classes,I would love to finish.

I woke up today slightly nauseous & hot. I guess I look forward to hot flashes again(I had them in my mid -20's when I was on drugs to reduce a uterine fibroid that I had surgically removed). I thought today's run is going to be a blast. Did my 2 miles w/ a finish time of 17:35/pace 8:44. Slower than what I have ran the distance before but the run was good.

I've got my initial PT consultation today(it was rescheduled from tomorrow due to the PT person needing to take off to take care of his sick dog). I would like to get a pedicure & my mom recommended a really good place that's w/in walking distance from my house.

I hope everyone has a good hump day. This b-day girl is out!

Placing

2008-02-05T05:23:00.000-08:00

So M,commented that after tomorrow I'll be in one of the hardest age groups to place in a race. No pressure! I know that even though people(like yourselves & my r.b.) say that I am fairly fast,I don't race to place(hee,hee). I don't do any speedwork beyond my tempo runs & when I race I just want to finish. But it's interesting to know that the pool has gotten a lot bigger.

Speaking of fast,did my 6miler yesterday. Total time 50:23 w/ a 8:21 pace. I thought I was going to be slower considering it was in the 60's(but fairly breezy) & the last time I did this distance it was in the morning & about 20 degrees cooler. Oh well,I'll take it!

Got my usual x-training today. Later!

Acting mature

2008-02-04T07:31:00.000-08:00

My R.B. accepted my apology for Friday's outburst. Nice to know that I can lash out like that & she still loves me. Robin,I can laugh about it now. Did nothing except get my hair done & chilled all weekend. Should have been doing my taxes..ughh But didn't. Maybe this weekend.

In other news,on Wed. I will be in the next age bracket for racing. That's right,it's my birthday & I'll be 35. Does this mean that I should officially act mature? I should hope not,given my rant on Friday..lol.. Anyway I had to for the first time get an eye test w/ renewing my license today. NOW I feel old! I have taken off work & have a 2 miler scheduled for that day. I'm thinking of indulging myself a little & get a pedicure. Never had one before,so I am welcomed to suggestions/tips.

I've got a 6miler today all by my lonesome. R.B. is in the process of selling her house & moving(closer in town..yea!) so she won't be able to run w/ me. Have a good(if possible) Monday everyone!

Don't run angry...

2008-02-01T16:37:00.000-08:00

Or if you do at least start your @!?#$ watch! Ok..breathe..Let's see, where shall we begin? I know,lets start w/ my R.B. What I thought was going to be a nice & short 3.1miler began w/a comedy of errors. We plan to meet at 4pm. But as I'm driving home from work I get a text stating she's going to be late. I think,ok..no biggie.. I reply back how long? She says she doesn't know. Something going on w/ her cell so she's on the phone w/ Sprint(a whole nuther post entirely). I'm now thinking lights fading,want get out run,don't want to wait.

But I'm the good friend & decide to wait. Meanwhile she's texting me,saying she's still doesn't know how long,can we meet somewhere else. Now to be fair the other place is about 10mins from our original place but I'm frustrated because I WANT TO RUN!! So I start out the house to where she is & then she's texting me AGAIN saying can we meet at the bagel that I just passed on the way to her. I call her(but of course my phone drops the call as I'm telling her stay where she is). Finally she calls me back telling me that can't map a 3.1 route from where she is. And I'm thinking we just ran 4miles here on Monday. Why can't u? But I keep my mouth shut & follow her to the bagel place.

We do our run while she's ranting about Sprint. They can't figure out why her phone is keeping an old text message that she wants to get rid of. But they are giving her the run around. So we're ending our run & I happen to look down & realize..I didn't start my watch(it's my heart rate monitor that I transfer calories burned & finish run times to my running log online).. The R.B. apologizes stating that's it's her fault because we were rushing to get started. I of course was cursing up a storm & stalked off w/o saying goodbye.

I immediately felt bad(& still do) for my behavior. It wasn't really her fault. I should have paid better attention to what I was doing. I did call her & left an apology but I'm just disgusted w/ myself.

Anyway thanks for kudos for on fast 3.1miler on Wed. Don't know my times for today's run due to..well ya know..And Red I never thought that someone would mention me & the words "natural born runner" in the same sentence! Getting the hair done tomorrow & just going to relax for the weekend. I hope everyone has a good one!

Windy run? not so much

2008-01-31T04:54:00.000-08:00

It wasn't as windy as the weatherman predicted yesterday. Did my 3.1miler in 24:35 w/ a 7:54 pace. That's my fastest 3.1miler ever( in both training & road races) since I've been running. I'm thinking there may be something to actually not running on my x-training days.

Before my ankle started bothering me & I saw a doc about it,I was running for about 1.5miles on the tread(in addition to 2.4 miles on the ellip) on my x-training days. Didn't think too much about it,just wanted to get my cardio in & burn as many calories as I could. Well once the doc told me to give up the tread on those days at first I thought "I'm not gonna burn as many calories,I'll have to do all my cardio on 1 machine..wahaa.." Well my calorie burn did go down a little but I do feel better when I do run. Imagine that.

Followed up the run w/ my Wed. lower body weight training. X-training at the gym today. I'm out.

Can't think(or too lazy) of a title

2008-01-30T05:04:00.000-08:00

I've got a windy(14mph) 3miler today. Oh well I guess I'll be getting some resistance training to boot. Did x-training last night. Same ole,same ole. Not much else to say. Just counting down the days until Friday(again). Everyone have a good day.

Physical Therapy

2008-01-29T04:51:00.000-08:00

Did 4 miles yesterday w/ the R.B. in 35:17 w/ a 8:43pace. Was supposed to be an easy run(according to my schedule & my R.B.) but for me an 8:43 pace is easy. Oh well. Finished up w/ some core work w/ the ball. Love that thing!

Thanks for stopping by Amy. Her site cracks me up!

I have my 1st consultation w/ the physical therapist next Thursday. He has experience w/ running injuries & also he's married(darn!) to another PT who is also a runner(lucky woman). Hey Red mentioned that I should just get a runner lover. I'm thinking about a lover who is a runner and a PT! My PT works out of the gym that go to for x-training on Tues. & Thurs. so it's very convenient. My R.B. thinks I should do my usual x-training(I do the ellip for 30min followed by upper body weight training) 1st then go to pt afterwards since I'm probably not going to feel like working out after doing the therapy.

Speaking of I've got x-training I've got that for today. Later.

Recap

2008-01-28T05:37:00.000-08:00

I had my 5 mile tempo run on Friday. Finished in 40:40 w/ a 8:07 pace. Thought my left ankle was going to give me trouble in the beginning but I guess I ran it into submission. I'm waiting on the doc's office to let me know that my insurance covers physical therapy & then I'll be doing that 2x/week for 6 visits.

Ran some errands on Sat. & Sun. Picked up a new set of these at Linens 'n' Things..

My first real set of flatware! Since they are no marriage prospects on the horizon I thought that I would buy my own set. My former set I've had for about 10 years(since I moved out on my own) & they were the WalMart box of 20 for $10. The set above is really heavy & has a matte finish(which unfortunately you can't tell from the pic). Plus the spoons don't bend when I eat ice cream w/ them! They were on sale for $74.99(reg. $99) plus I had a 20% off single item coupon. Sweet!

I've got an easy 4miler today followed by some core work w/ my stability ball. I did manage to say on it Friday during my lower body workout. I may be getting better at it!

T.G.I.F.

2008-01-25T04:48:00.000-08:00

TGIF!..Always nice to have a short week. Did x-training at the gym last night. I decided not switch ellips like Annette suggested. I figured that w/ me switching up the resistance every few mins or so along w/ my tunes is enough to keep busy for a while. But I will definitely keep that in the back of my head whenever I do get bored w/ it altogether.

I've got my 5mile tempo run today followed by lower body weight training. Hopefully I can stay on the ball this time. But we'll see.

Injury update: The topical cream(it's an anti-inflammatory drug) that was prescribed to me did not help the pain. In fact I think that it caused me more stiffness! Even though both the doc & the pharmacist said that's not possible,my doc wants me to stop using it. She did have me increase the stretching exercises she has me doing(I was doing them 1x/day..now I am up to 3x/day) as well as icing more often throughout the day. I am not feeling the stiff pain in my left ankle that I was a few days ago when I was using the cream. Also no pain in my Achilles tendon when I walk down a flight of stairs. I think the increase stretching is helping w/ that.

The wedges still have not come in even though the doc ordered them last Fri. Because the doc said that the wedge doesn't work for everybody & I may still need physical therapy,I've decided not to get the wedges when they come in & just do the physical therapy. I pray that this will help my injury.

Everyone have a good Fri. & catch ya later!

Ball & band review plus a 2miler

2008-01-24T05:40:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I used the ball & bands that I bought over the weekend. I used the middle resistant band doing these exercises..

(pics courtesy of Sparkpeople-sorry if they're a little fuzzy)

The 1st exercise(guy lying on his back) is w/ the band wrapped around the ankle to work the outer thigh. I had to get the motion down but not too bad. The 2nd exercise(woman standing by the couch holding on to a chair) is w/ the band wrapped around the leg of the couch & the ankle to work the inner thigh. Very good workout. I could really feel it.

Next up I used the ball for these exercises..

(pics courtesy of Sparkpeople-sorry again if they're a little fuzzy)

Top left pic is for the hamstrings. Decent. I could feel it while I was doing it. Top middle pic is for the abs. Can I just say..owww! My knees were killing thru this one. Not sure if that's the purpose. May have to recheck my form for this one. Top right pic is for the quads. I did it w/o the additional hand weights. Not too bad. Definitely could feel it while I was doing it but I will add hand weights next time. My quads as you might have guessed are pretty strong from the running that I do so it takes quite a bit to tax those babies.

Bottom left pic is for the left back. Oh...my..gosh..!!!! First let me say that I had a little trouble staying on the ball. Once I was on,I only managed to get a few reps in before I would lose my balance & fall off. Thought my core & balance was pretty strong,but this exercise kicked my butt. But I look at it as a challenge. I will become one w/ the ball. Bottom right pic is for the abs again. I like this one even though I felt a little light-headed afterwards.

Red asked if I tried to the Bosu ball. I tried it once at my gym & I liked it. I think once I get a handle on the stability ball I will look into getting one for my home.

Lisa I am hoping the novelty doesn't wear off & I'll become unmotivated to use them at home. But given the fact the exercises are challenging right now should keep me coming back for more!

So all in all good lower body workout. My triceps are a little sore from where I had to balance on my hands for 2 of them. Don't feel any soreness in the legs but the ball & bands are a keeper.

In running news,I did just my 2 miles yesterday. Total time 17:04. Coolness..I've got x-training tonight. Thanks for listening!

Balls,bands & the ellip

2008-01-23T04:44:00.000-08:00

31 mins on the elliptical last night..Actually it wasn't too bad. Maybe because it's been years since I've done it so it's the novelty but I managed to stay on w/o wanting to rip my hair out. Kim mentioned having tunes w/ her when she does it, & I do the same thing. I was definitely rockin' my mp3! Annette also said try moving to a different elliptical half way thru to fool myself into thinking I am going to a different machine. I kinda like that idea & may have to try it tomorrow. Also I am constantly changing up the resistance(ranging from 2 to 9) every few mins or so to keep body challenged so that helped break up the monotony.

I've got my 2 miler(just 2miles). Nothing extra. But over the weekend I decided to buy these..

On Wed. I normally do lower body strength training(my apartment complex has a fitness center) after doing my short run. On Fri. after 5 mile tempo run I do Pilates for the lower body. I realized that once I started training for the 10k my Fri. lower body weight training went out the window. Now I know some would argue,well you're running for 5 miles,your legs have gotten enough of a workout. But I know how important weights are for keeping those legs muscles strong & limber so you can do the distance. I bought the band & ball above to do strength training in my home(tired of using what my apartment laughingly calls a fitness center). I also wanted to give my body a jolt & move away from using nautilus equipment. I figured the ball would also be great for core work(which I do on Mon. after my long run).

So I'll be trying them out today. I have some exercises off the net but if any of you out there use these let me know what you think of them.

Back at work

2008-01-22T09:04:00.000-08:00

Back at work after a 4-day weekend. Ugggh.. I was ready to go home when I got here at 7am.

Today is the 1st day of cardio w/o using the mill for part of my x-training. I'll be on the elliptical for 31mins rather than my usual 16 w/ the rest on the mill(I like breaking my cardio up w/ multiple machines so it breaks the monotony). My doc recommended that I not do any running when I'm x-training in order for my ankle to heal. She did suggest doing the bike but that kills my knees afterwards. So it's all elliptical baby..Say a prayer for me..

Freezin' 7miler & wedge saga continues

2008-01-21T13:32:00.000-08:00

7 miles in 1:05:20. Roughly 9:20 pace in the well below(12 degrees but no wind) freezing temps...Yeah..Let's just say the 1st mile was very speedy(mainly to warm up). Ran w/ the R.B. so misery loves company & all that. Thanks to Steve for cold weather running tips(I didn't forget my lip balm)! Go check his blog. It's slap your momma hilarious as well as slightly graphic. So you have been warned.

I mentioned about the wedge saga continuing. Well I called pharmacy today & talked to the guy in charge of ordering things like that. He said that he knew what I was talking about but all the had was a piece that would cover the entire heel. The wedge that I need is shaped like an oval leaf & only goes on 1 side of the shoe. So I called the doc's office & they said the would have more in on Wed. So that means I'll be spending a lunch break going across town to get them. Oh joy...

I did manage to get the topical cream that my sports doc prescribed. So at least I'll have that to relieve the inflammation.

Well it's back to work tomorrow. I'm out.